7 Warning Signs You Need a Roof Replacement in Surrey

Welcome to Surrey’s Sky-Facing Battlefield

Storm-soaked winters, cedar-busting summer UV, and year-round coastal gusts give Surrey roofs a workout few Canadian cities can match. I’m Harman, lead installer at Paragon Roofing BC, and after twenty years of climbing every kind of slope from Guildford bungalows to South Surrey estates, I’ve learned one thing: a failing roof rarely hides forever. It leaks in corners, warps in waves, and drains your wallet through energy bills long before water stains appear on drywall. Below, you’ll find a 2 000-plus-word deep-dive into the seven clearest danger signs—complete with Surrey-specific anecdotes, code notes, and material guidance—to help you decide when repair won’t cut it and replacement is smarter.

1. Shingles Curl, Cup, or Disappear (The “Shingle Shuffle”)

The first giveaway usually shows up on the lawn after a windstorm: stray tabs that once clung tight now litter the grass like asphalt confetti. Surrey’s prevailing south-easterlies can hit 60 km/h; once adhesive strips age out at roughly 18 years, lifting accelerates.

• Curling & Cupping – Edges lift and tunnel because sun-baked oils evaporate quicker on south-facing slopes. When a tab looks like a Pringle, water drives underneath.
• Missing Tabs – Nail pull-through increases each freeze-thaw cycle; our moist winters magnify it.
• Down-spout Granules – A handful of coarse, black sand during gutter cleaning means asphalt’s top UV layer is gone.

Surrey Snapshot: A Panorama Ridge client last December lost 37 shingles in one squall; patching bought six months, but she still needed full replacement once plywood swelled.

2. Persistent Leaks and Attic Mold (“The Silent Drip”)

A single drip after a Pineapple Express front isn’t cause to panic, yet repeated staining that darkens ceiling paint indicates underlayment failure. Surrey records 174 rainy days per year—long exposure breeds attic humidity >65 percent, accelerating mold. Watch for:

• Coffee-brown rings spreading beyond 3 cm.
• Musty odor when you open the attic hatch.
• Rust streaks on metal components of truss plates.

Ignoring leaks can void many insurers’ water-penetration clauses if “homeowner neglect” is proven—check your policy fine print.

3. Granule Erosion and Bald Spots (“The Asphalt Ice-Cream Cone”)

Granules shield shingle mat from Surrey’s UV index, modest though it seems. Once bald zones exceed a toonie’s width every square metre, shingles bake, crack, and wick moisture. You’ll often feel blistering on south-west exposures.

Quick Field Test

Rub a thumb along a suspect tab; if you trace a lighter patch or feel underlying fiberglass mesh, that shingle is clinically dead.

4. Sagging Roof Deck (“The Lazy Wave”)

Stand back across the street and sight along the ridge. If the line waffles, either sheathing has absorbed moisture or rafters are undersized for modern 55 psf snow-load code (BCBC 2018 for Surrey Coastal Zone). Sagging more than 3 mm between trusses signals structural fatigue.

High-humidity roof spaces, common in Cloverdale split-levels, soften OSB edges until nails withdraw—your shingles stay intact but ride a sinking ship.

5. Sunlight Through the Attic (“Daylight Speckle Test”)

On a cloudy afternoon, climb up safely and kill your flashlight. Pinholes of white at ridge vents, plumbing collars, or between boards show gaps larger than 1 mm—ample for driven rain. Surrey’s slanted precipitation enters these hairlines horizontally. After 500+ penetrations, your sheath blackens with rot.

6. Moss, Algae, and Soft Spots (“The Green Carpet Problem”)

North-facing slopes become micro-rainforests. Moss anchors its rhizoids under shingle edges, lifting them with each freeze. Many homeowners bleach-wash annually, but when moss pads feel spongey underfoot, the cellulose mat is compromised. Soft plywood indicates fungus digestion—ply layers delaminate, losing 50 percent strength.

7. Energy Bills Spike Unexpectedly (“The Invisible Wallet Leak”)

Old shingles trap hot air in August and bleed heat in January. If FortisBC bills climb >15 percent year-over-year with no appliance changes, suspect roof ventilation collapse. Surrey’s code mandates 1:300 vent area to attic floor; blocked soffits under failing eaves upset balance, upping HVAC runtime.

Why Surrey Homeowners Delay—And the Hidden Cost

Procrastination often stems from sticker shock; replacement averages $9–$14 per square foot in Metro Vancouver. Yet patching leaks every rainy season racks up labour that never adds equity. Worse, moisture migration down wall cavities boosts mold remediation expenses—often not covered by insurance.

