Glass Sky-Light - Builder Says It Will Leak After A Few Years.

[yunn26 2]

My re-con plan includes a 4ft x 6ft glass skylight to be integrated into my Lysaught metal roof - located in the middle of the roof pitch, directly below the living room.

Builder seems reluctant to proceed, citing "leaking" problems in a few years - saying the silicon will wear out in our heat.

While it always seems logical when it comes to heat and silicon wear - I do see lots of houses who have a skylight of some sort in Singapore - if it is destined to leak - why is it so popular?

Or is it just technique and quality of installation?

Anybody with a sklylight can comment on their experience so far?

Thanks

[bepgof 20]

'Popularity' comes hand in hand with costs.

Beauties needs SKII, Loreal, Dior, Chanel, kose....to 'anti-age'.

“Nature's first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; but only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief, so dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.” - Mr. Robert F

[Lauer 15]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NadClRkUtzk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Enjoy!

[Lauer 15]

Simi silicone. As in building a fish tank?

Got the detail drawing of the proposed skylight boh?

Enjoy!

[nerrad 7]

Yes skylights are risky, especially if you are not appointing any consultant to detail the skylight and going to a contractor directly.

If the contractor has advised you not doing a skylight, it means he is not very good in this field. Either find someone else or not do a skylight.

[bepgof 20]

Life is full of uncertainties, challenges, opinions/advises, options and promises....

Most often, we need GUTS, do things feel by heart and bold enough to chase after dreams, then cry and laught.

[Lauer 15]

A skylight window, as its name implied, is a window that allows skylight to filter into a room.

It is commonly used in houses located in temperate climate, where the hours of sunlight can be very short in Winter.

However, over here in the Tropics many have mistakenly transformed a skylight window to a sunlight window.

In the Tropics where the sun is harsh, the room where there is a window that allows the sunlight in directly, will warm up rapidly. And even more so when the window is supposingly a skylight window. So it is important when introducing a skylight window, the window is tilted away from the sun path and it is installed in the roof area with the least afternoon sun.

The design of the skylight window should also follow the principle of a normal window together with a well-considered flashing mechanism. Also to add safety feature such as using laminated glass.

(Regardless of how well it is designed, I am quite sure that 4 x 6 is too big for a skylight here.)

Enjoy!

[Lauer 15]

About light and glass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--9JL-RbfgE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Enjoy!

[DarrenLimSG 0]

I believe it is more likely your contractor is not well versed with Skylights. You might want to get an windows/glass specialist to do it. Your contractor tried to change your mind, as such specialists are costly.

Silicon will will certainly wear out, therefore having a good design is very important, mainly to prevent water from ponding. Water ponding is a big no-no, as they will slowly find their way though any fissure. As such, most contractors without the necessary know-how, won't be able to prevent your Skylight from leaking after a few years.

If you really want to get the Skylight, don't save on the cost, get the specialist to do it. I'll save you alot of hassle in the long run. And oh, 4 x 6 is certainly doable.

Cheers.

Edited March 23, 2014 by DarrenLimSG

[gilbertyang 1]

All i can say is it depends on your contractor's skill. In fact, you need a specialist's help rather than dependent on contractors.

Firstly, skylight are not easy to install. You need specialist to determine to interfacing details and to check if the details got any water retention faults. Most importantly, water must not be trapped within any sleeves of the skylight frame and/or gaps.

Secondly, The glass properties plays a part too. Whether is it single or double glazed? Low E or laminated?? The loading of the glass onto the frame????

What kind of details? Spider clamp details or the framing type by sides?

I am personally not a specialist on this but have went through jobs to determine good or bad detailing job. Don't always blame it on the contractors.

[DarrenLimSG 0]

No one is blaming the contractors. Just discussing their competency in such cases.

Cheers.