VINTAGE SKYLIGHTS

Early skylights in, say, Federal buildings were typically just wood-framed window sash with muntins aligned to prevent pooling water and debris. It wasn’t until the late 19th century and the advent of metal fabrication shops that skylights became commonplace. By the 1890s one could order a skylight in copper, sheet metal, iron, or even aluminum. Architectural lantern roofs protected skylights on sloped roofs, while just about every style from domed, gabled, or pyramidal were available for skylights on flat roofs to better shed water and add architectural detail. Colored or stained glass was popular for Victorian skylights in entries and stairs.

If you have a vintage skylight, begin with a professional assessment, as the cost of restoration may exceed replacement. The most common problem is leaking. Water may back up if debris clogs weep holes, or the glass itself cracks; exposure to high winds and temperature extremes cause the seals and putty to crack and water to penetrate or condense, giving glass a cloudy appearance. Frames can be damaged or weakened by rot or corrosion.

Metal-cage and tempered-glass skylights (flat, gabled, pyramid, dome, etc). are still available, now better made, and may be fixed, retractable, or operable (manual or electric). Fabricators tend to call the old-fashioned raised skylights “roof lanterns,” because “skylight” is associated with those acrylic clamshells or bubbles.