Sinkhole Signs
Signs of sinkhole activity can range from the obvious, such as a naturally occurring hole in the ground, to very subtle signs, such as slights cracks in concrete stucco or cracks in the driveway. There is no one specific "test" that can tell you if you have a sinkhole or not – instead there are a number of factors to take into consideration that could be evidence of symptoms commonly seen at homes experiencing sinkhole activity.
Take The Sinkhole Quiz
Read the following questions, and then talk a walk around your home.
- Do any of your doors (including screen doors) have trouble opening or closing?
- Do any of your windows "stick" or are tough to open?
- Does the bill for your AC, heat or water bill seem too high?
- Have you experienced any plumbing issues in your home?
- Does your home make strange creaking and popping noises at night?
- Are your kitchen cabinets and drawers normal and level?
- Is there a gap between your kitchen/bathroom counter blacksplash and the wall?
- Have any shower tiles loosened, cracked or popped off?
- Is there any separation or gaps between any walls and ceiling?
- Is there any separation or gaps between any walls and floor?
- Do you have any cracks in your interior walls?
- Do you have any cracks around the corners of door and window frames?
- Do you have any cracked or "hollow" sounding floor tiles?
- Are there any cracks in your floor?
- Does your floor feel not level? (Tip – put a golf ball or marble on a hard floor and see if it rolls anywhere)
- Are there any odd waterspots or discoloration in any walls or ceilings?
- Have there been any water leaks or flooding when it rains?
- Do you have any cracks in your driveway?
- Do you have any cracks in your exterior walls?
- Do you have any cracks around windows?
- Do any cracks look like stairs going up or down?
- Do you have any cracks in your garage walls, floor or ceiling?
- Are there any "normal settlement" cracks?
- Have any of the cracks grown longer or wider?
- Do you have any loose or odd roof tiles?
- Has your pool leaked or lost water?
- Do you have any "dead patches" of grass or shrubs in your yard?
- Does your yard slope in any direction?
- Are there any slight dips or depressions in your yard?
- Are there any holes in your yard?
- Has your fence or retaining wall moved, shifted, or cracked?
- Is there a lake, canal or drainage pond nearby?
- Have any homes in your neighborhood had sinkholes?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, your home may be experiencing signs of sinkhole activity. The more questions you answered YES to, the more important it is to have your home checked out.
See WHAT TO DO NOW? for more information about your next steps.