driveway sinkhole

[souza817]

There appears to be a sinkhole forming on the side of my driveway, about half in the yard and half in the driveway. Right now it's only a couple of feet wide and maybe 6 inches deep at the lowest point. I imagine this is a root or something decomposing underneath? My questions:

1-Am I going to wake up one morning and find that my truck has been swallowed up?

2-Is this something I can fix myself? If not, do I call a driveway specialist? An excavator?

Don't know if it makes a difference, but I live in Massachusetts, so the ground will be freezing soon.

[newsgroups01REMOVEME]

First don't park your truck over it. geez....

Second, have the water company check if one of their supply lines to your house is leaking.

Third, get hot, it will only get worse if you don't move on getting it checked out.

hth,

Tom @

[souza817]

Thanks for the reply...if it is not the water, who should I call to check it out?

[jtees4]

Do you hve a septic system...and if so do you know where it is?

*-------------------------------* NEVER FORGET!!!

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I have a similar problem. I know of a couple of sinkholes tat formed from trees that were buried 24 years ago when the house was built. Mine is small enough right now that I think I can fill and patch it myself. If it gets larger I'm going to call a driveway paver for some digging, filling, paving. FWIW, I'm not far from you over the border in CT.

[souza817]

Thanks for the reply...if it is not the water, who should I call to check it out?

[souza817]

Thanks for the reply...if it is not the water, who should I call to check it out?

[newsgroups01REMOVEME]

Cross that bridge when you get to it, but for now you want to call the water company/city works.

later,

tom @

[Norminn]

My city has civil engineers who, of course, do engineering for city projects. When I contacted a landscape architect about a drainage problem, he told me that the city engineer reviewed some problems when the problem was a complex one. So...I called, he came out, checked out the situation and gave some helpful tips. It was more of the "CYA" variety, on his part, because the problem potentially involved the city's inspections done during construction of neighboring condo (which drains onto our property :o)

If your sinkhole is in the path where there is rapid runoff from rain, that could possibly be a cause. I have found "mystery" holes, probably from rotted stumps. Have also found "tunnels" under the sod where water washed out soil along our seawall, which was the reason for calling on experts.

In Florida, sinkholes take out whole neighborhoods, and insurance companies can have a guy with the right gadget check out the ground.

I'd be inclined to get some heavy topsoil, pack it in good, and do some watchful waiting if you don't have sinkhole problems in the neighborhood. Your city/county can give you info on that.

[souza817]

The town just checked it out, it's not the water. And I do not have a sepitc sysetm. The town suggested, based on the path of the water pipe, that the trench for the pipe was not filled well enough.

[SJF]

. The town suggested, based on the path of the water

My thoughts also. A common problem is loose soil thrown into an excavation that settles when it becomes wet. If that is the problem, poke the garden hose into the settling soil (water turned on). This will consolidate the soil as the water drains out. After it has settled, pack in more soil to restore the surface level.