Project: Skylight Installation in Yonkers

RH Renovation NYC completed a precision rooftop skylight installation and daylighting upgrade featuring roof deck structural reframing, high-efficiency tempered skylight window integration, self-adhering ice-and-water flashing membrane encapsulation, custom step/counter-flashing tie-in, and ceiling drywall curb finishing for a residential property located in Yonkers, Westchester County, NY. Rooftop penetrations on hillside and suburban properties across Yonkers must endure challenging regional atmospheric stresses—including heavy snow loading and freeze-thaw cycles, high wind-shear funneled through the Hudson River valley, intense summer thermal radiation, and driving rain from seasonal nor’easters.

Integrating a new skylight window into an existing roof system requires far more than cutting a hole in the roof deck; it demands rigorous structural carpentry to maintain rafter load-bearing integrity and seamless weatherproofing detailing at the roof membrane transition. Inferior skylight installations or improper flashing leads to immediate water infiltration along curb joints, rotted timber rafters, ceiling drywall degradation, and severe interior thermal energy loss. This project was engineered to deliver an airtight, leak-proof daylighting solution: executing structural rafter headers, applying multi-tier ice-and-water flashing seals, and embedding low-E tempered glass units engineered for maximum energy efficiency and severe weather resistance.

Comprehensive Scope of Work & Installation Methodology

To satisfy strict Westchester County and Yonkers municipal building codes, our licensed and insured roofing specialists executed a meticulous, multi-phase technical installation protocol:

• Structural Opening Cutout & Rafter Header Reframing: Technicians calculated roof load distribution before cutting the roof deck opening. Rafters were safely braced, severed, and framed out using double-headers and trimmer rafters, restoring full structural load capacity to the surrounding roof assembly.

• Curb Construction & Insulation Wrap: A rigid exterior mounting curb was constructed around the rough opening using exterior-grade dimensional lumber. The perimeter curb wall was insulated to prevent thermal bridging and interior condensation accumulation along the skylight shaft.

• Skylight Deck Integration & Primary Glass Mounting: A high-performance, factory-sealed skylight assembly featuring dual-pane argon-gas-filled Low-E tempered glass was mounted to the curb structure. The unit provides exceptional thermal insulation, blocks 99% of damaging UV rays, and delivers superior sound attenuation against outside noise.

• Multi-Tier Membrane Flashing & Underlayment Tie-In: Heavy-duty rubberized self-adhering ice-and-water shield membranes were wrapped continuously around the base of the curb, extending outward across the surrounding timber roof subdeck. This creates an impenetrable secondary fluid barrier beneath the primary roof shingle courses.

• Engineered Metal Step Flashing & Sill Water Diversion: Custom aluminum sill flashings, step flashings along side perimeters, and saddle/cricket flashings at the upper edge were interwoven course-by-course with adjacent architectural shingles. This engineered metal barrier channels wind-driven rain and melting snow sheet-flow cleanly around the unit without backing up under roof margins.

• Interior Curb Finishing & Final Leak Audit: Interior ceiling drywalls were extended into the light shaft and prepped for smooth paint application. A high-pressure water spray test was conducted across all roof-to-skylight seams to confirm zero water entry and complete seal integrity, followed by a thorough site cleanup.

Project Highlights & Technical Specifications

• Service Category: Residential Rooftop Skylight Installation, Structural Deck Reframing & Flashing Weatherproofing

• Project Location: Yonkers, Westchester County, NY

• Core Materials Used: Dual-pane argon-gas Low-E tempered safety glass skylight unit, dimensional framing lumber, self-adhering rubberized ice-and-water shield flashing membrane, custom heavy-gauge aluminum step/sill/head flashings, structural CDX sheathing, and UV-resistant exterior polyurethane sealants.

• Key Engineering Focus: Rafter load redistribution, hydrostatic water-shedding around penetrations, thermal bridge elimination, wind-shear uplift defense, and Yonkers municipal building code compliance.

Results & Homeowner Value

By combining structural rafter reframing with multi-layer membrane weatherproofing and custom-fitted metal flashings, RH Renovation NYC permanently secured the property’s new rooftop penetration against severe weather. The Yonkers homeowners now enjoy abundant natural daylighting, reduced indoor artificial lighting energy demand, and a completely leak-proof skylight assembly built to withstand extreme seasonal storms for decades.