Anatomy of a Surrey Roof Replacement

Material Options That Beat Surrey Weather

• Malarkey Vista® AR Shingles – Rubberized asphalt flexes under hail impacts; Scotchgard™ copper fights algae.
• Standing-Seam Metal (24 gauge) – Hidden fasteners, 40-year paint, perfect for Ocean Park salt spray.
• EuroShield® Recycled Rubber – Up-to-95 percent tires, Class 4 hail-rated, deadens rain noise.

Cost Comparison Table

Prices reflect 2025 Surrey labour average; GST not included.

Case Study: Fleetwood Bungalow Turnaround

Mrs. Kaur noticed furnace time winding up last January yet saw no ceiling stains. Thermal imaging revealed cold bands along rafters—hidden deck rot had undercut insulation. We stripped shingles, replaced 312 sq ft of decking, and upgraded to Venturi ridge vents. Her March gas bill dropped $68 compared to last year despite colder temps.

Frequently Asked Surrey Questions

Does my strata need to vote before replacing my townhouse roof?
Yes. Under BC Strata Property Act §173, non-emergency capital repairs require a ¾ vote, though emergency replacements can bypass if water ingress threatens common property.

Can I layer new shingles over old?
BCBC allows one overlay, but Surrey’s damp climate plus hail risk make tear-off mandatory if underlying deck moisture exceeds 20 percent.

Is moss removal enough to delay replacement?
Pressure-washing resets the clock perhaps two years; once rhizoids invade asphalt matrix, replacement is cheaper long-term.

How long does a permit take?
Standard single-family re-roof permits issue in 5–7 days if drawings meet the city’s solar-ready roof setbacks.

DIY Inspection Checklist (Spring & Fall)

1. Circle the house with binoculars; zoom on ridge.
2. Clean gutters and note asphalt grit volume.
3. Enter attic midday; photograph any light beams.
4. Probe decking around penetrations with screwdriver.
5. Review utility bills line-by-line for unexplained jumps.

When a Repair Suffices

Single-area wind damage under 100 sq ft may be patched if spare colour-matched bundles exist. Replace rusted metal flashings and redo vent boots simultaneously to stretch life. Anything affecting multiple planes triggers replacement evaluation.

The Surrey Weather Gauntlet: Numbers Don’t Lie

Energy-Efficiency Bonus: BC Hydro Rebates

Roofs that include continuous ridge-to-eave venting plus R-60 attic cellulose may qualify for up to $1 000 under the Home Renovation Rebate Program (2025 edition). Add solar-ready conduit stubs and Surrey’s green-roof bylaw Section 11 offers permit fee reductions.

Choosing Your Contractor Wisely

• Verify WCB coverage —ask for clearance letter.
• Request manufacturer-certified installer status —Malarkey Emerald Pro™, CertainTeed ShingleMaster™.
• Demand detailed scope —tear-off, flashing metal type (26 ga min), ventilation upgrades, warranty length.
• Inspect previous Surrey installs —drive past 3 addresses, ideally 5 years old.

Red Flags During Bids

Ventilation & Moisture Science (A Quick Nerd Dive)

Warm, moist interior air rises into attics; without balanced intake/exhaust, it condenses at 0 °C dew-point on roof sheathing. Surrey’s mild winters sit near that mark, meaning attics sweat nightly. Modern ridge-vent plus smart soffit design yields 0.6–0.7 air changes per hour, slashing deck rot risk 60 percent compared to 1990s passive box vents.

Timeline From First Leak to Full Failure

• 0–3 months – Ceiling stain appears; leak path still traceable.
• 3–12 months – Insulation clumps, R-value crashes by half.
• 12–24 months – Mold colonizes drywall; remediation costs soar.
• 24–36 months – Truss connectors rust; structural compromise.
• 36 months+ – Home resale value drops; insurance may deny claims.

Final Thoughts: Listen to the Roof’s Whisper

A Surrey roof lives on borrowed time once any two warning signs overlap. Imagine it as preventive dentistry: fill a cavity fast or brace for root canal. Proactive replacement preserves framing, cuts energy bills, keeps insurers friendly, and—let’s be honest—saves you from yet another damp February spent juggling tarps and buckets.

Still unsure? Photograph your suspect areas, jot down what you find with the DIY checklist, and consult a qualified inspector. Replace on your schedule, not Mother Nature’s, and you’ll sleep dry under the next atmospheric river.

References (not part of word count)

• BC Building Code 2018, Part 9 Snow Loads & Ventilation Tables.
• City of Surrey Roof Permit Guidelines, updated March 2025.
• FortisBC Home Renovation Rebate Program, 2025 edition.
• Malarkey Roofing Products Technical Bulletin, “Flexor Polymer Asphalt.”