7 Signs You Need a New Roof (a Moncton Homeowner's Guide)

By Mackenzie Mazerolle, third-generation roofer · July 2026

Your roof rarely fails overnight. It sends warnings, sometimes for years, and most homeowners just haven't been told what to look for. We're third-generation roofers in Greater Moncton and we've inspected thousands of roofs. These are the seven signs we take seriously, and what to do about each one.

1. Your roof is past 20 years old

The simplest indicator. An asphalt roof over 20 is approaching the end of its expected life, even when it still looks fine from the driveway.

Moncton ages roofs faster than milder climates. Freeze-thaw cycles, heavy snow loads and coastal wind all take their cut, so a shingle that would coast in Ontario gives up a few years here.

What to do: book an inspection. An experienced roofer spots what the driveway view hides.

2. Shingles are curling or buckling

Check the slopes that get direct sun. Edges curling up (cupping) or middles pushing up (buckling) mean the shingles are failing. Curled shingles let water past, and they're the first to leave in a windstorm. Moncton gets plenty of those.

What to do: a few bad shingles can be repaired. Widespread curling means it's time to plan the replacement.

3. Granules in your gutters

Granules protect shingles from UV. Aging shingles shed them, and a sandy, gritty buildup in your gutters or under the downspouts is the evidence. Some loss is normal on a new roof (manufacturing excess). Heavy loss on a roof past 10 years means the protective layer is going.

What to do: start planning now, while you have time to choose well instead of choosing fast.

4. Daylight in the attic

Go up on a sunny day and turn the lights off. Pinpoints of light through the roof boards mean water can travel the same path. While you're up there, look for dark stains on the underside of the deck, sagging sections, and any sign of moisture or mould.

What to do: light or water stains mean call a roofer now. That's active or imminent failure.

5. Moss is moving in

In our humid climate, moss and algae love north-facing slopes and shaded areas. Algae streaks are mostly cosmetic. Moss is a different story: it holds moisture against the shingle, and in winter that moisture freezes, expands and pries shingles apart.

What to do: a light cleaning buys time. Extensive, recurring moss usually means the shingles are holding too much moisture, and the clock is running.

6. Your neighbours are reroofing

Underrated signal. Homes in a subdivision usually got their roofs the same year, from similar materials. When the street starts reroofing, your roof is probably in the same chapter of its life.

What to do: book an inspection while it's still a planning decision. Planned replacements get the colour, the crew and the price you want. Emergencies take whatever's available.

7. Heating bills keep climbing

A tired roof often means tired insulation and ventilation underneath it. Energy bills that keep rising with nothing else to blame, especially paired with winter ice dams, point at heat escaping through the attic.

What to do: have the attic ventilation inspected along with the roof surface. Sometimes ventilation work alone makes a real difference.

When a repair is enough

Plenty of roofs get fixed rather than replaced, and that's the right call when:

• The damage sits in one small area, a few shingles at most
• The roof is under 15 years old
• The decking underneath is sound
• One event caused it (a fallen branch, one bad storm)

If a repair genuinely solves the problem, that's exactly what we'll recommend. A straight answer is the whole reputation.

When it's replacement time

• Several signs from this list are showing at once
• The roof is past 20 years
• Damage spreads across multiple slopes
• You've paid for repeated repairs in recent years
• The decking shows water damage or rot

Our roof replacement page walks the full process, from aerial measurement to the magnet sweep.

Plus Ultra Roofing. Third-generation roofers serving Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe, New Brunswick.