--- title: Replace or Board Up? What to Do With That Old Skylight description: Not sure what to do with that old skylight? Try the tarp trick to decide if you want to board it up or replace it with a newer, better skylight. image: https://blog.veluxusa.com/hubfs/Residential%20Files/Images/Before-After/bubble%20replacement.png --- [Skip to Content](https://blog.veluxusa.com/homeowner/replace-or-board-up-what-to-do-with-that-old-skylight#body) --- [![velux-large-RGB](https://blog.veluxusa.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Brand%20Assets/Logos/Residential%20Logos/velux-large-RGB.png?width=222&height=74&name=velux-large-RGB.png "velux-large-RGB")](https://blog.veluxusa.com/homeowner) [SKYLIGHT INNOVATIONS](https://blog.veluxusa.com/homeowner/topic/skylight-innovations) # Replace or Board Up? What to Do With That Old Skylight Read Time **2 mins** | Written by: VELUX Skylights [mailto:?subject=Replace%20or%20Board%20Up%3F%20What%20to%20Do%20With%20That%20Old%20Skylight&body=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.veluxusa.com%2Fhomeowner%2Freplace-or-board-up-what-to-do-with-that-old-skylight](mailto:?subject=Replace%20or%20Board%20Up%3F%20What%20to%20Do%20With%20That%20Old%20Skylight&body=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.veluxusa.com%2Fhomeowner%2Freplace-or-board-up-what-to-do-with-that-old-skylight) ![](https://blog.veluxusa.com/hubfs/Residential%20Files/Images/Before-After/bubble%20replacement.png) So, you bought a house with old skylights. Now what? Instead of choosing to install skylights, many homeowners buy homes with skylights already installed. For some, this is an exciting asset to their new home. For others, skylights can be seen as a hassle. And if you've bought a house with an old skylight model that is leaking or falling apart or discolored plastic, we can see why you may be eager to get rid of it. So, what's the plan? Do you replace or board up that old skylight?   ### First Things First: Are you ready to give up all that natural light? Even old and discolored skylights provide more natural light than no skylights at all. And chances are you may already rely on that extra light throughout the day without realizing it. So, before you make any plans to board it up, make sure you can live without that natural light. On the roof, cover your skylight with a tarp. Or if you'd rather the neighbors not see, rig up a blanket to cover it from the inside. Blocking out the natural light will help you get a sense of what life will be like if you board up your skylight. For many homeowners, the tarp trick is a quick way to realize they *don't *want to lose the natural light coming through their skylight. Typically, they've grown accustomed to that added light, and anything less leaves the space feeling especially dim. So, instead of boarding the skylight up, they look into replacement options — many of which feature structural and technological upgrades that make living with a skylight feel like a luxury rather than a chore.   ## The Perks of Replacements We may be biased, but there are perks that come with upgrading your skylight instead of boarding it up: - **Keep the natural light. **It's brighter, easier on the eyes, and it helps the colors in your decor look their very best. Plus, it helps cut down your artificial lighting use, bringing that electric bill down along with it. - **Add some natural ventilation. **Replacing a fixed skylight with a venting skylight (one that opens) adds fresh air to your home in addition to natural light. This can help keep the air in your home cleaner and healthier. - **Add light control. **With a new [VELUX Skylight System](https://www.veluxusa.com/products/fresh-air-skylights) as a replacement, you can also get preinstalled shades to control how much light comes through your skylight throughout the day. - **Easy, remote light control. **Shades and venting skylights aren't new, but the way to control them has evolved. In addition to remote controls that operate skylights and shades without a turn crank or control rod, VELUX ACTIVE lets you operate them right from your phone. - **Increased energy efficiency. **In addition to reducing your electric light use, new skylights equipped with Smart Home Technology can help increase your home's overall energy efficiency by automatically opening and closing skylights and shades to create an ideal home environment. In addition to these perks, skylight replacements are a fairly simple and straightforward home project. If you've decided to stay on the light side and upgrade your skylights, a VELUX expert can walk you through the entire process in a [free virtual design consultation](https://www.veluxusa.com/ready-to-buy/designexperts). VELUX Skylight Systems ## Reimagine Your Home With Natural Light and Fresh Air Schedule a free 30-minute virtual consultation with our team of Design & Product Advisors to determine the perfect skylight system for your home. [Get Started ](https://www.veluxusa.com/ready-to-buy/trusted-advisors) ![](https://blog.veluxusa.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Application-Living%20Room-Velux%20Active-2289-1220.jpg?width=700&name=Application-Living%20Room-Velux%20Active-2289-1220.jpg) PRODUCT TIPS ### [ Insect Screens & Other VELUX Skylight Accessories ](https://blog.veluxusa.com/homeowner/insect-screens-other-velux-skylight-accessories) Complete your skylight installation with VELUX Skylight Accessories. Keep Reading ![](https://blog.veluxusa.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Residential/VELUX%20USA/VELUX%20USA%20Website/Images/Hero%20Carousel/Skylight-pillarpage-2-1.png?width=700&name=Skylight-pillarpage-2-1.png) SKYLIGHT INNOVATIONS ### [ Frequently Asked Questions About Skylights ](https://blog.veluxusa.com/homeowner/frequently-asked-questions-about-skylights) Want skylights in your home but have a few questions first? Check out the answers to some of the mos... Keep Reading ![](https://blog.veluxusa.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Residential/VELUX%20USA/Products/Architectural%20Series/sacks-residence-1-2.png?width=700&name=sacks-residence-1-2.png) SKYLIGHT INNOVATIONS ### [ The Architectural Series: Innovative Custom Skylight Designs ](https://blog.veluxusa.com/homeowner/the-architectural-series-innovative-custom-skylight-designs) Introducing the award-winning Architectural Series, a line of completely customizable structural sky... Keep Reading ## About Us A passion for daylight, fresh air, and better living environments: it's what started our company over 75 years ago, and it's what drives us forward today. Our products help create bright, healthy, energy-efficient places in which to live, work, learn and play.   ## Contact Us [Email Us](https://www.veluxusa.com/help/email-customer-service)   [104 Ben Casey Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29708](https://maps.app.goo.gl/LVv5d3Qq5BuadF42A) 800-888-3589   ## Follow Us © 2026 VELUX ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "VELUX Skylights", "url" : "https://blog.veluxusa.com/homeowner/author/velux-skylights" }, "dateModified" : "2026-07-05T16:23:16.043Z", "datePublished" : "2021-04-01T19:30:00.000Z", "headline" : "Replace or Board Up? 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