Skylight Repair in Torrance, CA

Skylight leaks are rarely about the glass. The water usually gets in where metal flashing meets roofing, or where an old bead of caulk has pulled away from the frame. Before you buy a new unit, read through how we separate the causes. Our skylights page covers the full range of work, and this one is about fixing what drips.

Is it a leak or just condensation on the glass?

Two different problems look alike on a ceiling.

Condensation is a humidity problem, not a roof problem. Vent the bathroom fan outdoors, not into the attic, and crack a vented skylight if you have one. Our blog post on skylight leak causes goes further into flashing, seal and condensation.

Where do skylights let water in?

Most failures sit at a handful of spots:

• The top edge. Water running down the roof hits the upper side of the frame. If the head flashing is short, rain pushes behind it.
• The side flashing. On shingle roofs the metal steps weave in with each course. On tile it has to follow the tile profile. If either was caulked instead of lapped, the caulk is what is holding.
• The curb seal. Plastic dome units sit on a curb. When the gasket or sealant hardens, water creeps under the dome edge.
• Cracked or crazed glazing. Old acrylic gets brittle in sun. Fine lines turn into cracks.
• Fasteners. Exposed screws or nails through the flashing back out and leave a path.

An older Torrance roof has had the sun and a few coats of sealant. That makes it hard to tell by eye which layer is leaking, and why we also look from the attic.

Reseal, reflash or replace: how we decide

Not every leaking skylight is a dead skylight. We sort cases like this:

1. Sealant only. The unit is sound; dried sealant or a small gap is the source. Clean, re-seal and test.
2. Flashing failure. Lift the surrounding shingle or tile, replace the flashing in the correct overlap and tie it back into the roofing.
3. Dome or glass failure. Replace the dome or the glass if the manufacturer's parts exist, or replace the unit.
4. Frame or curb damage. Rotted wood curb, bent frame or sagging deck needs a rebuild, which moves into skylight replacement.

One Google reviewer described a roofer being upfront that their skylight "still had several good years left" and applying no pressure to upgrade. That is how a repair-first call should go.

Cracked skylight domes and broken glass

A cracked acrylic dome lets rain in and invites more cracking, because the edges flex in wind. Clear tape or patch kits are stopgaps. A new dome on a sound curb is the clean fix. Glass skylights are different: a broken pane is a safety issue as well as a leak, so keep people out from under it and call us. A sealed double-pane glass unit that has cracked or fogged usually means replacing the glass unit if one is available for that model, or the whole skylight if not.

What a skylight repair visit includes and how it runs

The repair is written around the cause we find, not a standard package. A like-for-like fix keeps the cost down, and we tell you when the leak is a sealant problem and not a unit problem. We look at the opening from the roof and from the attic, since the two views often disagree. The scope of a repair visit can include any of the following, depending on what we find:

• Re-sealing the curb, frame or glazing edge with the right sealant for the surface
• Rebuilding side and head flashing and tying it into the roofing
• Replacing a cracked dome or a failed glass panel
• Re-setting or replacing roofing pieces around the unit
• Replacing wet insulation or soft wood at the curb
• Photos of the cause, before and after

1. We ask when you noticed the problem and what the weather was doing.
2. We check inside: the shaft, the ceiling, the glass, and the attic if we can reach it.
3. We inspect the roof side: flashing, curb, sealant, fasteners and the roofing around the unit.
4. We water test when the cause is unclear, working from the low side up while someone watches inside.
5. You see photos and hear the options, including what is temporary and what is lasting.
6. We repair the cause, clean up thoroughly and protect landscaping and driveways.

Sealants cure on dry surfaces, so permanent work can wait for a dry window between November and March storms. We say so and protect the opening meanwhile.

What decides the price of fixing a skylight

We give free estimates and do not post prices. For context, 2026 published cost guides put most roof repairs between $300 and $1,500. That is market data and not a quote. What moves a skylight repair:

• Resealing versus rebuilding the flashing on several sides
• Tile and metal roofs, which need more careful flashing than flat or shingle
• Whether the curb, deck or insulation around the opening is wet or rotted
• Reaching the unit on a steep or second-story roof
• Parts, if only a dome or glass panel needs replacing

The cost of finding the leak is often larger than the cost of the patch. A dry skylight in August can still be the one that drips in February, so tracing the water path carefully is where the time goes. Fixing the right part once is cheaper than sealing the wrong one twice.

Do skylight repairs need a permit, and who checks the contractor?

A like-for-like repair, such as resealing or reflashing an existing unit, is often treated differently from cutting a new opening, but that call belongs to the building department. In Torrance, Building & Safety at (310) 618-5910 can tell you what your address needs, and unincorporated areas of LA County go through LA County Public Works. Replacement units carry energy-performance ratings under California Energy Commission standards, so ask which rules apply to yours. Before hiring any roofer, look up their license on the California Contractors State License Board site at cslb.ca.gov.

Why call Crown Trim for a leaking skylight

• We check inside, on the roof and in the attic, and show you photos of the cause.
• Repair first. Replacement comes up only when reseal or reflash will not hold.
• Free estimates and free roof inspections, with same day or next day service.
• Reviewers rate us 4.8 stars across 73 Google reviews.
• For storm damage we document the opening with photos and can attend the adjuster's inspection.

Keeping a repaired skylight dry

Clear leaves and debris off the upstream side of the skylight. Look for gaps in the sealant at the start of each fall. Run a damp cloth around the frame inside and see whether it stays dry after the first rain. Trim branches that scrape the dome. See the seasonal list on skylight maintenance, and our skylight installation page if you are considering a new opening.

We repair skylights in Carson, Redondo Beach and Rancho Palos Verdes, as well as Torrance itself. A skylight on a coastal Redondo roof deals with damp mornings and salt, while a Peninsula one often sees stronger gusts.