If you need more information, don’t hesitate to call Skyzz The Limit, LLC at (727) 599-5339.

This is a skylight well with flared ends painted blue with drywall finished corners and bottom trim.

This is a skylight well with flared ends painted white with corner and bottom trim.

Skylight wells can be built in different shapes depending on your roof or attic framing.

This is a skylight well with squared ends painted white with drywall corners and bottom wood trim.

Which is which? Its important to know because if you have a self flashing skylight and it needs to be replaced it will cost 2 to 3 times higher than a curb mount skylight to replace.

This one is a self flashing skylight.                           This one is a curb mount skylight.

Some are much more difficult to identify. If you are having difficulty determining what type of skylight you have we can help. Call Skyzz The Limit, LLC (727) 599-5339.

For more information, contact SkyzzTheLimit at: rml@skyzzthelimit.com or 727-599-5339

The University Town Center will have more than 100 stores and restaurants, including Macy’s, Dillard’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, Apple, Crate & Barrel, H & M, Lululemon, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Michael Kors and Stuart Weitzman.

Architects designed the mall to reflect Florida’s sunny lifestyle; it’s like being outside (but cooler). Pittsburgh-based general contractor, DCK World Wide, dozens of subcontractors and hundreds of tradespeople have created what its owner, Taubman Centers says is one of the most technologically advanced shopping centers in the world.

Some of the mall’s features had never been built before, including a high-tech 1100-foot-long skylight arch that lights the full length of the building’s main concourse.

The massive skylight is similar in shape and function to a skylight installed in Taubman’s Milennia Mall in Orlando in 2002. This one, however, is more complex. It includes mechanical louvers that direct sunlight, and an array of LED lights that reflect off those louvers at night to light the mall interior in any color light programmers choose.

Actual skylight construction went without a hitch, with the only surprise was a pleasant one; the light was softer than anyone expected. The final result is a structure that keeps the heat of the day out, leaving the mall interior nice and comfortable.

More than 100,700 square feet of glass were used in the mall, along with high-quality metal, natural stone and wood elements.

The west entrance has a 65-foot-tall louvered glass pavilion with a chandelier and a fountain. Shoppers will enjoy bright concourses with huge skylights, shiny tile and comfortable seating.

The grand opening today was packed, and not surprisingly, the most common favorite thing people remarked on was the huge skylight.

Over time the exterior of your skylight will be subject to pollen, dirt, grime, etc. To keep the exterior of your skylight clean for many years to come an annual cleaning will help greatly. The following will provide guidelines for cleaning your skylight.

Glass Skylights

You can clean glass with glass cleaning solutions or with a weak solution of household mild dish washing soap applied with a sponge and dried with paper towels, a chamois, or, if the glass is flat, a squeegee.

To prevent scratches, abrasions, and deterioration, never clean tinted, coated, sun-control glass with abrasive cleansers, gritty sponges, or metal objects such as razor blades or putty knives.

Plastic Skylights

Acrylic and polycarbonate are the two types of plastic generally used in skylights. Plastic glazing is susceptible to scratches and abrasions, as well as to damage by certain solvents. You’ll want to observe some general precautions when cleaning a plastic skylight:

•  Never use abrasive cleansers, abrasive pads, or gritty cloths.

•  Do not remove dirt by scraping with a sharp tool, such as a razor blade or putty knife.

•  Do not clean with window cleaning fluids or strong solvents such as gasoline, denatured alcohol, carbon tetrachloride, or acetone. They will damage the plastic.

•  To clean a plastic skylight, use a solution of mild dishwashing soap and water (do not use ammonia) and apply with a soft cloth (similar to a baby diaper) and rinse well with clear water. To prevent water spots, blot dry with a chamois or baby diaper (never with paper towels).

Skylight Frames

Most skylight frames are made of aluminum, although the colored ones are anodized. Such frames require no care other than washing when you clean the skylight glazing. If you live close to the ocean, where the spray can eat into aluminum, you’ll have to protect the frame with paint. If your skylight frame has a painted metal finish, check it annually, touching up any bare spots with a paint recommended by the manufacturer.

General Skylight Cleaning No’s:

• Never use a pressure washer on your skylight.
• Never clean with window cleaning fluids or strong solvents such as benzene, gasoline, denatured alcohol, carbon   tetrachloride, or acetone. They will damage the skylight.
• Never spray your skylight with sealant sprays that claim to seal your skylight. This will deteriorate your skylight over time.

There are two areas that are often problematic. The first is the frame that holds the skylight down. This frame has a small lip on it, which can collect a small amount of water on the low side of the skylight.  Below this frame is some sort of gasket. If it fails, water can get in around the frame.

The second, problematic area is the flashing where the skylight meets the roof. Sometimes the flashing materials are integral with the skylight but often the skylight is installed on a curb, and there is flashing around the base of the curb that is very similar to the flashings around the base of a chimney.

Residential construction commonly uses metal flashing because it’s easy to form, and when installed properly, will outlast the life expectancy of the roof. In some cases, a rubberized, self-adhesive flashing material is used in conjunction with metal flashing to form a waterproof seal. When only metal flashing is used, it must be sealed to the roof decking with roofing mastic, as well as metal fasteners.

To avoid leaks, mount the skylight above the roof surface, install a curb (a raised, watertight lip that helps to deflect water away from the skylight) and flashing, thoroughly seal joints, and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. In fact, a homeowner can reduce their energy costs by up to one third when effectively utilizing residential skylights. Unfortunately, poorly constructed or installed skylights can have the opposite effect and end up costing you more money.

All new light fixtures, bright new windows, replacing all cabinets and just the whole top to bottom, left to right package. Let’s not forget the big jet tub so you can lie back with bubbles and champagne and wash away all the stress of the day. No house will be finished without installing crown molding in every room. But we don’t want to be home bodies so let’s go outside, a new paint job, maybe a new fence? How about a wet bar by the new deck.   How about we power wash the driveway and fix that leaky roof.

