diff --git a/src/sampling/surfMeshSample/surfMeshSample/surfMeshSample.C b/src/sampling/surfMeshSample/surfMeshSample/surfMeshSample.C
index e22356a7fe..616de169fe 100644
--- a/src/sampling/surfMeshSample/surfMeshSample/surfMeshSample.C
+++ b/src/sampling/surfMeshSample/surfMeshSample/surfMeshSample.C
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ Foam::surfMeshSample::getOrCreateSurfMesh() const
             meshedSurface(),    // Create as empty surface
             name()
         );
-        ptr->setWriteOption(IOobject::NO_WRITE);
 
         mesh().objectRegistry::store(ptr);
     }
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.C b/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.C
index b3558c6348..355aa4f474 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.C
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
     \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
-     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2016-2018 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2016-2019 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ License
 
 namespace Foam
 {
-  defineTypeNameAndDebug(surfMesh, 0);
+    defineTypeNameAndDebug(surfMesh, 0);
 }
 
 Foam::word Foam::surfMesh::meshSubDir = "surfMesh";
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ Foam::word Foam::surfMesh::meshSubDir = "surfMesh";
 //         zoneName = "zone0";
 //     }
 //
-//     // set single default zone
-//     zones.setSize(1);
+//     // Set single default zone
+//     zones.resize(1);
 //     zones[0] = surfZone
 //     (
 //         zoneName,
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ Foam::surfMesh::surfMesh
             meshSubDir,
             *this,
             IOobject::NO_READ,
-            IOobject::AUTO_WRITE
+            io.writeOpt()
         ),
         IOobject
         (
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ Foam::surfMesh::surfMesh
             meshSubDir,
             *this,
             IOobject::NO_READ,
-            IOobject::AUTO_WRITE
+            io.writeOpt()
         ),
         IOobject
         (
@@ -148,21 +148,18 @@ Foam::surfMesh::surfMesh
             meshSubDir,
             *this,
             IOobject::NO_READ,
-            IOobject::AUTO_WRITE
+            io.writeOpt()
         )
     ),
     MeshReference(this->storedIOFaces(), this->storedIOPoints())
 {
-    if (debug)
-    {
-        Info<<"IOobject: " << io.path() << nl
-            <<" name: " << io.name()
-            <<" instance: " << io.instance()
-            <<" local: " << io.local()
-            <<" dbDir: " << io.db().dbDir() << endl;
-        Info<<"creating surfMesh at instance " << instance() << endl;
-        Info<<"timeName: " << instance() << endl;
-    }
+    DebugInfo
+        <<"IOobject: " << io.path() << nl
+        <<"  name: " << io.name()
+        <<"  instance: " << io.instance()
+        <<"  local: " << io.local()
+        <<"  dbDir: " << io.db().dbDir() << nl
+        <<"creating surfMesh at instance " << instance() << endl;
 
     copyContents(surf);
 }
@@ -184,8 +181,8 @@ Foam::surfMesh::surfMesh
             instance(),
             meshSubDir,
             *this,
-            IOobject::NO_READ,
-            IOobject::AUTO_WRITE
+            io.readOpt(),
+            io.writeOpt()
         ),
         IOobject
         (
@@ -193,8 +190,8 @@ Foam::surfMesh::surfMesh
             instance(),
             meshSubDir,
             *this,
-            IOobject::NO_READ,
-            IOobject::AUTO_WRITE
+            io.readOpt(),
+            io.writeOpt()
         ),
         IOobject
         (
@@ -202,22 +199,20 @@ Foam::surfMesh::surfMesh
             instance(),
             meshSubDir,
             *this,
-            IOobject::NO_READ,
-            IOobject::AUTO_WRITE
+            io.readOpt(),
+            io.writeOpt()
         )
     ),
     MeshReference(this->storedIOFaces(), this->storedIOPoints())
 {
-    if (debug)
-    {
-        Info<<"IOobject: " << io.path() << nl
-            <<" name: " << io.name()
-            <<" instance: " << io.instance()
-            <<" local: " << io.local()
-            <<" dbDir: " << io.db().dbDir() << endl;
-        Info<<"creating surfMesh at instance " << instance() << endl;
-        Info<<"timeName: " << instance() << endl;
-    }
+    DebugInfo
+        <<"IOobject: " << io.path() << nl
+        <<" name: " << io.name()
+        <<" instance: " << io.instance()
+        <<" local: " << io.local()
+        <<" dbDir: " << io.db().dbDir() << nl
+        <<"creating surfMesh at instance " << instance() << nl
+        <<"timeName: " << instance() << endl;
 
     transfer(surf);
 }
@@ -435,6 +430,7 @@ void Foam::surfMesh::removeFiles(const fileName& instanceDir) const
     rm(meshFilesPath/"surfZones");
 }
 
+
 void Foam::surfMesh::removeFiles() const
 {
     removeFiles(instance());
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.H b/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.H
index b00035d4b3..49019bbd50 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.H
+++ b/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMesh.H
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
     \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
-     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2016-2018 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2016-2019 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -156,15 +156,13 @@ public:
 
