Should I cover a skylight well from the inside?

Question

I made the mistake of having a Velux skylight installed in my bedroom. The installation was done by pros, both inside and out, and it has never leaked through 2 hurricanes. The installation was done along with a new roof about 10 years ago.

However, I hate the condensation and mildew in the wintertime. I am very handy and am considering cutting out the drywall light shaft, insulating, and patching the ceiling. Then I would just leave the skylight in the roof deck until the next roofing job (or until it leaks...)

I am very handy and this type of job, but am wondering if it is a good idea. The only downside I can think of is if the skylight develops a leak, I may not know it until significant damange is done.

Answer 1

The condensation is typically a sign of either a) too much moisture or b) poorly insulated glass in a cold climate. If the issue is too much moisture, perhaps there's a fix there first (is this a bath, for example?) As for the poor glass insulation, have you considered applying the 3M plastic overlay products in the winter to aid in insulation?

One perhaps cheaper and easier, albeit uglier, solution would be to cut a piece of EPS or XPS foam insulation board to almost the size of the shaft opening, add some weather-stripping ot the outside edge to make a snug fit, then just push it into the shaft during the winter months.

I actually have a similar issue in that our house has skylights in the baths with really tall shafts. The ceiling fan is on the ceiling (way below the ceiling light), so during showers, a lot of the hot air rises above the fan and condenses on the window. I've been thinking of covering the bottom shaft in glass as well, keeping the moisture from even getting into the shaft to begin with.

Answer 2

I install a piece of window film each winter – the kind that is taped to the edge and hit with a hair dryer. I still get the light but everything else stays in my room.