The default answer from most contractors is replacement — it's a bigger job and a bigger invoice. Here's the honest version:
Repair is the right answer when:
Full replacement makes sense when:
We'll tell you honestly which applies after inspection. We don't recommend replacement to generate a bigger job.
Most skylight leaks we're called out to fix across County Meath have already been looked at once — a contractor ran silicone around the frame, charged for the visit, and the leak came back the following winter. It came back because sealant over a symptom is not a repair.
Our process is straightforward:
The lead flashing kit around a Velux window is what keeps the junction between the frame and the surrounding roof tiles watertight. On windows installed more than 15 years ago — which accounts for a significant number of Velux units fitted across Navan, Dunshaughlin and Kells during the building boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s — the lead has often oxidised and stiffened, the sealant tape beneath it has dried out, and the flashing has lifted fractionally away from the tiles. That gap is all it takes. We replace the full flashing kit rather than trying to reseal an installation that's past its reliable lifespan.
Velux windows have rubber seals running around the perimeter of the sash where it meets the frame. These seals harden and crack with age, lose their compression, and allow wind-driven rain to enter even when the flashing above is sound. A leaking Velux in dry, still weather is almost always a flashing issue. A leaking Velux specifically during heavy wind and rain, with no leak in calm conditions, is almost always the seals. We replace the rubber seal set on all Velux models — significantly cheaper than a new window and highly effective when the unit itself is otherwise sound.
The flat roof extensions going up across Dunboyne, Ratoath, Ashbourne and the broader Meath commuter belt over the past 15 years have brought a new generation of skylights onto Meath roofs — dome-style roof lights, walk-on glass panels, and fixed flat roof units that are fundamentally different to a pitched roof Velux and fail in different ways. Flat roof skylights leak at the upstand junction rather than the pitched flashing, and pooling water around the frame accelerates seal failure far faster than on a pitched roof application. We repair and replace flat roof skylights and roof lights across Meath, correctly identifying which system is installed and what's causing the failure.
A Velux window that won't open, closes stiffly, won't latch properly, or has a handle that's seized is a safety and ventilation issue — particularly in loft conversions and bathrooms across Meath where the skylight may be the only openable window. We repair and replace handles, hinges, stays, and locking mechanisms on all standard Velux models. In most cases a mechanism repair costs a fraction of a full window replacement and restores full operation.
Impact damage — storm debris, overhanging branches, or the hailstones that come with the kind of weather Meath sees in winter — can crack either the outer or inner pane of a Velux unit. A cracked outer pane compromises weather resistance immediately. A cracked inner pane compromises thermal performance and, if left, allows condensation to track into the roof structure. We replace individual glass panes and full sealed units across all Velux models and sizes.
Where a window is beyond repair — frame rot, outdated flashing systems that are no longer supported, or a unit that has been leaking and patched so many times that replacement is the only honest answer — we supply and install replacement Velux windows including the full flashing kit. Velux's current generation windows offer significantly better thermal performance and weather resistance than units installed 20+ years ago, and a full replacement on an old unit that keeps causing problems is often the most cost-effective long-term decision.
Real Results From The People Of Meath!
This is where most online guides go wrong — they list "possible causes" without telling you which one is most likely on a Meath property of a specific age. Here's the reality:
Units installed between 1995 and 2010 — this is the highest-risk age range for Velux leaks across County Meath. The building boom brought Velux windows into thousands of Meath homes during this period, primarily into loft conversions, attic rooms, and rear extensions across Navan, Dunshaughlin, Ratoath and the expanding commuter towns. Those windows are now 15–30 years old. The flashing kits installed with them used sealant tape and lead that has a typical reliable lifespan of 20–25 years in Irish conditions. A Velux installed in 2000 is now at the point where flashing failure is statistically likely, regardless of whether it's showing visible problems yet. If you haven't had it inspected and it's in this age range, get it done before it starts leaking rather than after.
