Wasp Nests Under Roof Tiles – A Common Problem for Garforth Homes
The risk with a nest under roof tiles is not just the stings but the height you would be working at when they start, which is why this is work for a trained technician.
The plain answer: leave the roof to the technician
If you have a wasp nest under your roof tiles, the safest thing you can do is stay off the roof and off the ladder. The nest is high, hidden and defended, and combining those three factors makes it one of the more hazardous tasks a householder can take on.
Wasps start nests from late April, in gaps in eaves, walls, chimneys, trees and bushes, and the space beneath tiles is a favourite. By August a colony can number thousands. In Garforth, a West Yorkshire town east of Leeds, the problem is the same as anywhere else, and so is the advice.
This article concentrates on the risks of working at height, because they are the part people underestimate.
What counts as roof-level work
People often think of roof work as something that happens on the ridge, but the problem begins much lower down. Gaps beneath tiles at the edge of the roof, behind the fascia board or under the eaves are all reached by a ladder against the wall, and they feel deceptively close to the ground.
A gap that is only two storeys up can still be a long way to fall, and a ladder that feels steady against a wall can twist as soon as you shift your weight. Because the opening is usually above head height, you have to stretch up and keep looking at it, so you are off balance before the wasps even react.
A ladder gives you a narrow footing and no free hands. To get near enough to see a gap under a tile you have to lean in, look up and hold still. A single sting to the face or neck produces a flinch, and a flinch at height is how people fall.
Wasps do not always sting once. A disturbed nest releases defenders that can sting repeatedly, and they pursue a threat for some distance. You cannot easily retreat down a ladder while being stung, and you cannot easily swat them away with both hands on the rungs.
- The ladder may stand on ground that is soft, sloping or paved with uneven slabs.
- Gutters and fascias are not designed to take the weight of a ladder resting against them.
- Lifting a tile to look inside also loosens it and can send it sliding.
- There is no one to catch you if something goes wrong when you are alone.
Why a sting at height is worse than a sting on the ground
A wasp sting on the arm in the garden is painful but manageable. The same sting while you are eight or nine feet up a ladder is a much more serious event, because your reaction is dangerous in itself. You also cannot easily wash the sting, put a cold pack on it or sit down.
If you are stung at any time, move away from the area, wash the sting, remove the sting if you can see it and apply a cold pack. Call 999 if someone develops swelling of the face, lips or throat, a wheeze or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash, and speak to your GP if you know you have an allergy.
These are general safety points rather than medical advice, but they are worth having in mind before you decide whether to go anywhere near the nest.
Staying safe without going up
There is plenty you can do from the ground. You can watch where the wasps go, note which wall the activity is on and approximately how many storeys up the entrance is, and keep people away from that spot. That information is exactly what we ask for when you book.
Meanwhile, keep windows close to the nest shut, particularly bedroom windows, and keep the gap undisturbed. Do not sit people beneath it for a barbecue or drying washing. Move garden furniture away from the wall if it is close. Children and pets should be kept clear of that side of the house until the technician has been.
Our technicians are trained and the work is fully insured, which matters more at height than almost anywhere else. They are equipped to reach roof-level gaps in a way that a householder is not, and they are used to working near a colony without provoking it.
If the nest sits somewhere that needs special access equipment, you will be told on the phone before anyone is sent. We do not carry out work until you agree, and the price is confirmed beforehand, so there is no awkward conversation on the doorstep.
A realistic example
Picture a household that notices wasps crossing the front garden to a spot just under the guttering on the first floor. A neighbour offers to go up with a ladder and a can of something from the shop. It looks quick, and he is confident. But the gutter is old, the ground by the wall is sloping and the nest is directly above his head.
The better decision is to stand back, note where the wasps are going and make a phone call. By the time the technician has arrived, the household has kept everyone away from the wall, and the nest is treated without anyone having been up the ladder. That is the outcome to aim for.
Booking and what it costs
A nest is treated for a fixed £90, with any additional nest on the same property at £35. There is no call-out charge. We work seven days a week, offer same-day service and take on both domestic and commercial jobs.
Ring 0113 347 0014 or fill in the online booking form on the contact page. Tell us the height of the entrance as best you can and anything else you noticed from the ground. If someone in the household is allergic to wasp stings, say so at the start and we will take it into account.
We cover Garforth and the surrounding area, so there is no need to wait for a convenient moment to tackle it yourself. Wasps are at their busiest in late summer, and an unattended nest only gets bigger.
Wasps on your property in Garforth?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.