In some areas, such as Florida, houses are more prone to sinkholes than earthquake and hurricane. One sinkhole could cost us a lot of money and in some more serious cases, we may need to completely abandon our property, nullifying its value completely. Sinkholes can be caused by different reasons, but primarily due to interaction between the aquifer system and karsts. Sinkhole damages are the last things that homeowners want to have in their house. If we have sinkholes, one thing that we need is a lot of work. But it is always better to determine whether a sinkhole is imminent. We should be able to check whether our house will be affected by sinkholes, especially if we are living in high-risk areas.
Check whether we have small opening or depressions in the ground. There could also be cracks that run in the ceiling, walls and interior floors. Some doors and windows may not close and open properly. Find out whether there is an increasing slope in the floor. The concrete slab floors may also start to buckle or crack. The well water could have debris or dirt in it. The soil around our house may seem to shift slightly under our feet. Another risk factor is we have neighbors who had experienced sinkholes before. Because the ground starts to destabilize, we may also have plumbing problem, cracks on the wall and something similar.
We should be aware that repairing sinkhole damages can be quite costly. Once we are affected by sinkholes, it may feel like a continuous nightmare. In some cases, it may cost us up to $150,000 to repair damages due to sinkholes. Because the problem is caused by instability under the ground, there’s always the risk that new sinkholes will re-appear in our property. Some “investors” are willing to purchase a sinkhole-damaged house, but often at much lower price due to risks involved. However, this could help to remove us from a potentially dangerous situation and we could escape from the unending money pit. If the sinkhole is deep and wide, the cost of repairing it can be quite astronomical.
If we have home insurance, it’s important to make sure that sinkhole damages are also covered. We may also need to contact contractors to repair sinkhole damages. First, the soil may need to be stabilized and the contractor could pour a layer of concrete into the hole. It’s followed by refilling the hole and any damage to our house would be repaired. During this time, we should consider asking contractors to check other risk areas. In some cases, we may need to excavate the area and stabilize the soil to prevent bigger catastrophe. Pre-empting a sinkhole disaster can be costly, but still cheaper than having an actual sinkhole.