Sealant-over-sealant repairs are the second most common cause of recurring skylight leaks across Meath. A contractor applies silicone around the Velux frame — it's quick, it costs almost nothing in materials, and it temporarily stops the drip. It doesn't address the flashing beneath, the seals around the sash, or the reason the water was finding its way in. It degrades in UV within two or three seasons and the leak returns. We see this on almost every Velux inspection across County Meath where there's been a previous repair. If your skylight has been "fixed" and is leaking again, this is almost certainly why.
Flat roof skylights on extensions fail for a different reason to pitched roof Velux units. The upstand height — the vertical section of frame that sits above the flat roof membrane — is critical. Where upstands are less than 150mm above the finished roof surface, or where the membrane doesn't terminate correctly against the frame, water pools at the junction and eventually finds its way in. This is an installation fault on many Meath extensions built during the 2000s and 2010s, and patching the sealant at the frame doesn't correct the underlying geometry. Full upstand replacement or membrane re-termination is the right fix.
Condensation misidentified as a leak is worth flagging because it generates unnecessary call-outs. If you're seeing moisture on the inside of a Velux frame or on the ceiling immediately below the window primarily in cold weather, and it's worse in rooms with high humidity (bathrooms, kitchens), you may be dealing with condensation rather than a leak. Condensation appears when warm interior air hits the cold glass or frame and deposits moisture. A free inspection will confirm which it is — the distinction matters because the fix is completely different.
DJ Roofing Meath is based in Navan and covers every part of County Meath. Our crew is on the road daily across the county — there's no area of Meath we don't reach.
Areas regularly served include:
Navan | Trim | Dunshaughlin | Ashbourne | Kells | Ratoath | Dunboyne | Athboy | Slane | Nobber | Oldcastle | Summerhill | Enfield | Longwood | Kilmessan | Laytown | Bettystown | Duleek | Stamullen | Skryne | Dunleer | Carnaross
Not sure if we cover your area? Call 045 254 204 and we'll confirm straight away.
My Velux was repaired last year and it's leaking again — why?
Almost certainly because sealant was applied around the frame rather than the actual fault being fixed. Silicone sealant over a lifting flashing or failed window seal is a temporary measure — it typically lasts one to two seasons before degrading and the leak returning. We find the actual cause rather than applying another layer of sealant over the previous one.
Is the white fogging between my Velux panes a leak?
No — fogging between panes means the sealed unit has failed and moisture has got between the glass layers. It doesn't cause a water leak into the property but it kills thermal performance and gets worse over time. We replace the sealed glass unit, which in most cases is considerably cheaper than a full window replacement.
Can you repair skylights from other manufacturers, not just Velux?
Yes. Velux is the most common brand on Meath properties but we also work on Fakro, Keylite, and other roof window brands, as well as flat roof dome skylights and proprietary roof light systems fitted to extensions.
My skylight is on a flat roof extension — is it the same repair as a pitched roof Velux?
No — flat roof skylights and pitched roof Velux windows fail differently and need different repairs. Flat roof skylights leak at the upstand junction with the membrane rather than at a pitched flashing kit. Getting this diagnosis wrong means the wrong repair.
How do I know if it's a leak or condensation?
A leak typically appears regardless of weather conditions once the entry point is open. Condensation is worst in cold weather, in high-humidity rooms, and presents as moisture on the glass or cold frame rather than dripping water or a ceiling stain. A free inspection will confirm which you're dealing with.
Do you cover all of County Meath for skylight repairs?
Yes — Navan, Trim, Ashbourne, Kells, Dunshaughlin, Ratoath, Dunboyne, Athboy, Slane, Oldcastle, Enfield, Laytown, Bettystown, Duleek and all of Co. Meath.
Whether it's leaking, fogged, seized, or been repaired before without success — start with a free inspection. We'll find what's actually causing the problem and give you a straight answer on whether repair or replacement is the right call.
Call us now. No call-out fees. No hidden charges. No hard sell.
DJ Roofing Meath provides a full range of roofing services for homeowners and commercial properties throughout County Meath.
DJ Roofing Meath — honest, reliable roofing across County Meath. Call Sean directly for a free quote.
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