To do all this you would need to call carpenters, roofers and kitchen and bath remodelers and even if you go to one of those big home improvements stores and hire them, what you would find is different companies coming to your door.  Who wants to deal with different companies for all your home needs? All you need to do is call one company that can do it all. ”Skyzz the limit” does it all from kitchen remodeling to interiors and exterior painting and doors replacements and installations, all the way to spring cleaning.

Here are several things they do:

• Kitchen remodeling
• Bathroom remodeling
• Carpentry
• Drywall work
• Drywall repairs
• New Windows
• Storm windows
• New interior and exterior doors
• Interior and exterior painting
• Caulking
• Power washing (walks, driveways, patio and roofs)
• Sink and faucet replacement
• Ceiling fans
• Light fixtures
• Decks
• Spring cleaning
• Roof repairs
• General handyman repairs
• Wood laminate flooring
• Tile flooring
• Fencing
• Gutter cleaning
• Shelving
• Customized warranties
• Attic Stairs
• Crown Trim
• Base Trim
• And much more……………….

So the next time you think of changing your home just look up and think about the only company that does it all – Skyzz the Limit.

For most people, unless you are DIY expert, you’re better off hiring a professional to repair or replace any skylight. You should get an estimate from your skylight pro before going forward with the job. Fixing a skylight can cost anywhere from $65 for minor patching to $1500 for a major overhaul and averages $805 (excluding commercial skylights). Obviously, if it costs more to repair a skylight that it would to replace it with a new one, you should do the latter.

Leaking Skylights
Since skylights are generally part of your roof, the most typical problem is leaking. Fixing a leaky skylight can be simple to fix, or quite complex in some cases. Depending on the type of unit, fixing a leak could involve replacing weather stripping or flashing, or it could mean replacing the whole unit. A good rule of thumb to use is, if your roof is 12 years old or older replace the whole unit because it could be a combination of the skylight, flashing and roofing.

Broken Panes
Another problem that happens with skylights is a broken window pane. Strong storms or falling tree branches are some of the more common causes. In this case, repair is not often possible.

Professional Skylight Repair
It’s difficult to know the exact price of skylight repair until a professional takes a look at the project. Before getting a quote, keep in mind that there are several major factors that affect the cost of your skylight repair. The height, age, and if it is customized are all things that can raise the cost.

To get a quote in the Tampa area, contact Skyzz The Limit at; 727-599-5339

Florida Statute – Section 163.04, Energy devices based on renewable resources —

(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or other provision of general or special law, the adoption of an ordinance by a governing body, as those terms are defined in this chapter, which prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the installation of solar collectors, clotheslines, or other energy devices based on renewable resources is expressly prohibited.

(2) No deed restrictions, covenants, or similar binding agreements running with the land shall prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting solar collectors, clotheslines, or other energy devices based on renewable resources from being installed on buildings erected on the lots or parcels covered by the deed restrictions, covenants, or binding agreements. A property owner may not be denied permission to install solar collectors or other energy devices based on renewable resources by any entity granted the power or right in any deed restriction, covenant, or similar binding agreement to approve, forbid, control, or direct alteration of property with respect to residential dwellings not exceeding three stories in height. For purposes of this subsection, such entity may determine the specific location where solar collectors may be installed on the roof within an orientation to the south or within 45° east or west of due south provided that such determination does not impair the effective operation of the solar collectors.

(3) In any litigation arising under the provisions of this section, the prevailing party shall be entitled to costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.

(4) The legislative intent in enacting these provisions is to protect the public health, safety, and welfare by encouraging the development and use of renewable resources in order to conserve and protect the value of land, buildings, and resources by preventing the adoption of measures which will have the ultimate effect, however unintended, of driving the costs of owning and operating commercial or residential property beyond the capacity of private owners to maintain. This section shall not apply to patio railings in condominiums, cooperatives, or apartments.

 *     *     *

To put it into less formal language, Florida law forbids any ordinances, deed restrictions, covenants, or similar binding agreements from prohibiting solar equipment use. Under this law, a homeowner may not be denied permission to install a solar collector, clothesline, or other energy device based on renewable resources by “any entity granted the power or right in any deed restriction, covenant or similar binding agreement to approve, forbid, control, or direct alteration of property…” While a homeowner cannot be prevented from installing a solar energy system, certain restrictions may be imposed without violating the law. However, those restrictions must be reasonable, not arbitrary, and uniformly imposed on homeowners in the subdivision. The restrictions cannot act to impair the performance of a solar system or it may be seen as “effectively” prohibiting solar.

The Florida Solar Rights Law specifically prohibits a community association from preventing the installation of solar collectors (including skylights) on the roof. The association may determine where on the roof the collectors may be installed, so long as the installation is within the area required for its effective operation, that is, south, or east or west of due south. The association is, thereby, limited in imposing requirements which would effectively restrict the system’s operating efficiency or increase the installation cost. As such, requirements for screening the system from view, whether by trees or fences, ground-mounting, or limiting visibility from the street, are contrary to the spirit and letter of the law if the result impairs the efficiency of the system.

The Legislature has made successive amendments to the statute to better state its intent to protect the right of all Floridians to use solar energy to reduce the cost of operating their homes, while at the same time reducing the state’s dependence on fossil fuels. The law applies to all actions taken with respect to approval or denial of a solar system, regardless of when the community was instituted or when the association bylaws may have been adopted.

It is important to seek the approval of a homeowners association prior to the installation of a solar system. Section 163.04 does not waive the need for association approval if it is required by the governing documents.

reference; www.flaseref.org/florida_solar_rights_law_flier.pdf