Rochester’s humid continental climate dumps heavy lake-effect snow that sits on low-slope roofs around High Falls and the George Eastman Museum. When that snow melts against a poorly flashed skylight, water tracks down the shaft and into the attic. We see this constantly on 1920s–1950s housing stock in Park Avenue and East Avenue, where original wood curbs have shrunk and the original tar-and-gravel flashings have cracked. Sealing those joints with compatible butyl and ice-and-water shield—not generic caulk—is what actually stops the drip before it soaks insulation and starts mold on the rafters.
On older Monroe County roofs the skylight curb often sits proud of the roof plane, creating a dam that ice can form against. In Irondequoit and Brighton the combination of freeze-thaw cycles and wind-driven rain from Lake Ontario pushes water under even new-looking metal flashings. We lift the existing flashing, inspect the wood for rot, sister or sister-plate any soft sections, then reinstall with a continuous membrane that wraps the curb and ties into the roof underlayment. That sequence matters more than the brand of sealant; skip the wood check and the leak returns the next January.
Charlotte bungalows and Pittsford colonials frequently have skylights added in the 80s and 90s with no cricket or proper step flashing. Those units leak at the uphill side first. We add a small cricket or diverter, reseal the step flashing, and run a bead of polyurethane at the glass-to-frame joint only after confirming the frame itself is still square. Doing the glass joint first just hides a structural problem. The work is done from the roof and the attic so we can verify the shaft is dry before we leave. Hours are Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 9am–2pm out of 1925 S Clinton Ave.
Technician insight
In Rochester the thing that catches most people out with skylight leak sealing is the ice dam that forms on the uphill side of a low-slope curb after a heavy lake-effect dump. Homeowners caulk the glass and think they are done, but the water is actually running under the flashing because the original 1940s tar has cracked. We always check the wood from the attic first; if it is soft we fix that before any sealant goes on, otherwise the next January thaw brings the leak right back.
East Avenue colonial after January thaw
A homeowner near East Avenue called after brown stains appeared on the attic ceiling below a 1990s skylight. We found ice-dam water tracking under failed step flashing and into wet cellulose. The curb lumber was still sound, so we installed a small cricket, new ice-and-water shield, and butyl-taped flashings. The shaft dried out and the stains have not returned through the following winter.
Skylight Leak Sealing Services We Offer
✓Skylight Curb Flashing Repair
Replace cracked or missing step and counter flashing around the wood curb so meltwater cannot enter the attic shaft.
✓Ice Dam Diverter Installation
Add a small cricket or metal diverter on the uphill side of the skylight to keep ice and snow from ponding against the frame.
✓Butyl Tape Reseal of Frame Joints
Remove failed caulk and apply butyl tape plus compatible sealant at the glass-to-frame and frame-to-curb joints.
✓Attic Shaft Dry-Out and Inspection
Open the shaft from below, dry any wet insulation, and confirm no hidden rot before the roof-side seal is finished.
✓Skylight Underlayment Tie-In
Extend ice-and-water shield from the roof deck up the curb so the flashing has a continuous water-tight plane.
✓Emergency Temporary Skylight Cover
Install a weather-tight tarp or rigid cover when a leak is active during a snow event so interior damage stops immediately.
Skylight Leak Sealing Cost in Rochester, NY
| Service | Typical Range | What Affects It |
|---|---|---|
| Single skylight flashing reseal | $350–$650 | Intact wood curb, no cricket needed |
| Curb wood repair plus flashing | $550–$950 | Soft lumber or missing cricket on older Park Avenue roofs |
| Emergency tarp or rigid cover | $150–$300 | Active leak during snow, same-day visit |
| Two-skylight same-roof package | $800–$1,400 | Shared access and similar curb condition |
Ranges are typical for Rochester, NY and confirmed with an exact written quote before any work starts.
How it works
- 1
Roof and Attic Assessment
We inspect the skylight from the roof and from inside the attic, looking for ice-dam evidence, wet insulation, and failed flashing typical of Monroe County winters.
- 2
Curb and Wood Repair
Any soft or rotten curb lumber is sistered or replaced so the new flashing has a solid nailing surface.
- 3
Membrane and Flashing Installation
Ice-and-water shield is wrapped up the curb, then new step, counter, and head flashings are installed and sealed.
- 4
Interior Dry-Out and Close-Up
Wet insulation is removed, the shaft is dried, and we verify no remaining drip before restoring the attic side.
Pricing
Most Rochester skylight leak seals fall in a modest range once we see the curb condition; ice-dam damage or rotten wood moves the price, not surprise add-ons.