Identifying the Cause
Condensation comes from warm, moist air meeting cold glass. We check glazing, ventilation, insulation and the light shaft to find why moisture is forming on your skylight, from day one.
Wellington Skylight Condensation Fixes
Stop Your Skylight Dripping on Cold Mornings Skylight Condensation Fixes
Skylight Condensation Fixes in Wellington
Water dripping from a skylight is not always a leak, which is why skylight condensation fixes in Wellington start with working out where the water comes from. On a cold morning, warm moist air from the house meets glass that has cooled overnight, and the water vapour in that air turns to droplets. They gather, run down the glass and drip onto the floor or stain the shaft lining. Left alone, the moisture feeds mould, lifts paint and can eventually rot the timber framing around the opening.
Condensation is common in skylights because they are often the coldest surface in the room, and the shaft works like a chimney, drawing warm air up to the glass. Single-glazed units and old plastic domes are the worst offenders, but even double glazing can fog in a busy bathroom. The fix depends on the cause, so we start by establishing exactly where the water comes from.
Skylight Condensation Fixes
Skylight Condensation Fix Services in Wellington
Insulating the Light Shaft
Poorly insulated shafts let cold air chill the skylight frame. We insulate and seal the shaft, reducing condensation and the drips, damp patches and mould that follow, from a local team.
Upgrading Glazing and Ventilation
Double glazing, thermal breaks and better room ventilation all reduce condensation. We recommend practical solutions that protect your ceilings and keep your skylight clear and dry year-round, backed by experience.
Skylight Condensation Fixes
Condensation or a Leak? How to Tell
The two problems need completely different fixes, so it pays to work out which one you have before spending money. These clues usually settle it.
When it happens
Condensation appears on cold, still nights and clear mornings, is worst in winter, and can happen in a completely dry week. A leak shows up during or after rain, especially wind-driven rain from one particular direction.
Where the water is
Condensation forms evenly across the glass and frame and runs to the lowest edge. A leak usually starts at one spot, often a top corner or the upstand, and leaves a stain that tracks down the shaft lining.
What the glass looks like
Fine misting or beads across the whole inner surface point to condensation. Mist trapped between double-glazed panes is a failed sealed unit. Clear glass with a wet frame after a storm points to flashing or seal failure.
What the roof shows
From a safe spot, or in photos, look at the outside. Leaves packed against the top of the upstand, cracked sealant, lifted flashings or a crazed dome all point to a leak. A clean, intact exterior makes condensation more likely.
The rest of the house
If wall windows also stream with water on cold mornings and a hygrometer shows high indoor humidity, the skylight is part of a whole-house moisture problem. A leak, by contrast, usually affects the skylight on its own.
A simple test
Dry the skylight and shaft completely, then watch it through a cold, dry night and through a rainy day. If it only gets wet on the cold night, it is condensation. If it gets wet in the rain, look at skylight leak repair.
Skylight Condensation Fixes
Why Some Skylights Run With Water
Condensation needs two things: moist air and a cold surface. Many Wellington homes have plenty of both. Showers, cooking, drying washing indoors and unflued gas heaters all add moisture to the air, and older houses with little mechanical ventilation hold onto it. Bathrooms and kitchens with a skylight overhead are the classic trouble spots.
On the cold side, single glazing and plastic domes lose heat fast, so their inner surface sits close to the outdoor temperature. An uninsulated shaft makes it worse: the cold roof space chills the shaft walls, the air inside the shaft cools, and moisture condenses on the lining as well as the glass. Aluminium frames without a thermal break also run cold and drip from the frame itself.
Skylight Condensation Fixes
Fixes That Work
Most homes need a combination of these measures. We recommend the ones that match what we find, starting with the simplest change that will genuinely solve the problem.
Ventilate at the source
An extractor fan ducted outside in the bathroom or kitchen removes moisture before it reaches the glass. Opening a venting skylight briefly after showers helps, and models with trickle vents keep air moving even when closed.
Insulate the shaft
We insulate the shaft walls from the roof space side to suit the ceiling insulation, so the shaft stays close to room temperature. This alone often stops condensation on the lining. Our roof insulation page covers the wider picture.
Upgrade the glazing
Replacing single glazing or a plastic dome with a double-glazed unit, ideally in a thermally broken frame with low-E glass, keeps the inner surface much warmer. On older skylights this is usually done as a full unit replacement.
Manage the blind
A tightly closed blind traps cold air against the glass, and condensation forms behind it. Leaving a gap at night, or choosing a blind that allows some air movement, makes a noticeable difference through winter.
Keep the room warm
Rooms heated only in short bursts cool right down overnight, and the skylight cools fastest. Steady, dry heat from a heat pump or flued heater keeps the glass and shaft warmer, so moist air is less likely to condense on them.
Reduce moisture in the house
Venting clothes dryers outside, replacing unflued gas heaters and putting lids on pots seem minor, but together they cut the amount of water in the air. A drier house means less condensation on every window, not just the skylight.
Skylight Condensation Fixes
Why Choose Our Skylight Condensation Specialists in Wellington
Dripping skylights are annoying, and persistent condensation can lead to damp patches, peeling paint and mould on your ceiling. Our specialists investigate why moisture is forming, checking glazing, ventilation, insulation and the light shaft rather than guessing. Common fixes include insulating and sealing the shaft, upgrading to double glazing with thermal breaks, improving room ventilation and fitting opening skylights. We explain the cause in plain language and recommend practical solutions that suit your budget. In Wellington's cool, damp climate, condensation is common, but it is usually fixable. With the right changes, your skylight stays clear and dry, and your ceilings stay in good condition. Call us today and get straight answers about your project.
- Cause investigated rather than guessed
- Light shafts insulated and sealed
- Thermal breaks and double glazing options
- Ventilation improvements recommended
- Plain-language advice that suits your budget
Skylight Condensation Fixes
Related Services
Condensation is one of the most common skylight complaints we deal with. Our main skylight page explains everything we do, and these pages cover related work.
Helpful answers
Skylight Condensation Fixes FAQs
Call our team if you need advice for your property or roofing project.
04 888 0115Is some skylight condensation normal?
A little misting on the coldest winter mornings is common, especially with single glazing, and it clears as the day warms. Water that drips, runs down the shaft or leaves mould spots is not something to live with. It means the moisture level in the house is high, the skylight is too cold, or both, and it will damage the linings over time.
Will double glazing stop my skylight condensation?
It usually reduces it a lot, because the inner pane stays much closer to room temperature. It is not a cure-all, though. A bathroom with no extractor fan can still fog double glazing, and an uninsulated shaft can collect condensation on its lining even with good glass. That is why we look at ventilation and the shaft before recommending new glazing.
Why does my skylight only drip in the bathroom?
Bathrooms produce more water vapour than any other room, and many older Wellington bathrooms have a skylight but no ducted extractor fan. Steam rises straight up the shaft to the cold glass. A properly sized fan ducted to the outside, run during and after showers, usually makes the biggest single difference.
Can skylight condensation damage my ceiling?
Yes. Repeated wetting stains and softens plasterboard, lifts paint, encourages mould and can eventually rot the timber trimmers framing the shaft. Damage is usually worst at the bottom edge of the shaft, where the water collects. Fixing the cause first, then repairing and repainting the lining with a moisture-resistant finish, stops it coming back.
Do skylights have anything built in to handle condensation?
Some modern skylights have a condensation channel at the bottom of the frame that collects water so it can evaporate or drain outside. Older units and plastic domes generally do not. A channel copes with light misting, but it is not designed for a skylight that is constantly wet, so the underlying cause still needs fixing.
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