Ivy Removal

[Jowsey]

I've been reading a lot regarding this recently but I wanted to know if anyone here had any experiences?

I'm looking at a property this Saturday and I hate the look of Ivy, I know it'll have potentially damaged the brickwork underneath and it will require remedial work but I was wondering if I've missed anything?

It's on 2 sides of a 2 story semi detached property and looks like it goes up to the roof. I haven't been into the roof yet to see if it's penetrated but I know there is no space to get a cherry picker around. Anyone thoughts or stories?

[GoNz0]

Easy enough to kill if you are determined. We had ripped one root out the ground with a digger at Dad's old house and pulled the rest off the wall. It never grew back. You can chop it at the roots and work at the rest to pull it off then kill off any new parts as they grow back. I use the industrial Gallup360 via an eBay seller, drill holes into the trunk you have exposed and fill with neat Gallup360 then seal off the top with some duct tape to stop it getting washed out (or a bag and elastic band if you can get all the way around it)
If you want to spray the leaves you have to either wire brush them or I hear crumpling them will also break down the waxy coating and let the poison in but you will also need to attack the root block.

You really need to get into the roof and take an inspection camera to see if it has got into the cavity wall, if it has walk away!

[Jowsey]

Thanks Gonzo. The roof is a big concern !

Can i ask if the ivy did any damage to the brick work it was growing up? The house we're looking at has slightly waxy (if that makes sense?) bricks and I'm concerned I'll rip it off and will have a huge swathe of brick work chewed through which will require remedial work.

It's a pretty old house and the bricks are well weathered so I'm prepared for some obvious cosmetic difference!

[GoNz0]

Not anything we needed to fix, it was a garden wall so probably a bit of pointing to patch up if it were a house. If you have engineering bricks I doubt it could do a great deal to them, it's the crappy modern cheap bricks it can eat into as they are so porous.

[jim]

[Jowsey]

Depressingly that was the 3rd option!

[Spreadie]

Nuke it from orbit - it's the only way to be sure.

[neonplanet40]

Do we still have GDI's Ion Cannon?

[snedger]

Maybe watch out for body and respiratory contact.
I removed a 15' ivy "hedge" for my other half a few years ago - really got stuck in.
Next day face really swollen, couldn't hardly open my eyes, mouth virtually turned in to a beak -quack quack! - and breathing was very laboured - sight was so minimal, had to be led to the doctors surgery.
Good news - no one asks me to help with big garden renovations anymore