The number of sinkholes reported in Florida has steadily increased over the last 20 years, primarily due to these side effects of a growing population and land development:

• Increased withdrawal of ground water
• Surface water diversion due to new structures and paving
• Construction of ponds and regrading of surface soil

This contributes to water table reduction and concentration of rainwater runoff in smaller areas which, in turn, speeds up the deterioration of the karst underlayment of the soil—especially where the soil layer is sand and less than 25 feet deep.

    Sunken areas of ground, ominous cracks in your home, jammed doors and windows, and sediment that appears suddenly in well water are all considered early indications of a possible sinkhole developing. But these problems can also be caused by several other geological and manmade problems. See our blog post What are the warning signs of a sinkhole? to learn more.

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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about SINKHOLES:

• Why do so many more sinkholes open up after a hurricane?

• What is a chimney sinkhole? 

• What causes sinkholes?

• How can homebuyers protect themselves against buying a house over a sinkhole?  

• What is my chance of buying a Florida home over a sinkhole? 

• How does a repaired sink hole under a house affect its market value?

• Where are sinkholes most likely to occur in Florida? 

    Visit our SITE and SINKHOLES pages for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.