Today, a report in the news about a Florida man who fell in a sinkhole and most likely lost his life has us thinking about sinkholes – how they occur, and what there is to do to find out if your home in susceptible for a sinkhole to occur.
First – sinkholes are prevalent in areas that where limestone is predominantly the bedrock underneath. Places like Florida, Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey have limestone underneath.
Watch this video from CNN to get a better understanding of how natural sinkholes occur.
Now, this article from NorthJersey.com tries to explain how you can suspect if you’re near one. Sometimes abandon septic tanks or cesspools. Over time these rot and the ground underneath them could cave in. With special equipment, inspectors can detect a metal tank underground, like an oil tank. But if there was evidence of an oil tank underground, the way it was filled in may have been improper, which could lead to a sink hole. Better yet, if there’s an oil tank underground, the walls of it could be decaying as we speak, which could collapse the earth on top of it. So it’s always important to check and see if your New Jersey home is in need of an oil tank sweep.
In the article, it says to ask yourself:
* Any record of underground oil tank?
* Any past permit for septic tank?
* Geological—any underground waterways?
* Could builder have buried wood material on the site?
* Any large trees removed close to the house?
If you have the answers to any of these questions, you might want to call Cornerstone Home Inspection to ensure your home is safe from what could possibly be a deadly sinkhole.