1. While sinkhole activity can be found throughout Florida, there are multiple causes of settlement-related damage.

    Of all the causes of property settlement, sinkholes are the least likely candidate. Certainly, the geology of Florida and other states provide the necessary terrain for sinkhole development. Sinkholes such as the Winter Park sinkhole caused severe damage, motivating the State of Florida to mandate sinkhole insurance coverage for all property insurance (see Florida Laws Regarding Sinkhole Activity) Alternatively, other, equally devastating causes result in billions of dollars of property damage every year and are more common.

    Other causes of settlement damage include the existence of organic material in the soil, the presence of an expansive clay deposit, or the movement of loose, unconsolidated soils are common causes of settlement damage in Florida. Identifying and resolving these different problems requires a professional with expertise and training, permitting a comprehensive solution to the settlement.

  2. Sinkhole investigations are complex and may be subject to the interpretation of the project engineer.

    When having property examined for causes of settlement, it is important that the engineer have experience both in locating and repairing sinkhole damage. Oftentimes, engineers will spend a majority of their time performing investigations and spend little time in actually repairing sinkhole damage. The result is an engineer who is prone to "false positives," providing the property owner with an inaccurate or incomplete solution. The property owner then finds themselves with a property subject to severe devaluation because it has now been tagged as a "sinkhole property," merely because the engineer wanted to offer a simple solution and provide services for litigation over the matter. As additional protection against this problem, make sure the engineer's investigation is complete and does not rely too heavily upon one testing method (see Sinkhole Investigation Procedures).

  3. Damages caused by sinkhole activity are routinely repaired by using modern, geotechnical engineering methods.

    While these repairs may be costly, they are usually covered by insurance (see Florida Laws Regarding Sinkhole Activity) Before attempting to hire any engineer to evaluate and/or repair your property, make sure the solution has been approved by a licensed, professional geologist. The decision on whether a particular property can be repaired depends on the nature and extent of the activity. A decision as to whether an attempt should be made to repair sinkhole damage should be made after consultation between the property owner, the insurance company, and the engineering company.

    With any kind of professional service, it is important that you receive competent, comprehensive advice (see Locating Qualified Engineers in Your Area) If your engineer does not provide you with comprehensive information about the settlement problem, you will not be able to determine a complete and accurate solution

  4. Sinkholes occur most frequently in Florida between Spring and Fall.

    This is because of changes in the water table. Essentially, water is the source of all sinkhole activity, dissolving limestone and washing out surficial support of a structure. As the water table ebbs and flows, the action upon limestone is affected and can ultimately shift the subsurface support.