Once you have noticed a leak or have spotted some external damage on your roof, it's important to have a professional come out and assess the total damage right away. As professionals are trained to fully inspect the roof and determine the reach of the damage, they can also help you develop the best plan of action for any repairs.This is important because in some cases the leak may have caused enough damage across the roof that a whole re-roofing may be necessary in order to fully remedy the issue. In other cases, it may simply be necessary to just fix the spots that are causing the issue. Typically, this can be determined during the roof inspection process. The inspector will be able to take into consideration the total amount of damage and extent of it to determine the best course of action.If a simple leak has occurred in one spot, you may only need to replace a few shingles or roofing tiles. However, if the leak has been developing over a longer period of time and allowing water to seep in, there may be weak roofing trusses to consider as well as mold and mildew removal.In any case,a regular roof inspection or some scheduled roof maintenance can help limit or prevent most of these severe roof issues. However,if a big storm, a heavy down pour or a blizzard has left you with some major roof damage, it's paramount to get it assessed and repaired right away to prevent any further long term damage form occurring.