Rooftop AC & Package Unit Repair in Tempe, AZ — Same-Day on Most Calls
Rooftop package unit repair in Tempe and the East Valley. Capacitors, condenser and blower motors, refrigerant leaks, clogged roof drains, gas pack heat, hail damage. $59.95 diagnostic waived with the repair, no roof-access fee, no commission techs.
If your air conditioner is a single box on the roof, you have a package unit — and about half of Tempe does. When it quits, you need someone willing to get on the roof today with the part already on the truck. Our shop is at 2465 W 12th St, off Priest and Broadway, so most of Tempe is under 15 minutes from the door.
We don't charge extra to go on the roof.
What a package unit actually is
One cabinet holds everything: compressor, condenser coil, evaporator coil, blower, and on most Tempe homes a gas burner section for heat. A split system puts half of that in your side yard and half in a closet or attic. The package unit puts all of it in full sun, 25 feet up, on a low-slope roof that hits 160°+ in July.
That single difference drives almost every repair call we take on these.
The rooftop calls we get in Tempe
- Won't start, no air at all. Capacitor or contactor nine times out of ten. Both are on the truck.
- Condenser fan not spinning. The motor bakes in direct sun with no shade and no airflow break. These fail earlier on rooftops than on ground-level condensers, and the capacitor often goes with them.
- Blower running, air isn't cold. Compressor, refrigerant, or a frozen evaporator coil. Which fan is running tells you what broke.
- Water stain on the ceiling. The condensate drain on a package unit runs off or through the roof. A clogged drain or rusted pan backs up into the cabinet and then into your ceiling. We clear it, check the pan, and add a float switch if it doesn't have one.
- Weak airflow on one end of the house. Rooftop duct connections and the curb seal leak into the attic or straight to outside. Often cheaper to fix than people expect.
- Burner won't light in winter. Most Tempe package units are gas/electric "gas packs." Igniter, flame sensor, gas valve, or a cracked heat exchanger. We carbon-monoxide test every gas visit. Tempe heating repair.
- Hail damage. Rooftop units took the worst of the October 2026 Valley hail — nothing shades them. Bent fins, punctured coils, cracked fan blades. We document it with dated photos and a written report for the claim. Hail damage inspection, and why bent fins matter.
- Short-cycling or tripping the breaker. Failing capacitor, compressor, or a dirty coil raising head pressure.
What rooftop repairs cost in Tempe
Installed, parts and labor, residential package units. Your written quote lands inside these unless the unit has something unusual, and we say what before touching it.
| Diagnostic visit | $59.95 | Waived when you approve the repair; credited toward a replacement |
| Run capacitor | $165–$245 | Most common failure in Arizona |
| Contactor | $150–$350 | Usually the same visit as the diagnostic |
| Condenser fan motor | $400–$800 | OEM vs. universal motor is the swing |
| Blower motor | $450–$1,200 | Variable-speed (ECM) is the high end |
| Condensate drain clear + float switch | $150–$350 | The ceiling-stain call |
| Refrigerant leak search, repair + recharge | $500–$1,500 | R-410A. We find the leak; we don't top off |
| Evaporator coil | $2,400–$4,400 | Warranty vs. out of warranty |
| Compressor | $1,500–$3,000+ | Warranty status decides most of this |
No crane needed for a repair. A crane is a replacement cost, and on a replacement we itemize it instead of surprising you on install day.
Why rooftop units fail sooner than splits
A ground-level condenser gets afternoon shade from the house, a block wall, or a tree. A rooftop unit gets none, and the roof deck under it radiates heat back up all evening. The cabinet runs hotter, so capacitors, fan motors, and contactors wear faster. The coil also collects more dust because there's nothing between it and the wind.
None of that is a reason to switch to a split system. Converting runs $3,000 to $6,000 in roof, duct, and electrical work and rarely pays back. The honest comparison.
What does help: a tune-up before summer. We pull the panels, wash the coil, check amp draw on both motors, test the capacitor against its rating, clear the drain, and verify the charge. $59.95 per system. AC tune-up.
Repair or replace it
Multiply the repair cost by the unit's age. If that beats the price of a new unit, replace.
| Under 10 years, any single repair | Repair | Capacitor, contactor, motor, drain: fix it and keep going |
| 10 to 12 years, repair under $1,000 | Repair, start budgeting | Ask the tech what's wearing out next |
| 12+ years, compressor or coil | Price both | A $2,800 coil on a 14-year-old unit usually loses |
| R-22 system with a leak | Replace | R-22 is out of production; the recharge is expensive and the leak is still there |
A new rooftop package unit runs about $6,500 to $15,500 installed in Tempe in 2026 by tonnage and tier, crane included. Full breakdown by size, what the crane and curb adapter add, and what a fair bid looks like: rooftop package unit replacement cost in Tempe. SRP Cool Cash pays $75 to $225 per ton on qualifying systems and we file it. Tempe replacement.
You get both numbers on the same sheet, and the tech doing the work earns no commission on either one.
Already have a replacement quote?
Send it over. We'll check the tonnage against a load calculation, confirm the model numbers match, and tell you what's missing from it — crane, curb adapter, permit, drain, thermostat. Free. Second opinions, or run it through the 10-second quote check.
Where we work in Tempe
The rooftop-heavy parts of town: Maple-Ash, Mitchell Park, the older tracts off Mill and Rural, the ASU rentals in 85281, and most of the 1960s–1980s single-story stock in 85282 and 85283. Zip codes 85281, 85282, 85283, 85284, 85285, 85287. Same truck covers Mesa, Chandler, and South Scottsdale — all three run package units on about the same share of homes.
Questions people ask
Do you charge extra to work on a rooftop unit?+
No. The diagnostic is $59.95 whether the unit is on the roof or on the ground, and it's waived when you approve the repair on that visit.
Does a rooftop AC repair need a crane?+
No. A crane is only needed to lift a whole unit on or off the roof, which is a replacement. Repairs are done in place.
How much does it cost to fix a rooftop AC in Tempe?+
Most repairs run $150 to $800 — capacitors $165 to $245, contactors $150 to $350, condenser fan motors $400 to $800. Refrigerant leak repair runs $500 to $1,500 and a compressor $1,500 to $3,000+.
Why does my ceiling have a water stain under the AC?+
The condensate drain or pan on the package unit is backed up and overflowing into the cabinet, then through the roof. Clearing the drain and adding a float switch runs $150 to $350. Shut the system off until it's cleared.
Should I switch from a rooftop package unit to a split system?+
Usually no. The conversion adds $3,000 to $6,000 in roof, duct and electrical work and rarely pays back, unless you're already re-roofing.