While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

Call these folks and ask what to do...
http://www.mde.state.md.us/ContactUs/index.asp

For information about this, search google.com for the following words...
sinkholes Maryland



"Betsy" wrote in message
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

In article , "Betsy" -0
wrote:

While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!



Fill it in with soil borrowed from elsewhere in the yard and pack it
down tight. See what it looks like a year from now. If it has sunk
again, then it might be time to call someone.

Panic now is totally unnecessary.

--
-JR
Hung like Einstein and smart as a horse
Remove NO SPAM from e-mai address to reply

I have had two like that because buried over tree trunks have decayed out.
I packed dirt in, and expect to have to do it again in a couple years.

Naturally your problem could be entirely different, but it might be the
same.

toller wrote:
I have had two like that because buried over tree trunks have decayed out.
I packed dirt in, and expect to have to do it again in a couple years.

Naturally your problem could be entirely different, but it might be the
same.



I once found a hidden hole in yard, most likely from a stump that rotted
away. Our property was filled by landfill about 40 years ago
(waterfront in Florida). We also had erosion problems along the seawall
that created tunnels beneath the sod, which could have been a hazard if
someone walked on one and it collapsed.

Your city building department or insurance company may be interested in
taking a look.

One oddity I noticed during our seawall repairs was an area of clay
soil. I've seen "clumps" of it that hang together along the beach where
most of the soil is sand. When some new erosion problems appeared, the
contractor tested drainage by running water onto the clay area, and the
water drained laterally and out through the seawall about 20' away.
Apparently the top of the clay was too compact and sloped toward the
seawall, so the water drained off more rapidly than it could drain
through the clay. This link is to an article that illustrates sinkholes
rather nicely:
http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/fs/fs11.html

I lived in a neighborhood in Florida with major sinkhole disasters.
Good time to find out whether your insurance covers them. 100 year old
house? I'd be inclined not to panic.

Be very careful about whom you call for assistance and by all means DO NOT
call your insurance Co. You may call your insurance co. when the house
falls in the hole. grin Take the advice of the previous posters and fill
in the hole and see what happens in a few months. Remember if you make this
a matter of public record you may not be able to sell your property in the
future. If you feel the need for reassurance then call a private
engineering firm to do an evaluation.



Good Luck

"Norminn" wrote in message
...


toller wrote:
I have had two like that because buried over tree trunks have decayed
out.
I packed dirt in, and expect to have to do it again in a couple years.

Naturally your problem could be entirely different, but it might be the
same.



I once found a hidden hole in yard, most likely from a stump that rotted
away. Our property was filled by landfill about 40 years ago
(waterfront in Florida). We also had erosion problems along the seawall
that created tunnels beneath the sod, which could have been a hazard if
someone walked on one and it collapsed.

Your city building department or insurance company may be interested in
taking a look.

One oddity I noticed during our seawall repairs was an area of clay
soil. I've seen "clumps" of it that hang together along the beach where
most of the soil is sand. When some new erosion problems appeared, the
contractor tested drainage by running water onto the clay area, and the
water drained laterally and out through the seawall about 20' away.
Apparently the top of the clay was too compact and sloped toward the
seawall, so the water drained off more rapidly than it could drain
through the clay. This link is to an article that illustrates sinkholes
rather nicely:
http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/fs/fs11.html

I lived in a neighborhood in Florida with major sinkhole disasters.
Good time to find out whether your insurance covers them. 100 year old
house? I'd be inclined not to panic.

Be very careful about whom you call for assistance and by all means DO NOT
call your insurance Co. You may call your insurance co. when the house
falls in the hole. grin Take the advice of the previous posters and fill
in the hole and see what happens in a few months. Remember if you make this
a matter of public record you may not be able to sell your property in the
future. If you feel the need for reassurance then call a private
engineering firm to do an evaluation.



Good Luck

"Norminn" wrote in message
...


toller wrote:
I have had two like that because buried over tree trunks have decayed
out.
I packed dirt in, and expect to have to do it again in a couple years.

Naturally your problem could be entirely different, but it might be the
same.



I once found a hidden hole in yard, most likely from a stump that rotted
away. Our property was filled by landfill about 40 years ago
(waterfront in Florida). We also had erosion problems along the seawall
that created tunnels beneath the sod, which could have been a hazard if
someone walked on one and it collapsed.

Your city building department or insurance company may be interested in
taking a look.

One oddity I noticed during our seawall repairs was an area of clay
soil. I've seen "clumps" of it that hang together along the beach where
most of the soil is sand. When some new erosion problems appeared, the
contractor tested drainage by running water onto the clay area, and the
water drained laterally and out through the seawall about 20' away.
Apparently the top of the clay was too compact and sloped toward the
seawall, so the water drained off more rapidly than it could drain
through the clay. This link is to an article that illustrates sinkholes
rather nicely:
http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/fs/fs11.html

I lived in a neighborhood in Florida with major sinkhole disasters.
Good time to find out whether your insurance covers them. 100 year old
house? I'd be inclined not to panic.

