Is it dangerous to live in a home that had a sinkhole that has been repaired?
"Non Engineer" Answer: No
Explanation: Let's back up and briefly explain what the repair of a sinkhole typically consists of. The repair of a home in which a sinkhole has been identified will typically consist of grouting the soils beneath the home. Proper grouting is intended to prevent the soils from continuing to migrate through the limestone. If you can imagine an hour glass in which the sand flows through the neck from one bulb to the other. Grouting a sinkhole can be compared to plugging up the nect of the hour glass and re-densifying or filling the lost sand from the top bulb. If a sinkhole is identified and corrected before a house has become structurally damaged, there should not be any issue with the house being unsafe or dangerous for occupation. If a home has become structurally damaged from a sinkhole, the home can be repaired following the recommendations of a qualified and licensed Structural Engineer. It is rare when even an unrepaired sinkhole home is considered dangerous and unsafe for occupation and even more rare when a repaired home would be considered dangerous and unsafe.
Commentary: Engineers are required by law to notify a structure's inhabitants if a structure is unsafe for occupancy. It is important to remember, that as with any major or minor home repair, a problem left unfixed can result in more costly and more time consuming repairs further down the road.
"Non Engineer" Answer: No
Explanation: Let's back up and briefly explain what the repair of a sinkhole typically consists of. The repair of a home in which a sinkhole has been identified will typically consist of grouting the soils beneath the home. Proper grouting is intended to prevent the soils from continuing to migrate through the limestone. If you can imagine an hour glass in which the sand flows through the neck from one bulb to the other. Grouting a sinkhole can be compared to plugging up the nect of the hour glass and re-densifying or filling the lost sand from the top bulb. If a sinkhole is identified and corrected before a house has become structurally damaged, there should not be any issue with the house being unsafe or dangerous for occupation. If a home has become structurally damaged from a sinkhole, the home can be repaired following the recommendations of a qualified and licensed Structural Engineer. It is rare when even an unrepaired sinkhole home is considered dangerous and unsafe for occupation and even more rare when a repaired home would be considered dangerous and unsafe.
Commentary: Engineers are required by law to notify a structure's inhabitants if a structure is unsafe for occupancy. It is important to remember, that as with any major or minor home repair, a problem left unfixed can result in more costly and more time consuming repairs further down the road.
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