Service area
Hayden’s Ferry on the Salt River, home of Arizona State University since 1885, about eight miles east of downtown Phoenix.
Between Phoenix and Mesa, on the Salt River around Hayden Butte and Tempe Town Lake.
Elevation, incorporation, census and area are public record. The climate zone is Maricopa County's, from the county table in the International Energy Conservation Code.
Conditions
Tempe is almost entirely built out, and pavement and buildings hold heat into the night. Roofs here barely cool in summer. Reflective coatings on flat roofs and attic ventilation on pitched ones both help.
The Salt River runs through north Tempe, dammed to form Tempe Town Lake. Neighborhoods near the river and the old canals should keep roof runoff away from foundations, especially where irrigation is also in use.
Monsoon bursts find the weak spots on older roofs: worn flashings, low-slope sections and patched valleys. A pre-season inspection is the cheaper option.
Tempe publishes locally amended versions of the International Codes; the 2018 adopted residential and building codes are on record. Confirm the current edition with the Building Safety Division before a permit.
The roofs here
Tempe grew from Hayden’s Ferry, a Salt River crossing, and the 1887 railroad brought it a boom. The neighborhoods near Mill Avenue and the university have early twentieth-century houses and bungalows. Their roofs often sit on board sheathing and have several layers of older roofing.
Most of Tempe’s houses were built in the decades after the Second World War. Low-pitched shingle roofs, flat roofs over additions and carports, and rooftop coolers are common. The transitions between low-slope and pitched sections leak first.
With Arizona State University at its center, Tempe has a large share of rental houses and apartments. Their roofs are often maintained only when something leaks. Flat roofs on apartment buildings need regular coating and drain checks before small issues spread.
Local building patterns help guide an inspection. Your roof’s actual condition, materials and repair history determine the recommendation.
Code and permits
Confirm the requirements for the building and proposed roof assembly. The links below go directly to the relevant authorities.
Tempe adopts the International Codes with local amendments in Chapter 8 of its city code, and the ICC publishes 2018 editions of Tempe’s adopted building and residential codes. We could not confirm whether a newer edition is in force. Ask the Building Safety Division before the roof assembly is specified.
Tempe Building SafetyMaricopa County is in IECC climate zone 2B, hot and dry. Arizona has no statewide energy code like California’s Title 24: the energy rules for a roof are the ones in the IECC edition the city has adopted, applied in that zone. Building type and roof slope still decide which of them apply to a given project.
The county climate zone guideMaricopa County publishes no special wind region list, so there is no county figure to quote for Tempe; the design wind speed comes from the ASCE 7 maps for the individual site. Look the address up and confirm the figure with the building department. Wind load rises with the square of the speed, so a few miles an hour changes what the fastenings, the perimeter and the edge metal have to carry.
ATC Hazards by LocationCity of Tempe Building Safety Division is the local authority for roofing permits. Establish the permit and inspection requirements for your project before work begins. Our Arizona license is ROC 367833.
City of Tempe Building Safety DivisionCode editions and dates here are as each city published them. They explain what applies; they are not a site-specific design calculation. Confirm the governing edition and design criteria with the building department.
What we do
Older houses point toward shingle replacement, apartments and flat roofs toward recoating, and commercial buildings toward low-slope repair.
Additional roofing services for homes and commercial properties:
Anywhere within 50 miles of Phoenix, and the Coachella Valley in California. The whole service area
Before you plan the work
Yes. Superior Roofing Pros serves Tempe within our Greater Phoenix, Arizona service region, covering locations within 50 miles of Phoenix, including Buckeye. Share your ZIP code and project details to confirm the property location and arrange an estimate.
Options to review include shingle roofing, spf recoating, roof replacement and commercial roofing. Older houses point toward shingle replacement, apartments and flat roofs toward recoating, and commercial buildings toward low-slope repair. Your roof’s actual condition and assembly determine the recommendation.
Compare all eight roofing servicesUse the quote section below and include the ZIP code for your Tempe property. Add your roof type, visible symptoms and project details if you know them. We assess the roof and explain the proposed work in a free written estimate before you authorize the project.
Request a roofing estimate in TempeFree written estimate. No obligation.
California
(442) 637-5222Arizona
(480) 978-5147Coachella Valley + Greater Phoenix
A 50-mile Phoenix radius, including Buckeye.
Service hours
