Does ivy damage brick walls?

It depends on the wall. On sound masonry with good pointing, self-clinging ivy generally clings without penetrating. Where the mortar is already loose or cracked, the rootlets exploit those weaknesses and thickening stems lever them wider. The condition of the wall is what decides it.

What is the right way to remove ivy from a wall?

Cut every stem through at the base and leave the top growth to die before removing it. Dead ivy comes away far more easily and takes much less of the wall surface with it. Then deal with the cut stumps, or the plant regrows.

Will ivy pull my fence over?

It can. Ivy adds a lot of weight and turns an open fence into a solid sail, which loads the posts far beyond what they were installed for. A fence going over in a gale with a mat of ivy on it is a common combination.

Caution

Updated 30 August 2026

Ivy Covering Walls And Fences

Q: Should I check for wildlife before stripping ivy?

Yes, on dense mature growth. Nests in use are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and bats and their roosts are protected too. Dense ivy on a building or an old tree is exactly the kind of place both are found.

Ivy has climbed the house wall, the fence or the garage and is now into the gutters, under the roof edge and through the panels.

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Garden maintenance work, illustrative image

What's happening?

Ivy is not the villain it is often made out to be, but its effect depends entirely on what it is growing on. It climbs by adhesive rootlets rather than by twining, and on sound masonry with good pointing it generally clings without penetrating. On unsound masonry it is a different story: the rootlets exploit loose mortar, gaps and cracks and open them up, and once the stems thicken they lever whatever they are attached to. On a fence, ivy adds enormous weight and a large sail area, which is a common reason a panel fence goes over in a gale. And in gutters, under roof edges, into soffits and around window frames it holds water against the building and blocks drainage. Mature ivy is also valuable habitat — it flowers and fruits late, and it is used for nesting and roosting — which is why the timing of removal matters.

What usually causes it?

Self-clinging growth from a plant established at the base of a wall or fence, left uncut for years
Loose or eroded mortar giving the rootlets something to exploit
Ivy climbing into gutters, downpipes, soffits and under roof edges where it holds water and blocks drainage
Stems thickening over time into woody trunks that lever masonry, boards or panels apart
The weight and wind loading of dense ivy on a fence, overloading posts and panels
Growth spreading in from a neighbouring garden or an unmanaged boundary
Ivy growing up into a tree canopy, adding weight and hiding defects in the trunk, with no annual cut back so it reaches the roof line before anyone acts

Is it dangerous?

The plant itself is low risk. The removal is where people get hurt, because it means working at height at a wall or roof edge, often on a ladder, pulling material that gives way suddenly. Ivy in a gutter or under a roof edge is a building risk — trapped water, blocked drainage and lifted tiles. Ivy on a fence is a collapse risk in wind. And there is a wildlife dimension: nests in use are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and bats and their roosts are protected, so dense ivy on a building or a mature tree needs checking before it is stripped.

Can I fix it myself?

Sever the stems at the base first — cut through every woody stem near ground level and let the top growth die back before you try to remove it, because dead ivy comes away far more easily and with far less damage than live ivy pulled off a wall. Dig out or treat the cut stumps or it will simply regrow. Keep ivy permanently out of gutters and off the roof line, and cut it back annually from windows, doors and vents. Clearing ivy off a low fence or a garage wall you can reach from the ground is reasonable DIY. Working at the roof edge is not.

When should you call a gardener?

Call a gardener when ivy has reached gutters, soffits or the roof, when it is beyond safe reach from the ground, when the wall's pointing is already loose, or when it has grown into a tree. Also call before stripping dense mature ivy on a building or an old tree, because it may hold nests or a bat roost and that needs checking first. If the ivy is up in a tree canopy and the tree needs work, that is a tree surgeon's job rather than a gardener's.

What will the gardener actually do?

Check dense growth for active nests and signs of bat use before any removal begins
Sever all stems at the base and treat or excavate the stumps so the plant does not regrow
Let the severed growth die back, then remove it in sections rather than pulling live ivy off the substrate
Clear gutters, downpipes, soffits, vents and roof edges of ivy and its debris
Assess the masonry once exposed and flag loose pointing or damaged render for repair, and cut ivy back off fence panels and posts, checking them for damage and overloading
Set an annual cut-back line so ivy is kept below gutter level rather than removed and forgotten

Frequently asked questions

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Sources & References

Hedge Overgrown And Out Of ShapeCaution Garden Completely OvergrownCaution Bindweed Taking Over The BordersLow risk

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