Dealing with a sinkhole can not only be scary, but it can also be very confusing. You might find yourself asking “What exactly is a sinkhole?”, “How dangerous are they?” or “How am I suppose to fix this?” Most people have never even heard of a sinkhole until they have one.
There are a few causes of sinkholes. Most commonly, sinkholes occur where debris such as trash, stumps, tree branches and other building materials were buried during a construction project. Sinkholes can also be caused by broken water pipes, cisterns or disturbance of the soil (by digging, drilling, or soil removal), vibrations caused by traffic, or mine blasting. Underground water can form one as well.
Sinkholes have proved to be very dangerous. They can even cause death or injury! A loved one can just be walking and down they go! If someone is walking on your property and trips or falls into your sinkhole, they can very easily injure themselves. Sinkholes have also been known to cause structural damage, foundation damage, and destroy pools. No one wants a lawsuit either. If someone is injured while on your property as a result of your sinkhole, you are responsible! Sinkholes have also been reported to cause entire homes to collapse on families like one did in Canada, killing the entire family. Click to see article.
Having your sinkhole fixed the proper way is imperative. Many companies that aren’t experienced in repairing sinkholes will tell you to pour concrete in it (called grouting). This method will NOT fix your sinkhole problem! If you pump concrete into a hole (grouting), you are still leaving the decaying debris and material there to continue its decaying process and the problem is still there. The repair bill will become even higher as you will then have to remove that concrete to even get to the root of the problem that is the decaying material. Remember, concrete cannot stop the decaying process. Sinkholes MUST be EXCAVATED. You can’t repair a sinkhole without removing the cause of the sinkhole, and in this case, it’s usually decaying plant material and other vegetation like trees and stumps. There are VERY few exceptions to this rule as there are certain situations. This method is used only if you are installing piers under your home, but if you were to do this under other structures such as a patio, driveway, retaining wall, or middle of your yard , your sinkhole will continue to spread and eventually take that structure it is under with it when it collapses, causing serious structural damage or even death!
Don’t let yourself be fooled by inexperienced companies trying to make a quick buck. Would you let a plumber repair your sinkhole? NO.. Do your research on sinkholes. Make sure you hire someone who can fix the problem, not just give you a temporary remediation solution. Remember, this can turn into a serious problem. Fix it right the first time!
