Follow these steps if you suspect you have a sinkhole.
You always want to put the safety of you and your loved ones first, and a potential sinkhole could be a danger. If left unchecked, a sinkhole could get someone seriously injured, so you want to take the appropriate precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. Follow these steps if you suspect you have a sinkhole.
Keep Away
The first step you want to take should always be to stay away from the sinkhole. After you’ve identified the area you suspect it to be, keep your children and pets away from that spot, so they don’t get into any danger.
Leave Your House
Find out if the sinkhole is affecting your home. If it is, evacuate your home at once and stay a safe distance away from it. Some of the signs that a hole is affecting your home include:
- Sinking, cracking, and sagging walls
- Having a tough time closing windows and doors
- Cracks in floors, patios, and other ground surfaces both on the interior and exterior of the home
Barricade the Area
Make sure to block off the area with materials that can be seen both during the day and at night. You want to be sure everyone who sees the barricade knows for certain that space is off-limits, so block it off as much as possible.
Talk to your Insurance Company
Get in touch with your insurance company so that they know your situation. Your insurance policy may cover the assessment and repairs for the situation at hand. However, it’s possible your insurance doesn’t cover either expense. Knowing what coverage you have is imperative to budgeting for the proper course of action.
Get your insurance adjuster on top of the problem as quickly as you can. You also want to get in touch with your local government office to see if there is an agency that can help you evacuate your home, assess the damage, and report your sinkhole problem.
Consult with a Soil Testing Firm or Engineering Company
A licensed engineer or expert geologist can tell you for sure if you have a sinkhole or not. Before you have this assessment done, you want to know if your insurance covers it. If it doesn’t, you want to get price quotes from a minimum of two different geological testing firms.
Monitor the Sinkhole to See if it Grows
Sinkholes can expand at a rapid rate. Keep an eye on your sinkhole, and be sure to be a safe distance away from it at all times.
Watch for Further Structural Damage
If you initially chose to stay in your house because you didn’t see any signs of structural damage from your sinkhole, keep checking to see if any signs of damage pop up. Sinkhole dangers can appear rapidly, so you have to keep a sharp eye open and be prepared to leave the premises the moment you see any signs of structural damage.
Don’t Dump Anything into the Sinkhole
If you dump anything into the sinkhole, it could potentially infect groundwater. Make sure you get instructions from your local government agency, as well as your insurance company before you place anything into the sinkhole.
Concrete Visions Will Get The Job Done Right
Concrete Visions has been working with clients for over 25 years. Our G&M Services installers are certified with the industry’s major firestop product manufacturers. As part of our firestop service, we can assess abnormal field conditions and, with the manufacturer’s technical support assistance, provide engineering judgments in a timely fashion to comply with contract specifications. Our Field Mechanics undergo ongoing training, including mandatory monthly safety meetings, weekly Toolbox Talks where safety and equipment information is shred, and trainings on safe work standards and safety best practices.Visit our website to see how we can be of service to you, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.