Tempe looks different from its neighbors in the Census numbers. The median home was built in 1984, the earliest of any city we serve. About 75% of its housing predates 2000. Yet only 42% of occupied homes are owner-occupied, and just 38% of housing units are detached houses (ACS via Census Reporter). The median resident is 30, and the city had an estimated 190,571 residents in July 2025 (Vintage 2025).
So in Tempe, a roof question often starts with a people question. Who owns the roof, and who gets to say yes? Find yourself below.
If you own the house you live in
You make the call. Start by confirming the roof is asphalt shingle. Valley houses come with tile, foam and shingle roofs, and we treat shingles only, never tile, foam or metal. Our tile and foam roofs page covers the others.
Then think about the roof apart from the house. Forty-odd years is a long time, and a Tempe home from the 1980s may not have the roof it started with. We check the shingles that are up there now, and tell you if roof rejuvenation fits them.
If you own a rental
You probably don’t see the roof often. We need the owner’s go-ahead before anyone goes up, and it helps to tell your tenants the date. SoyLei’s application guide notes that “Freshly treated shingles can be slippery”, so nobody should climb up there until it has dried. Typically the crew also covers plants, cars and windows near the roofline against overspray.
Getting a rental ready to sell? Our page for realtors and home sellers talks about older shingle roofs at sale time.
If you rent
The roof is your landlord’s decision. But you’re the one who sees it every day. If you notice granules piling up at the downspouts, shingle edges curling, or bits of shingle in the yard, tell your landlord. Send them this page if it helps. We can’t book work without the owner. Our page on granules in the yard explains what you might be seeing.
If you share a roof
Fewer than four in ten Tempe housing units are detached houses, so many people here live in townhomes, condos or apartments. In those buildings the roof is often shared and may be the association’s job. Ask your HOA or property manager before anything else. If the association owns the roof, its board or manager is the one who would book an evaluation, not you. Our HOA and community roofs page is the place to start.
What the sun does to Tempe roofs
Whoever owns it, a Tempe shingle roof gets the full Valley summer. The EPA’s UV guide lists Phoenix’s typical summer midday UV index as 10, rated Very High. That matters because granules are a shingle’s sunscreen. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers wrote that for asphalt shingles to last, “it is essential that the roofing granules absorb the UV component of sunlight.” Once the granules thin out, the asphalt underneath takes the hit.
A word on the treatment itself. We use APEX-1132, made by SoyLei Innovations of Ames, Iowa. SoyLei ran its lab tests at about 140°F and hasn’t published results from a desert climate, so we make no promises about how it fares on a Tempe roof over time.
Next steps for Tempe
Renters, pass this along to whoever owns the place. Owners, the instant roof estimate gives you a rough starting point, and Tempe is one of the Valley cities we cover. When you’re ready, book a free roof evaluation and we’ll start by confirming what kind of roof you have.
