Wasp Nests Under Roof Tiles – A Common Problem for Sutton in Ashfield Homes
When you first realise there are wasps living in your roof, a short, ordered plan keeps everyone safe and gets the nest dealt with without panic.
The first ten minutes
The moment you suspect a nest is the moment to slow down. Nothing about a roof nest becomes more dangerous in the next hour, but a hurried reaction could put someone at risk. Move away from the wall, take the children and pets indoors and close any windows on that side of the house. Then take a breath. You have time to do this properly.
If you live in Sutton in Ashfield and are reading this with wasps overhead, the same applies as anywhere. You do not need to chase them off or prove anything. Your task is to observe, record and ring.
Observe from a distance
Once everyone is safe, spend a few minutes watching the roofline from the far side of the garden or the road. Use binoculars or your phone zoom. You are looking for the one spot where wasps are going in and out. Do not move closer to check; a clear sighting from a distance is enough.
- Which side of the building is it?
- How far along the roof edge, and is it above a window, a door or a downpipe?
- Is the traffic a trickle or a steady stream?
- Are there any wasps inside the house?
These four answers are almost everything we need to know.
If your records show that the wasps have been active for a week or more, say so on the phone. It helps us understand how well established the nest is, though the price remains the same fixed £95 per nest. Do not worry about describing it in the wrong words; a plain account of what you have seen is far more useful than technical language.
Finally, remember that you are not being a nuisance by calling about a single nest. Roof nests are a routine part of the wasp season, and a short, calm call is all it takes to get things moving.
Record it
Take one or two photographs with the zoom, and write the answers in a note. If there are wasps inside, mention the room. If anyone has been stung, record who, when and how they reacted. Having all of this to hand makes your phone call shorter and the visit better planned.
Do not be tempted to take close-up photographs. They are no more useful than a distant picture, and they carry a real risk. The same goes for investigating the loft hatch or the ceiling below the nest. Leave those areas alone.
Make the house comfortable
A few small steps reduce the chance of encounters while you wait. Keep windows nearest the nest closed, especially during the warm part of the day. Cover food and drink outside, and keep the bin lid shut. If wasps are already in a room, close the door and open a window on the far side of the room if you can do so without approaching them, so they can leave. Do not swat, and do not use anything to block the gap outside.
For a sting, wash the skin, remove the sting if it is visible and use something cold on it. A widespread rash, dizziness, wheezing, difficulty breathing or swelling of the face, lips or throat needs a 999 call straight away. If allergy is a concern, speak to your GP, and say so when you book so we can take it into account.
Make the call
Our number is 0115 937 5117, and you can also book through the contact page. You will be asked where the wasps are going and whether anyone in the household is allergic. The price is confirmed on the phone before the technician visits, so you will know exactly where you stand. Treatment is a fixed £95 for a nest, with an additional nest on the same property at £35 each, and there is no call-out charge. Nothing happens until you agree.
We are open seven days a week, we offer same-day service, and we work for homes and for businesses. Training and full insurance come with every visit.
Think about what you will say when someone asks why the wasps are there. Visitors, neighbours and family members often want to help, and the kindest thing you can do is give them a clear, short instruction. Tell them the nest is being dealt with, the area is best avoided, and that nobody should try anything themselves. It heads off well-meant but risky suggestions involving ladders, hoses and smoke.
Keep a light touch on routines for the rest of the day. Hang washing on the opposite side of the garden, leave the paddling pool and the barbecue alone, and keep drinks covered when you eat outside. Wasps are attracted to sweet drinks, and a can left open on a patio table can attract foragers into the area for much longer than you would like.
Many households find that writing down the main points and sticking them on the fridge helps everybody stay consistent: where the nest is, who has phoned, when the visit is booked and what to avoid. It is a small thing, yet it helps the whole house stay calm.
After the technician has gone
When the visit is over, keep away from the roof edge until the technician says the wasps are no longer using the entrance. You may see a few wasps returning for a short time. Do not block the hole yet. Ask whether the empty nest can be taken down, and then arrange for a roofer to repair the gap so it cannot be used again next spring.
Make a note to check the roofline in late April and May next year, when queens are looking for a place to start, and keep the photographs you took in case you need them for the roofer.
Wasps on your property in Sutton in Ashfield?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.