Wasps Around Your Guttering and Fascias? How to Find the Nest in Chafford Hundred

Beyond the main gutters, small roofs over bay windows, porches, dormers and extensions have their own fascias and gaps, and they are often missed.

More than one roofline

A house can have several separate rooflines. Besides the main eaves there may be a canopy over the front door, a roof above a bay window, a dormer, a flat roof over an extension or a lean-to at the back. Each has its own edge board, joints and corners, and each is a potential entrance for wasps.

These small roofs are often at a height that feels reachable, which is part of the problem. A bay-window roof can be close enough to touch from a ground-floor window, and a porch edge may be at head height. They are also less likely to have been inspected, painted or repaired recently.

When wasps appear, check all of them. A nest in a small roof can be just as large as one in the main eaves.

Another reason to check them is that people tend to think of the main eaves as the roofline and forget the smaller roofs. Wherever a trim meets a wall, a joint can open as the seasons change, and a small canopy or dormer edge may simply not have been looked at for some time. That makes the junction a likely place for a gap, and a likely place for wasps to be missed until the traffic becomes obvious.

Take a few minutes in late spring to look at each one from the ground. A wasp seen inspecting a small gap in May is worth acting on.

Checking each one

Take a walk round the outside and list the roofs. For each, look at the edge board for cracks, gaps or lifted sections, at the junction with the wall for open joints and at any trim or flashing that has pulled away. Do it from the ground and in good light, without leaning on or touching the structure.

Then watch each suspect spot for a few minutes in the sun. If a flat roof edge or canopy has a gap and wasps are dropping into it, you have found the entrance.

• Front door canopy or porch roof.
• Bay window roofs, top and sides.
• Dormer cheeks and fascias.
• Extension or conservatory edges.
• Garage or lean-to eaves.

Don’t forget to look up at the underside of the overhang on a canopy, where a soffit or lining board may have dropped. A single missing panel gives wasps a wide entrance.

Windows and doors close to the nest

A nest in a small roof is often within a few feet of a window or door. That means wasps can come into the house when a window is opened, and a nest above the front door can be a nuisance for everyone who comes and goes. Wasps near doors tend to be more disturbed by the movement of people.

Use another door where possible, and keep the affected windows shut. If you must use the door, move calmly, and keep children and pets away. Avoid slamming it. Be sure visitors and delivery drivers are warned, with a note on the door if necessary.

If the activity is above a bay window, close the window and draw the curtains, so that wasps are not drawn to the glass. Wasps that get inside can be coaxed out by opening a window on the other side of the room while keeping calm. Do not swat.

Do not lean on the structure

Bay roofs and canopies look sturdy, but they are not designed to be climbed on. Stepping onto one to look at the nest risks a fall, damage to the roof and a close encounter with the colony. Don’t lean a ladder against a canopy edge either.

If you have concerns about the safety of a roof, say so when you book. The technician will assess it on arrival and choose the safest way to reach the nest.

Should someone be stung, wash the skin, take out the sting if you can see it and hold a cold pack against it. Call 999 for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash. Mention any allergy at booking.

What the visit involves

A technician covering Chafford Hundred will look at the roofs you have identified, confirm which one the wasps are using and treat the nest at its source. They will tell you what to expect afterwards. You can ask at booking whether the empty nest can be taken down.

If you have found nests in two places, for example one in the porch and one on the dormer, they can usually be dealt with in the same visit. The first is £90 and an additional nest on the same property is £35 more.

You do not need to tell the technician exactly where the entrance is. A description such as “the front canopy, right-hand corner” is fine, and they will confirm it. The most helpful thing you can do is keep the area clear and the household away.

Repair and booking

When the wasps are gone, close the gap. Small roofs often have thin boards and simple trims that are easy for a builder to replace or re-seal. Ask for the junction with the wall to be sealed and loose trim re-fixed.

Wasp Nest Removal Essex is open seven days a week, offers same-day service and works on domestic and commercial properties, fully insured. The price is fixed at £90 per nest, with one visit guaranteed. To make a booking, call 01245 327274 or complete the online form on the contact page.

Check all the small roofs again in spring, when a founding wasp starts looking for somewhere to build. A neat repair now, with sealed joints and firm trims, makes the roofline a less welcoming place.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Chafford Hundred