Swamp Cooler Removal & Roof Patch
Old swamp cooler sitting dead on your Phoenix roof? We lift it off, close the duct opening and patch tile, foam or shingle to match. Call us 24/7.
Learn moreRoofing in Alhambra, Phoenix, AZ
Flat roof, shingle and cooler curb repair in Phoenix's Alhambra (85015) village
Alhambra's block homes from the 1950s through the 1970s were built for a simpler era of cooling, and many still carry a swamp cooler, a gravel roof or a tired shingle hip. We repair what is leaking and help owners decide what should come off the roof for good.
Short answer
Most Alhambra homes need repairs on flat or tar-and-gravel built-up roofs, shingle replacement on low-pitch hip roofs, and removal or resealing of evaporative coolers that have sat on the roof for decades. We check how the cooler stand bears on the framing, close abandoned openings properly, and recommend foam, membrane or new shingles depending on the slope and the deck underneath.
What does a heavy cooler do to an Alhambra roof?
A full-size evaporative cooler holding water is heavy, and on many Alhambra homes it has sat in the same spot for forty years or more. If the stand was set across rafters, the roof usually carries it fine. If it was set between rafters or on a flat section framed with light joists, the deck slowly sags into a shallow bowl. Water from the cooler's overflow and from rain then collects right where the roof is weakest, and the sheathing under the cooler pad turns soft and dark.
When we inspect an Alhambra roof with a cooler, we look underneath it as well as around it. We check the stand, the supply line, the bleed-off line and the duct curb, and we press on the deck nearby for soft spots. If the cooler is still in use, we rebuild the curb flashing and correct the drainage path. If the home now runs on refrigerated air, taking out the old cooler and patching the opening usually ends a leak that has been chased for years. Damaged sheathing gets cut out and replaced.
Is it time to retire the gravel roof?
Tar-and-gravel built-up roofs were standard on flat sections when much of Alhambra was built. The gravel shields the asphalt layers from sun, and a well-made built-up roof can last a long time. But the gravel also hides problems. Blisters, cracked flashing at the edges and splits around vent pipes stay out of sight until a stain appears inside. Patching a gravel roof means scraping the stone away, repairing the felts and putting the stone back, which works for a small spot but does little for a roof that is drying out everywhere.
When the built-up layers are brittle across the whole roof, we usually recommend tearing off to the deck and installing foam or a modern membrane. Foam adds insulation, which helps a block home with little attic space, and its light-colored coating reflects heat. A membrane suits owners who want a lower maintenance schedule. Either way, we correct low spots, check that scuppers sit at the right height, and replace damaged decking. Our built-up roof page explains when a tired gravel roof can still be repaired and when replacing it is the smarter spend.
How do shingle hips on block homes hold up here?
The pitched part of many Alhambra homes is a low hip roof covered in asphalt shingles, sometimes on the third layer. West- and south-facing slopes take the full afternoon sun, and on those planes we often find curled tabs, bare spots where the granules have washed off and nails backing up through the shingles. Hip ridges crack first. Where a shingle hip meets a flat carport or an enclosed porch, the transition is usually sealed with roof cement that has dried and split.
For these homes, a tear-off to the deck and a new architectural shingle in a lighter color is the most common plan, with the flat sections redone at the same visit so every transition is built new. Alhambra also has plenty of duplexes and small rentals, and we write up each job with photos for owners who manage them from elsewhere. The village sits a short drive west of our Washington Street office by way of I-17 or Indian School Road. Owners still deciding about an old unit can read our post on whether to keep a rooftop cooler.
Roof work we do most in Alhambra
Every service on our list is available here. These are the calls we get most from Alhambra.
Built-Up Roofing
Old tar and gravel roof in Phoenix? We repair, resurface or replace built-up roofs with fresh plies, flashing and a cool cap. Call (602) 878-3594 24/7.
Learn moreFlat Roof Replacement
Replacing a worn flat roof in Phoenix? We compare foam, TPO, mod bit and built-up for your home, fix slope and drains, then rebuild. Call (602) 878-3594.
Learn moreAsphalt Shingle Roofing
Asphalt shingle roofs for Phoenix homes, chosen and vented for 160 F roof decks: cool-rated colors, sealed ridges, solid nailing. Call (602) 878-3594.
Learn moreRoof Deck & Sheathing Repair
Roof deck repair in Phoenix: soft, sagging or rotted sheathing replaced under tile, foam or shingle before it spreads. Call (602) 878-3594 day or night.
Learn more
Roofing questions from Alhambra
Will removing the swamp cooler from my Alhambra home stop the ceiling leak?
Often it does, if the leak sits near the cooler. Most cooler leaks come from the curb flashing, the overflow water or a soft deck under the pad. We remove the unit, cut out damaged sheathing, frame and deck the opening, and seal it into the surrounding roof so nothing is left to drip.
Can a new roof go over the gravel roof on my Alhambra house?
We rarely recommend it. Covering a gravel built-up roof traps old moisture and hides deck damage, and the stone has to come off anyway. On most Alhambra homes we strip to the deck, fix soft spots and install foam or a membrane, so the new roof starts on a sound base.
Why does the shingle roof on my Alhambra home fail first on the west side?
The west and south slopes take the hottest afternoon sun, which bakes the asphalt, drives off oils and loosens granules faster. On Alhambra's low hip roofs, those planes often wear out years before the north side. We check every slope and can replace the worst one when the rest still has life.
Roof trouble in Alhambra?
Call (602) 878-3594 any hour. Tell us your address and what you are seeing, and we will set up a visit.