Skylight Installation & Replacement

Fixed (non-venting). Lowest cost, no moving parts, longest service life. Right when the room doesn't need ventilation — finished basements, stairwells, hallways, transition spaces. Velux FS, FCM, and Sun-Tek SkyMax fixed models common.

Manual venting (crank-operated). Manually opens for ventilation. Right for kitchens, bathrooms, and bonus rooms where you'd want some fresh air on temperate days. Velux VS series. Less common today because Velux Active models with rain-sensor auto-close are more convenient.

Velux Active (electric venting + remote + rain sensor). Top-tier NJ residential install. Solar-powered or wired electric. Opens and closes by remote; auto-closes when rain sensor detects moisture. Federal solar tax credit (Section 25D residential clean energy) applies to solar-powered Velux Active units. Right for kitchens, bathrooms, and master bedrooms.

Velux Integra (electric venting, no rain sensor). Mid-tier version of Active. Remote-operated, no auto-close. Modest savings vs Active.

Sun tunnel / tubular skylight (Velux Sun Tunnel, Solatube). Pulls light from the roof through a reflective tube to a diffuser in the ceiling below. Right when traditional skylight installation isn't feasible (cathedral ceilings without attic, complex framing). Lower cost than full skylight, less light delivered.

Frame profiles. Velux EDW deck-mounted flashing kit fits standard asphalt-shingle roofs (most NJ residential). Velux EDL low-profile flashing kit fits roofs with low or thin-profile shingles. Velux EDM curb-mounted flashing kit fits skylights installed on a separate wood curb (common on flat roofs, slate, and tile).

Pre-install attic verification. We walk the attic to confirm rafter spacing matches the skylight rough opening, identify any electrical or plumbing in the way, and verify there's framing room for the headers and trimmers. Skylight installation almost always requires cutting one or two rafters and installing reinforced headers — code requires this for structural load transfer.

Rough opening framed per manufacturer spec. Velux specifies rough opening dimensions for each model; we frame to exact spec with doubled headers and trimmers per NJ code prescriptive table R802.10.

Velux EDW or EDL flashing kit. Step flashing at the sides, head flashing at the top, sill flashing at the bottom. Each component is factory-stamped to match the skylight model — no improvised sheet-metal work. Each flashing piece overlaps the one below it (shingle-style water-shedding sequence).

Ice & water shield around the curb. We wrap GAF WeatherWatch or CertainTeed WinterGuard ice & water shield around the entire curb perimeter — 24" in every direction. NJ code R905.1.2 requires it within 36" of skylight penetrations. Self-seals around all fasteners.

Interior light well finish. We work with interior trim carpenters or finish the light well ourselves on simple installs. The light well is the framed shaft from the roof opening down to the finished ceiling — drywall, paint, and trim. For dramatic effect, light wells can be splayed (wider at the bottom than the top) to spread light across more interior surface.

Velux warranty registration. We register the installation with Velux in the homeowner's name so the warranty is on file — 20-year warranty on the glass against thermal stress breakage, 10-year warranty on the flashing kit, 5-year warranty on motorized parts.

Solar-powered Velux Active models qualify for the federal Section 25D Residential Clean Energy Credit — currently 30% of installation cost through 2032. The credit applies to the solar-powered skylight + factory blinds + installation cost when the skylight has a battery-backed solar PV panel powering the motor and rain sensor.

Solar-powered models we install: Velux VSS (curb-mounted solar venting), VCS (curb-mounted solar with central rain sensor), and CVS (light tunnel with solar daylight system). All qualify for the 25D credit when documented on the install invoice with the manufacturer model number and Energy Star certification.

Energy savings beyond the tax credit. Solar-powered Velux skylights with auto-venting reduce summer cooling load by removing trapped attic-adjacent heat through ventilation. Documented 5-15% reduction in summer cooling cost in studies by LBNL.

Documentation we provide. Invoice with Velux model number, Energy Star certification number, installation cost broken out by component (skylight + flashing + blinds + labor), and IRS Form 5695-compatible summary. Your CPA files the credit on your federal return.