Betsy screqamed out on the emergency channel:
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.
snip
EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

It is probably (but not necessarily) the location of an old tree stump that
has now rotted away. Fill it in. Don't worry about it unless it
re-appears.

Austin

"Betsy" -0 wrote in message
...
snip
The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

Since your house is 100 years old why not contact your county Historical
Society to see what was on your property 100 years ago. Could be you have
an old drainage pipe or culvert or ancient sewer line long since been
abandoned that is still carrying water during high rain levels. Your
library might be of some help in finding old pictures or old town/city maps
of the area then. Or the county court house records. Even could be an old
creek that has long since dried up, filled in or could have been the city
dump.at what was the outskirts of town 100 years ago. If there was mining
of some sort in the area that would be of concern..

Wil

"JenTra" wrote in message
.com...
Be very careful about whom you call for assistance and by all means DO NOT
call your insurance Co. You may call your insurance co. when the house
falls in the hole. grin Take the advice of the previous posters and fill
in the hole and see what happens in a few months. Remember if you make
this
a matter of public record you may not be able to sell your property in the
future. If you feel the need for reassurance then call a private
engineering firm to do an evaluation.

Glad you said dont call the insurance company. I did that once when a
basement wall had to be replaced. They wanted to re-inspect the house to
make sure it was still up to their standards. I had to submit pictures of
the work and get my houme owners insurance approved all over again.

wil

Wil wrote:
Glad you said dont call the insurance company. I did that once when
a
basement wall had to be replaced. They wanted to re-inspect the house
to
make sure it was still up to their standards. I had to submit
pictures of
the work and get my houme owners insurance approved all over again.

Yes. Even if you're calling to ask a question about coverage, that
contact is recorded, and can count against you when it comes time for
the policy to be renewed. (Why would you be asking, if you didn't
perceive a possible risk of loss, is the justification.)

If you have questions about your coverage, read your policy. If you
don't understand what it says, consult someone other than your insurance
agent or anyone else with the insurance company.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Books for the Pacific Northwest gardener:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/nwgardener/index.html

"Betsy" -0 wrote in message ...
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

Don't panic! This is a very common occurence when tree trunks are
covered over and eventually decay. I step in them all the time. A
true sink hole is almost always much larger than the one you describe
(10+ ft diameter).

Bob S.

"Betsy" -0 wrote in message
...
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!



Is it possible there could have been a septic tank or dry well near there ?
Old metal tanks rot thru and dirt will wash down in them. Even if you have
community sewer system now there could have been a septic system years back
consider the age you noted. If so, it's just a case of filling it in or for
particular folks, digging it out and then refilling. Ten feet from a
foundation is not an unusual place for a septic tank - and the pillar / post
could have been added later.

Wil wrote:
Glad you said dont call the insurance company. I did that once when
a
basement wall had to be replaced. They wanted to re-inspect the house
to
make sure it was still up to their standards. I had to submit
pictures of
the work and get my houme owners insurance approved all over again.

Yes. Even if you're calling to ask a question about coverage, that
contact is recorded, and can count against you when it comes time for
the policy to be renewed. (Why would you be asking, if you didn't
perceive a possible risk of loss, is the justification.)

If you have questions about your coverage, read your policy. If you
don't understand what it says, consult someone other than your insurance
agent or anyone else with the insurance company.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Books for the Pacific Northwest gardener:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/nwgardener/index.html

"Warren" wrote in message
newsTuNc.197098$Oq2.70620@attbi_s52...
Wil wrote:
Glad you said dont call the insurance company. I did
that once when
a
basement wall had to be replaced. They wanted to
re-inspect the house
to
make sure it was still up to their standards. I had to
submit
pictures of
the work and get my houme owners insurance approved all
over again.

Yes. Even if you're calling to ask a question about
coverage, that
contact is recorded, and can count against you when it
comes time for
the policy to be renewed. (Why would you be asking, if you
didn't
perceive a possible risk of loss, is the justification.)

If you have questions about your coverage, read your
policy. If you
don't understand what it says, consult someone other than
your insurance
agent or anyone else with the insurance company.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug: Books for the Pacific Northwest
gardener:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/nwgardener/index.html




I"ve never had a problem talking to my insuran ce company
and not identifying myself but having my policy in front of
me. The last time I did that was when I was checking on my
auto and home ins about foster chiled impacts. AFTER I'd
found out it was OK, I wrote letters and made it official.
Never had a problem with that or other such dealings in CA,
Il, and now NY.

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