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Wasp Nests Under Roof Tiles – A Common Problem for Coggeshall Homes
Routine jobs such as clearing gutters, cleaning upstairs windows or trimming a climber can disturb a roof nest, so tell anyone working near the eaves about the wasps.
The everyday jobs that go wrong
Most stings from roof nests do not happen to people who go looking for them. They happen to people doing something ordinary, such as clearing a gutter, washing a first-floor window or cutting back ivy. The work puts a ladder, a hand or a brush within inches of an entrance that nobody has noticed.
Wasps do not wait for introductions. They react to movement and vibration near the entrance, and a colony of thousands can respond at once.
Window cleaners who work from a pole at ground level are less at risk, but upper windows reached by a ladder are another matter. A bedroom window close to the eaves may be only a metre from a hidden entrance.
It happens often enough that tradespeople have stories about it. A gutter that looked clear can hide an entrance a few centimetres above the bracket, and the first contact with the nest is the first sting.
Who is at risk
Anyone who works near the roof edge can be affected, and it is useful to think beyond the household.
- A window cleaner on a ladder or a pole.
- A gutter-clearing contractor.
- A gardener trimming a climber or hedge against the wall.
- A decorator painting boards or fascias.
- A neighbour helping with a ladder.
If you have any reason to think wasps are using the roof, tell these people before they start. A short phone call or a note on the door is enough.
Do not forget to mention the nest to people who call regularly, such as the postman, a delivery driver or a carer. They may pass the entrance daily, and a brief warning could prevent a sting.
If you employ a regular gardener or cleaner, a note through their door or a call before their next visit takes only a moment. They will appreciate it.
The same applies to anyone helping with the job. A relative holding the ladder is as exposed as the person on it, so make sure they know too.
Looking before you hire
Before the next job near the eaves, take two minutes to watch the roofline. Choose a bright part of the day, stand well back and look at the edge of the roof for a regular flight line. If you see one, delay the job.
Do the same on the days leading up to a planned visit, because a nest can appear quickly. Wasps begin building from late April, and by midsummer the colony is large. A gutter that was clear of wasps in May may have a nest above it in July.
If a job cannot be delayed, ask whether it can be done from a different position. For example, a gutter on a side of the house away from the entrance might be cleared safely, with the section near the nest left until later.
Equally, never persuade a service provider to carry on regardless. A reasonable tradesperson will refuse to work next to a live nest, and rightly so.
What to do if wasps appear during the work
Anyone working who sees wasps coming out of the roof edge should stop what they are doing, step back and descend slowly. Running and flapping make matters worse. Once on the ground, they should walk away from the house and keep clear.
If someone is stung, wash the sting, remove it if visible and use a cold pack. For swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing, difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash, call 999.
Close windows near the entrance, and ring the business. Do not return to finish the job until the nest has been treated.
Pets and children who are close by during the work should be taken indoors. A sudden wasp response affects everyone nearby, not just the person on the ladder.
Afterwards, the contractor may want to wait for the all-clear before finishing. That is a sensible caution, and you can pass on what the technician told you about the state of the nest.
Booking
Treatment comes to a fixed £90 for each nest including one visit guaranteed. Where an extra nest appears at your property, it comes to £35 for that one. The business is open seven days a week, with same-day service offered, and the work is fully insured for domestic and commercial customers.
Phone 01245 327274 or send an online booking from the contact page. A technician covers Coggeshall and nearby villages. Say whether a tradesperson is due, and describe where the wasps are going in. Anyone allergic to wasp stings should be mentioned, so that the booking can be prioritised.
A little information up front allows the technician to prepare, and the whole process becomes smoother.
Afterwards
When the nest is no longer active, the gutter, the window or the climber can be dealt with. Take the opportunity to look at the roof edge for gaps. A roofer can seal them, and the cleaner or gardener can carry on without worry.
You can ask the technician whether the empty nest can be taken down, and tell your contractors when the coast is clear. It is a small courtesy that avoids further alarms.
Make a note in your diary to look at the roof edge again next spring, before the regular jobs begin.
Windows, gutters and climbers are all easier to deal with once the roof is quiet, so it is worth having the nest treated before you reschedule.
A tidy, well-maintained roof edge is less appealing to wasps, so these routine jobs are also part of keeping the house quiet in summer.
Wasps on your property in Coggeshall?
Fixed price £90 per nest, same-day service available.