when to replace a skylight & flashing question

CindiChm

Our roof is 20 years old and we are replacing it with 30 year Certainteed Landmark shingles. Our contractor is scheduled to do this next weekend. I have two follow-up questions:

(1) Skylights: We have 3 skylights in our roof (non-moving) that are as old as the house (20 years). As far as I know, they are not leaking. My question is what is the life of a skylight? Should we be replacing them at the same time as we replace the roof? (We replaced all the other windows in the house about 4 years ago, but we didn't touch the skylights.) We never discussed the skylight situation with our roofing contractor and I'm wondering if we should raise it now.

(2) Flashing: This is a bit of an aesthetic question. Our house is a light gray and we're installing Pewter colored shingles. We color flashing should we use? Do we match it to the siding (gray color)? Trim (dark blue/gray)? Or go with black or white? I have no idea what flashing does; so I'm not sure what color to pick. (This is a situation where our contractor has just given us way too many choices.)

Thanks for any insights.

Cindi

Mike Swearingen

Skylights - I think the main question abut replacing skylights is 1. are they insulated? and 2. are they still clear? If the answer is no to either ?, I would replace them with insulated new ones. NBow is the time to do it, if necessary.
Flashing - Actually, you shouldn't be able to see most flashing. It would be hidden by siding or shingles. It comes in metal-colored aluminum or galvanized rolls in most cases, and it also comes in copper for exposed valleys.
Perhaps you mean the exposed drip edge around the eaves? That comes in a variety of colors, and it is strictly a "your call" as to the color you choose.
Mike

the roofing god

replace the skylights now,instead of in 5-10 yr.s when you have to remove and replace shingles to do it----the eave flashings can match your guttering,or match it w/your rake/fascia color,if he`s painting your pipevent flashings it`s probably gonna peel anyway

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Ed the Roofer

There are gutter apron drip edge flashings, which typically should match the color of the gutters or eave fasia boards if you have no gutters.

There is gable side edge ODE, overhabging drip edge flashings, which should eithe match the color of the fascia on the gable sides or can match the color of the shingles.

The are step flashing baby tins against wall intersections, which typically are mille finish aluminum and are mostly concealed by the siding and the shigles.

There are skylight flashigs which come with the skylight kit and come in several colors, but should be similar ro the shingle, but bronze is the most popular color sold.

There may be brick chimney flashings, which can be pre-colored to match either the color of the chimnsy brick or the shingle color or be made of lead or copper.

There is valley flashings, which can also be a pre-colored metal to match the shingles or to match the shingles.

There is pipes which penetrate through the roof and they can get painted as long as they are cleaned off of any dirt or oils, by using an exterior "Rustoleum" type paint. It does not chip or peal away any more than the paint on any other exterir painting you see done around a house.

You may have a sheet metal chimney housing which covers the hot water heater and this can be repainted in either a stone cultured look type paint or in a color sequence to re-paint the fake bricks and fake mortar joints. I have many pipes and chimney flashings which are over 10-12 years old since I started painting these penetrations on roofs and they still look remarkably well, with no sigs of excessive weathering or pealing.

So, which flashings were you inquiring about?

Now, about the skylights. See Mikes answer above. There is no need to spend alot of money right now, if they are in good shape, but if they are starting to look faded or yellowing, then they should be replaced with the roof at this time.

Ed