What do do about a sink hole?

[perry]

What to do about a sink hole?

I noticed that in my front yard yesterday.. it's about 4' deep. maybe 3' long and about 1.5' out from the electric box. I can't see any underground utility lines, yet. The ground further out was pretty soft, so I can see the hole expanding as we get more rain. There's another little utility pole / container about 4 - 5' away, so the soft ground may expand to around there. This is right on the property line.. the box is in the neighbor's yard and the hole in mine (I think that's the line).

I called Duke Energy on Sunday about the hole because their number is on the box, but I don't know what else to do about it. Just start pouring bags of soil in to it?

 

[SkinNFluff]

pouring soil in a sinkhole is sometimes a waste of time. it will normally go where the rest of the dirt did. it should be filled with broken blocks (largish pieces) in an attempt to create a blockage, then covered with soil. because of it's location i would let your electric company take care of it for you. if anything happened due to you messing with it they could hold you liable for damages. now get back on the phone with them and stress how dangerous you feel the situation is and note that you are concerned a child could get hurt. they should send someone out pretty quick to take care of it for you.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Just start pouring bags of soil in to it?

That's what I'd do. But there may be more knowledgeable sink hole experts than myself that will respond. I've had a few (smaller than that) open up on my property where water tends to run and/or set. I've simply filled them with dirt and the only ones that come back are the ones that are active springs when the water table rises.

 

[rgrimm01]

Not quite big enough to put corvettes in yet. I imagine they will put in sand and dirt?

 

[churchmouse]

See if DUKE responds. This could be an issue for them and they will do the repairs.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Never worked with one of these boxes, but I suspect it will be billed as customer responsibility since the box and pad are intact. It's your yard that's the problem.

when AT&T laid bare wire on my dirt as our phone line and it was cut, they blamed us for hitting it. I blamed them for not burying their wire. They assumed we were going to sod it I guess which would have buried the cable.

 

[churchmouse]

My point is let DUKE look and decide how or if they will repair it or how they may require it be done. That is a power distribution box. Not to be taken lightly.

 

[hornadylnl]

Any drain tiles near there?

 

[rgrimm01]

Any drain tiles near there?

I wondered the same thing. Or even if the buried line was but in last year in the dry season. The dirt is definitively going somewhere.

 

[88GT]

When was the box installed?

 

[perry]

Here's another view from this morning. I guess the other utilities are closer than I thought. The water turnoff is just on the other side of the sidewalk. House is 15 years old. Don't know what a drain tile is but doubt we have them. Just a cookie cutter neighborhood.

I called Duke because I don't want to be messing around with the electric box. If they say just dump dirt in it, then I will. If they suspect something else then I'll call whoever else. I just don't want that hole expanding and that box being compromised.

 

[88GT]

15 years, huh? Well, there goes my guess.

 

[KLB]

pouring soil in a sinkhole is sometimes a waste of time. it will normally go where the rest of the dirt did. it should be filled with broken blocks (largish pieces) in an attempt to create a blockage, then covered with soil. because of it's location i would let your electric company take care of it for you. if anything happened due to you messing with it they could hold you liable for damages. now get back on the phone with them and stress how dangerous you feel the situation is and note that you are concerned a child could get hurt. they should send someone out pretty quick to take care of it for you.

This is good advice.

If your subdivision was built in what used to be a farm field, you may have field tiles in the ground.

Putting sand or dirt into a sinkhole caused by running water is only a cosmetic fix. The next time the water runs the dirt/sand will just start washing away again. I have a busted field tile in one of our pastures, and have tried dirt, rocks and dirt, etc to fix it. The only thing that will fix it is fixing the tile. Something I have yet to get done.

 

[avboiler11]

I have been fighting the exact same thing for the last 2.5 years.

The first time, the box itself was sinking in my yard. Duke came out and pumped a few thousand gallons of water and couldn't figure out where it was going...so they eventually dug out the box & surrounding area, reinstalled the fuse box and backfilled.

I've subsequently had two small sinkholes (big enough for your foot to go in up to your knee) form between the electrical box and a Sellersburg water manhole, which have been repaired by the Town of Sellersburg.

Pretty annoying considering my house is less than 10 years old.

Contact Duke first and make them come out, if the lineman is a jackass to you (I got one of those once) kick it up to a regional supervisor level and blow their Facebook page up with your photos discussing the safety threat to children, pets, etc. - you will most certainly get a response then.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

According to our Congress, the only solution is to pour money into it and keep pouring money into it even if it doesn't do anything to solve the problem.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

How close is it to your house, and what is your foundation? If it's close to a slab, I'd really want to have the erosion investigated, in case the same thing is happening under the house, which could lead to a collapse.

 

[perry]

It's far enough that erosion up to the foundation would be enough to swallow a Corvette! 7-8 yards I'd guess. The sidewalk a couple feet away looks fine. And the rock just out of frame on the left doesn't seem to have moved.

 

[spencer rifle]

I noticed that in my front yard yesterday.. it's about 4' deep. maybe 3' long and about 1.5' out from the electric box. I can't see any underground utility lines, yet. The ground further out was pretty soft, so I can see the hole expanding as we get more rain. There's another little utility pole / container about 4 - 5' away, so the soft ground may expand to around there. This is right on the property line.. the box is in the neighbor's yard and the hole in mine (I think that's the line).

I called Duke Energy on Sunday about the hole because their number is on the box, but I don't know what else to do about it. Just start pouring bags of soil in to it?

Go caving!

 

[looney2ns]

Bag's of concrete.

 

[KittySlayer]

Save a copy of the photo. When the government comes to take your guns simply explain to them you were outside cleaning all of your weapons, went inside for a moment and when you came back all your guns had been swallowed up by the sinkhole. Then you won't have to lie about a tragic boating accident.