5 Things You Need to Know About SINKHOLES

‘Sinkhole’ is a scary word. The recent depictions on the news of a man-eating geological phenomenon have caused homeowners to ask serious questions about what sinkholes are, and how homes and families can be protected. We want to help by shedding some light on this important topic…

1.       What are sinkholes? Sinkholes are formed primarily because of a region’s geology.  Under the surface of the state is porous limestone which holds vast amounts of water in underground aquifers.  Groundwater flows through and erodes the limestone. The erosion forms caves, springs, and unfortunately, large empty pockets underground. A sinkhole is what happens when that pocket collapses.

 

2.       How do they form? The water in the aquifers exerts pressure on the limestone to help hold up the clay, silt and sand which makes up Florida’s soil.  Sinkholes appear when that layer of surface material caves in. It can happen two ways:  water is removed from the cavities by either pumping it out or by drought, OR a heavy load on the ground (such as a heavy downpour or a flood) causes it to collapse. Either way, the collapse can swallow up not only property, but people as well, as we all witnessed last week.

 

3.       The problem isn’t going away… Florida’s population is expected to reach 20 million residents by 2015 and the increase is causing more ground water extraction to handle a thirsty public. In the area from Tampa Bay directly east through Orlando to the Atlantic (known as “Sinkhole Alley) sinkhole claims have tripled in the last decade.  January and February are extremely dangerous due to the fact that during a hard freeze millions of gallons of water are pumped on oranges and strawberries to protect them from freezing.

 

4.       What’s being done to help? Florida is working on the groundwater issue, but political and practical questions may slow any real progress on stopping the draining of the aquifers. 

 

5.       What can you do?  Research the area where you live to determine if you are in a danger zone.  Make sure you review your sinkhole coverage with your insurance agent.  In some cases it will be covered by the policy due to laws in the state of Florida, in others it will only be covered if certain conditions exist.  The short video below is from one of our best companies, +Tower Hill Insurance Group , and further explains the issue.

 If you would like one of our agents to review your policy to be sure your home is protected, you can reach us at (941) 966-5900. www.ruggeriinsurance.com


 

 
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