Sink Holes in Texas

Texas is one of the top two states where sinkholes occur. After Florida, the Lone Star State leads Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Tennessee in the number of sinkholes. About 35 percent of the United States has underground rock types that can be dissolved by groundwater circulating through them (salt rock, gypsum, limestone and others). When the underground rock dissolves, the soil over it collapses and becomes visible on the surface as a sinkhole. Texas is in that 35 percent. Here’s a photo of the most recent sinkhole in Texas. It occurred in May 2008 in Daisetta, Texas, northeast of Houston.

Sinkholes do not have to be large enough that they make the six o’clock news. Some sinkholes have only been wide enough for an adult to fit in. There is a sinkhole on the 14^th hole of a golf course in Illinois that was just wide enough to swallow a golfer. The golfer died because the sinkhole was about 20 feet deep. Sinkholes can look like craters or bowls or small shafts. Regardless of the shape and type of sinkhole, if they are near your home they are a threat to your home’s foundation.

Dawson Foundation Repair has these tips for you:

• Know your property! Check regularly to see if there are any areas that appear to be shrinking, especially along your foundation. Are you seeing parts of your foundation that were not exposed before?
• Is your vegetation wilting, but not drying out? This suggests poor drainage and can be a problem.
• It’s also good to check vertical structures such as your fencing and trees. If there is sagging or severe leaning developing, watch the area.
• Watch for ponds or little collections of water forming in places that were previously dry.
• If you notice any sediment or dirt in your water, this can also be a sign that water pipes are leaking, cracked or starting to give way to soil.

Not all depressions in the ground, or water collections in low places or leaning fence posts mean you have a sinkhole on your property. But if you are concerned you need to have it checked by either your insurance adjuster or by a paid engineering firm to check your property. Dawson Foundation Repair can come out and conduct a free inspection of your home to see if your slab still has its integrity. Not all foundation companies are the same. Not all use the same quality materials or methods. But since 1984 Dawson’s reputation is highly regarded because of the bell bottom pier method of foundation repair. It is reliable and tested over time.

Dawson Foundation Repair installs only Bell Bottom Piers for homeowners and commercial property owners. Bell Bottom Piers have far more advantages over any other method of foundation repair and we feel the homeowner should receive the best option available. Dawson Foundation Repair services homes and commercial businesses all over Texas including Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and other smaller cities. Call us for a free inspection and assessment of your home’s foundation security.