Hello, my first time in this chat room. has anyone had experience raising the slope of a velux skylight without the expense of an ECX kit. The kit is as expensive as the venting skylight I am considering purchasing. Help.
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.... but not as expensive as the cost of a leaky skylight and no warranty!
T. Jeffery Clarke
Thanks for the reply Jeff. That is true about no leaks which is the main reason why I choose velux. Can't beat the track record. However, I thought it would be interesting to find out if someone else had attempted their own build up and been successful. Have you used the ECX kit?
I often install velux skylights in copper roofs. The velux flashing kits usually won't work or are undesirable in my applications. I have used the ecx kit (the ecx kit is nicely fabricated and insulated and is probably worth the money) and I have built my own with equal succcess. In 50 to 100 velux installations, I have never had a warranty problem (I'll probably get a call today having posted this). I have had a leak or two (one was with a velux flashing kit), but they were installation issues.
gl
My powers can only be used for good.
Edited 5/24/2002 6:39:08 AM ET by grantlogan
Thanks for the reply Grant. After talking with a Velux Tech he said the ECX kit is mainly meant for hot mop or torch down applications. For my composition roof I would still have to come up with a custom flashing solution(I could do it but don't really want to! whine, whine). My thought is, why not raise the skylight the 2 degrees I need to reach velux's minimum slope of 15 degrees. I could create a "cricket" on the top edge to accommodate the EDL flashing kit and feather the sides to ease the transition. Any thoughts?
By the way, the shed dormer has a 2.75"/12" pitch ratio(13 degrees) and Velux requires a minimum 4"/12" pitch ratio.
I went to the velux sight and looked at the edl page (I've never used it). It looks like it might work if you fabricate a beveled curb (higher in the back than in the front to make up the extra slope). I'd have to hold the kit in my hands or have some good drawings to be able to tell for sure. I just make my own flashings in cases like this - I've never tried adapting kits. See if the tech guy you talked to has any suggestions - He probably has an idea, but can't come right out and tell you from a liability standpoint. You might be able to ask the right questions and get the answers you need.
Good luck.
gl
My powers can only be used for good.
You are probably right about the technicians advice. In my previous posting I made an error in the minimum pitch required. It is 15 degrees or 3"/12" pitch ratio which means I need to raise the high end of the skylight at least 1 3/4" higher than the lower end. The skylight is roughly 2' wide X 4' long. It appears I'll have to hone my metal skills once again.
I've never installed a Velux skylight, but I've installed plenty other brands, all with some type of flange that slides down over the curb. Is that how Velux are made? If so, you could build your curb any angle you want, it'd be a piece of cake to flash. Just step flash the sides and bend a piece of rolled flashing for the top and bottom. We do it all the time.
Don't forget the bleeder shingle above the skylight if you're using three tab shingles.
Hi Jim, Excuse the ignorance. Bleeder shingle? Is that the shingle that goes over the head flashing?
Sorry, in answer to your other Q, the flashing kit one can buy for the velux skylight is worth the extra money just in the saving of time. It's very complete and makes for a professional looking job (As much as one might take the time to actually look at skylight flashing, other than when its leaking). However it does not allow for any adjustments. Kind of a one trick pony. Probably helps keep their QA high.
Edited 5/25/2002 6:17:06 PM ET by BROZYZY
Edited 5/25/2002 6:17:57 PM ET by BROZYZY
"Bleeder shingle? Is that the shingle that goes over the head flashing?"
Yeah, it's actually an extra shingle, turned upside down so the slots are towards the ridge, layed directly under the first full coarse above the top of the curb. Makes a very slight bump in the plane of the roof because it's one shingle thicker there, but it virtually eliminates leaks from wind blown water sliding sideways along the head flashing and getting under there where it shouldn't be.
On a 2x4 skylight, one shingle is enough. On a 4 footer you need two. An old roofer taught me that, and I haven't had a single callback on a skylight ever since. I think there's a diagram in FHB issue 141.
Thanks, Wow, you don't meet to many "old" roofers these days! I'll be sure and check out that particular issue of FHB. My favorite mag by the way.