     // Constructors
 
-        //- Read construct from IOobject
+        //- Read construct from IOobject.
+        //  Writing = NO_WRITE
         explicit surfMesh(const IOobject& io);
 
         //- Read construct from IOobject, with alternative surface name
-        surfMesh
-        (
-            const IOobject& io,
-            const word& surfName
-        );
+        //  Writing = NO_WRITE
+        surfMesh(const IOobject& io, const word& surfName);
 
         //- Copy construct from MeshedSurface<face>
         surfMesh
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMeshClear.C b/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMeshClear.C
index 39bef03a02..deddca2664 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMeshClear.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMeshClear.C
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
     \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
-     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2016 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2016-2019 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -31,10 +31,7 @@ License
 
 void Foam::surfMesh::removeZones()
 {
-    if (debug)
-    {
-        InfoInFunction << "Removing surface zones." << endl;
-    }
+    DebugInFunction << "Removing surface zones." << endl;
 
     // Remove the surface zones
     storedZones().clear();
@@ -47,10 +44,7 @@ void Foam::surfMesh::removeZones()
 
 void Foam::surfMesh::clearGeom()
 {
-    if (debug)
-    {
-        InfoInFunction << "Clearing geometric data" << endl;
-    }
+    DebugInFunction << "Clearing geometric data" << endl;
 
     MeshReference::clearGeom();
 }
@@ -58,10 +52,7 @@ void Foam::surfMesh::clearGeom()
 
 void Foam::surfMesh::clearAddressing()
 {
-    if (debug)
-    {
-        InfoInFunction << "clearing topology" << endl;
-    }
+    DebugInFunction << "clearing topology" << endl;
 
     MeshReference::clearPatchMeshAddr();
 }
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMeshIO.C b/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMeshIO.C
index d3a8a39e6d..661d0ca5a0 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMeshIO.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/surfMesh/surfMeshIO.C
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
     \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
-     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2016-2017 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2016-2019 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -31,12 +31,10 @@ License
 void Foam::surfMesh::setInstance
 (
     const fileName& inst,
-    IOobject::writeOption wOpt)
+    IOobject::writeOption wOpt
+)
 {
-    if (debug)
-    {
-        InfoInFunction << "Resetting file instance to " << inst << endl;
-    }
+    DebugInFunction << "Resetting file instance to " << inst << endl;
 
     instance() = inst;
     Allocator::setInstance(inst);
@@ -54,30 +52,23 @@ void Foam::surfMesh::setWriteOption(IOobject::writeOption wOpt)
 
 Foam::surfMesh::readUpdateState Foam::surfMesh::readUpdate()
 {
-    if (debug)
-    {
-        InfoInFunction << "Updating mesh based on saved data." << endl;
-    }
+    DebugInFunction << "Updating mesh based on saved data." << endl;
 
     // Find point and face instances
     fileName pointsInst(time().findInstance(meshDir(), "points"));
     fileName facesInst(time().findInstance(meshDir(), "faces"));
 
-    if (debug)
-    {
-        Info<< "Points instance: old = " << pointsInstance()
-            << " new = " << pointsInst << nl
-            << "Faces instance: old = " << facesInstance()
-            << " new = " << facesInst << endl;
-    }
+    DebugInFunction
+        << "Points instance: old = " << pointsInstance()
+        << " new = " << pointsInst << nl
+        << "Faces instance: old = " << facesInstance()
+        << " new = " << facesInst << endl;
 
     if (facesInst != facesInstance())
     {
         // Topological change
-        if (debug)
-        {
-            Info<< "Topological change" << endl;
-        }
+        DebugInfo
+            << "Topological change" << endl;
 
         clearOut();
 
@@ -167,10 +158,7 @@ Foam::surfMesh::readUpdateState Foam::surfMesh::readUpdate()
     else if (pointsInst != pointsInstance())
     {
         // Points moved
-        if (debug)
-        {
-            Info<< "Point motion" << endl;
-        }
+        DebugInfo << "Point motion" << endl;
 
         clearOut();
         storedIOPoints().instance() = pointsInst;
@@ -193,10 +181,7 @@ Foam::surfMesh::readUpdateState Foam::surfMesh::readUpdate()
     }
     else
     {
-        if (debug)
-        {
-            Info<< "No change" << endl;
-        }
+        DebugInfo << "No change" << endl;
     }
 
     return surfMesh::UNCHANGED;
diff --git a/src/surfMesh/surfaceRegistry/surfaceRegistry.C b/src/surfMesh/surfaceRegistry/surfaceRegistry.C
index 49de22257f..fb61e9c4ba 100644
--- a/src/surfMesh/surfaceRegistry/surfaceRegistry.C
+++ b/src/surfMesh/surfaceRegistry/surfaceRegistry.C
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ Foam::surfaceRegistry::surfaceRegistry
     (
         IOobject
         (
-            ( surfName.size() ? surfName : defaultName ),
+            (surfName.size() ? surfName : defaultName),
             obr.time().timeName(),
             prefix,
             obr,