Separate indoor droplets, moisture between the panes and water around the frame. Haze inside the sealed glazing can point to a glazing-seal problem. It does not automatically call for roof flashing repair. Have a professional inspect glass you cannot safely reach.
Dave cleaned the reachable room-facing glass and stood back. The cloudy patch remained exactly where it had been. Pat looked at the cloth. "Excellent work on the wrong surface."
First distinguish three locations: droplets on the indoor surface, haze between panes and water around the frame or shaft. Where the moisture sits determines which repair has a chance of helping. A professional can inspect glass you cannot reach safely.
Notice What Changes
Room-side condensation often responds to cold weather and indoor humidity. Fog within the glazing cavity can appear as haze, droplets or staining that cannot be reached by cleaning the accessible surface. Its appearance may change with temperature and sunlight, so a clear view at one moment does not rule it out.
Record when you notice it and take photographs from the same position. Note whether the frame or drywall is also wet and whether rain has occurred. These observations help separate overlapping problems.
Natural Resources Canada's condensation guidance distinguishes moisture between panes from surface condensation. A broken insulating-glass seal generally calls for glazing assessment, while surface condensation requires attention to the indoor conditions and surface temperature.
Where Is the Moisture?
Location is the first useful distinction when glass looks wet or cloudy.
Room-facing surface
Visible droplets may relate to humidity and a cold glass surface.
Between the panes
Persistent internal haze can indicate failure of the sealed glazing unit.
Frame or shaft
Water here needs investigation of rain entry, condensation and the surrounding assembly.
Why the sealant stayed unopened
Think of the roof flashing as protection around the opening and the insulating-glass seal as protection around the space between panes. Repairing one does not rebuild the other.
The proposed tube of outside sealant stayed unopened. It could not remove moisture trapped in a failed glazing cavity and might complicate service or obstruct a drainage detail. Replacing the flashing solely for foggy glass could miss the same point. Dave's cloth had already given us one demonstration of repairing the wrong surface; we did not need a roof-sized version.
A skylight can have both problems. Haze between panes does not explain away a ceiling that wets during rain. Keep those symptoms separate rather than forcing one diagnosis to cover everything.
Repair the Glass or Replace the Unit?
The available options depend on model, age, condition and parts availability. Some units can receive replacement glazing or other service components. For others, replacing the complete skylight may be more practical, especially when the frame or surrounding installation also needs work.
The next useful tool was the model information, not another cleaning product. We looked for a safely accessible label or original invoice and sent the details ahead. That lets the service provider investigate available parts before spending a visit simply finding out which skylight is there.
VELUX's replacement guidance identifies glazing and moisture symptoms worth assessing. The actual service recommendation should still be based on your unit, not a generic replacement age.
For water clearly forming on the room-facing surface, use the condensation guide. Paying for a glazing seal will not remove excess indoor moisture.
We sent the model information and separate photographs of the haze and surrounding finishes for assessment. The next decision was service glazing or a replacement unit based on its condition and available parts. At least the room-facing glass was spotless while we worked it out.
If the glazing is cracked rather than fogged, compare glass, sash and complete-unit replacement after the damage is made safe.
