What an Auckland skylight has to handle
Cloudbursts test the flashing
Albert Park's record day in January 2023 dropped 211 mm in under 6 hours. The flashing around a skylight has to shed water like that without it backing up, and the upslope side, where water piles against the frame, matters most.
Humid air, cold glass
Auckland's relative humidity stays high in every season because of the surrounding sea. Moist indoor air meeting cold glazing on a winter night can drip down the shaft, and it's often mistaken for a leak. Our guide to condensation or a leak helps you tell the two apart.
Strong summer sun
The mean daily maximum UV Index reaches 12.2 in January at Leigh, and central and eastern Auckland get more sunshine hours than the west. Glazing and blinds are worth thinking about for heat and fading, especially on a north-facing slope.
Salt and hail near the coast
In zone D, within 500 m of the coast or a harbour, the frame and flashing materials need to suit high sea-spray exposure. Hail is most likely from June to November, another reason to ask what the glazing is.
Does a skylight need consent in Auckland?
Replacing an existing skylight with a comparable one in the same position is the kind of work Schedule 1 of the Building Act allows without a building consent. A brand-new skylight means a new opening, which isn't like-for-like replacement, so ask your roofer or Auckland Council whether yours needs consent before work starts. Either way, the Building Code still applies, including the rule that a roof keeps water out.
In a Special Character Area, external alterations need resource consent, though minor alterations to the rear are permitted if they use the same design and materials as the existing building. Whether a particular skylight qualifies is one for Auckland Council, and the answer for a back slope may differ from one facing the street.
An Auckland skylight job grows with the type of unit, the roofing material, the ceiling height and shaft length, and whether it's fixed or opening. Ask for a written quote that includes the flashing kit, lining the shaft and making good the ceiling.
Skylights and clear roofing are brittle
WorkSafe lists glass such as skylights, and clear roofing, among brittle roof materials that workers should not walk on. Never step on or lean on a skylight, and don't go onto the roof to clean one. Clean the inside from a stable stepladder if you're comfortable, and leave the outside to a roofer.
Questions for whoever quotes your skylight
- Is the flashing kit made for my roof, whether longrun, tile or decramastic?
- How will you deal with condensation in the shaft: insulation, ventilation or the glazing?
- Are the frame and flashing suited to my distance from the sea?
- Does this need a building consent, and if so, who applies for it?
- Where on the roof would you put it, and why there?
- If it leaks later, how do I raise it with you and what will you cover?
What we'd do about a skylight
We'd put the skylight where it lights the dimmest room and sits on a sheltered slope, well away from a valley where water concentrates. We'd ask the roofer how they'll stop condensation as well as leaks, because in Auckland's damp winters both show up as drips. And we'd keep the paperwork: by law you can notify the contractor of a defect within 12 months of completion, and they must fix it within a reasonable time of your written notice.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.