Are skylights safe during inclement weather?

Skylight Testing

In order to meet safety codes in hurricane-prone regions, skylights are tested in-house for wind, water, and impact resistance to ensure they’re able to withstand harsh weather conditions. Certain modern skylights are certified to withstand baseball-sized hail, winds over 100MPH, and large debris.

Glass

Many skylights are built with tough laminated glass for added protection against the elements. Rather than breaking into large chunks like other types of glass, laminated glass spiderwebs (think like your car windshield), making it safer in the event of a hurricane.

If your skylight is hit hard enough, the outer layer of glass will crack into tiny pieces and land on an inner pane of glass, so you don’t have to worry about dangerous clean up.

Leak Protection

Modern skylights have come a long way in fixing the once leaky skylight. With newer flashing techniques and better installation methods that offer multiple layers of protection, your skylight can be guaranteed not to leak even in the most inclement weather.

Warranty

Skylight brands go to great lengths to ensure their products are as strong as possible, but Mother Nature can sometimes be unpredictable. Luckily, most skylight brands offer warranties that can potentially cover the cost of repairing or replacing your damaged skylight.

Building Code

In hurricane-prone areas like Florida, skylights must adhere to strict building codes just like windows and doors must adhere to. Skylights can be equipped with hurricane-proof upgrades that substantially decrease the possibility of damage during a severe weather event.

For hurricane zones, a shock resistant, missile impact tested inner dome is an optional upgrade that will help your skylight meet strict building codes. Likewise, tubular skylights come with severe weather tested upgrades as well such as high-impact polycarbonate, dual-glazed dome.