Many homeowners in Liberal, KS walk into their kitchen on a bright Tuesday afternoon and wish there was more natural light hitting the counter. Around Liberal, many older ranch-style homes and some of the newer builds out toward the south side have dim interior spaces that regular wall windows just cannot reach. Homeowners often start looking up at the ceiling and thinking about a skylight. Before cutting a hole in a roof, Allied Window Installation Inc talks about what those overhead windows actually experience out here on the High Plains.
Liberal experiences very strong winds. When a 50-mph gust kicks up off the open fields and slams sideways into a roof, it creates unusual pressure zones. If a skylight is not flashed properly, that wind will find the microscopic gap and push rain right into the attic. Proper installation requires more than applying caulk around the frame and hoping for the best. Allied Window Installation Inc has pulled out plenty of cheap skylights installed by out-of-towners who did not respect how hard the wind blows in Seward County.
The Hail Factor and Glass Choices
Severe weather in Liberal includes heavy hail. Hail can turn standard acrylic domes into a shattered mess in about ten seconds flat. When putting a skylight in, homeowners should choose laminated glass. It costs a bit more upfront, but when a hailstorm rolls through Liberal, it will not rain broken plastic shards all over the living room floor. Plus, modern Low-E coatings keep the brutal Kansas summer sun from turning a hallway into a greenhouse.
Flashing is Everything
The glass is only half the battle. The flashing kit is what keeps your home dry. Out here, thermal shock is a major issue. The temperature swings between a freezing January night and a blistering July afternoon make roof decking expand and contract constantly. If your skylight flashing cannot flex with that movement, it will leak. That is why professional step flashing integrated properly with your shingles is very important. You cannot just rely on surface sealants.
For homes and businesses in Liberal, Allied Window Installation Inc provides Window Installation Service and skylight solutions. We will look at your roof pitch, check your attic structure, and get you set up right the first time.