Sinkholes

[delima2000]

I'm just wondering who to call if you think that there is a beginning of a sinkhole. I may just be paranoid but the field behind us has a whole that looks like it is getting bigger. The field is not owned by the villages as far as I know. I didn't notice it before but after the field was mowed you can tell it is there and getting bigger. Just want to know for a piece of mind. Thanks:22yikes:

[delima2000]

Oops darn spell check. I mean hole.

[champion6]

Simple... call the owner of the field behind you.

[delima2000]

How do I find out who the owner is? Do I call lady lake city hall?

[janmcn]

Call the Lady Lake non-emergency number. The police can either check it out or tell you who to call.

[delima2000]

Will do,thanks. I know nothing about sinkholes but this is bothering me . I could be wrong but with all of the rain the hole looks like it is getting deeper.

[janmcn]

As I recall from another thread, that field is owned by some company located in Connecticut. It probably would not be easy tracking down the owner quickly. Call the Lady Lake non-emergency number and tell them the situation.

[BobnBev]

Please keep us posted.

[janmcn]

Anything new on the depression in the field behind you this morning? Did the police come by and check it out?

[delima2000]

Nothing new yet. We are going to watch it today and then tomorrow I will call to find out.unless something happens today.

[graciegirl]

Nothing new yet. We are going to watch it today and then tomorrow I will call to find out.unless something happens today.

From what I have seen around here...sinkholes aren't gradual. They sink...plop.

[bkcunningham1]

This: Sinkhole Information - Water Quality Services - Environmental Utilities (http://www.lakecountyfl.gov/departments/public_works/engineering/sinkhole.aspx) and this: Frequently Asked Questions on Sinkhole Information - Water Quality Services - Environmental Utilities (http://www.lakecountyfl.gov/departments/public_works/engineering/faq_on_sinkholes.aspx) is informational about sinkholes. If you suspect you have a sinkhole in Lake County, call Emergency Management. In Lake County the Emergency Management number is 352.343.9420.

[delima2000]

My husband thinks I'm a little paranoid and that the depression has always been there but with this last mowing of the field it does look,bigger. My cousins boyfriend works with sinkholes in Clearwater and I'm getting in touch with him to come over and check this out. Thanks for the info.

[CaptJohn]

The article mentions Lake County.

Condos collapse into sinkhole near Disney World (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/12/sinkhole-causes-resort-villa-to-partially-collapse/2641949/)

[delima2000]

Up date. Just got back for the lady lake town hall and this is what I found out. They gave me the plotting of the field behind me and the villages own a small piece and the rest is plotted out to other people. According to the map she gave me our depression is on the road leading into the property. The road runs along the back side of our property and intersects with another road going away from our property. She said we need to call lake county to ask about the depression and what it is. Then she asked if we had sinkhole coverage and I said yes and her reply was well then don't worry you're all set. Now I know what to do if we see it growing bigger.

[janmcn]

Up date. Just got back for the lady lake town hall and this is what I found out. They gave me the plotting of the field behind me and the villages own a small piece and the rest is plotted out to other people. According to the map she gave me our depression is on the road leading into the property. The road runs along the back side of our property and intersects with another road going away from our property. She said we need to call lake county to ask about the depression and what it is. Then she asked if we had sinkhole coverage and I said yes and her reply was well then don't worry you're all set. Now I know what to do if we see it growing bigger.


How far is the depression from your house? Do you see any cracks around your foundation or patio area? Do you have any problems opening or closing and doors or windows?

Did your cousin's boyfriend have a look at the hole yesterday? If so, any comments?

[delima2000]

It's about 8 to 10 feet away from the back of my house. No cracks on the foundation and windows and doors work fine. No he didn't . He works for a company that gets called when a sinkhole might be a problem and then survey it. Since it is not on my property I don't want to pay for the survey or have my insurance pay for it. The owner of the property should pay and since it was supposed to be a road into the property I guess it is lake county that makes the determination. Like I said before i could be making this more than what it seems. I will be calling lake county to see if they can determine if I'm paranoid or not.

[Advogado]

From what I have seen around here...sinkholes aren't gradual. They sink...plop.

The difference is that the big sink holes that sink plop and destroy your house all at once are covered by the "catastrophic-ground-collapse" provision that is required to be included in all homeowners' policies. But, you may or may not have coverage for the gradually developing sinkhole that slowly chews up your house (covered by the optional "sinkhole" coverage-- that many insurance companies are discontinuing and which you may not be able to obtain).

[janmcn]

It's about 8 to 10 feet away from the back of my house. No cracks on the foundation and windows and doors work fine. No he didn't . He works for a company that gets called when a sinkhole might be a problem and then survey it. Since it is not on my property I don't want to pay for the survey or have my insurance pay for it. The owner of the property should pay and since it was supposed to be a road into the property I guess it is lake county that makes the determination. Like I said before i could be making this more than what it seems. I will be calling lake county to see if they can determine if I'm paranoid or not.


Definitely call that Lake County number to report sinkholes and have them come take a look at it. Don't be afraid of being paranoid, especially after the sinkhole that developed last night in Clermont. Better safe than sorry.

[Ron1Z]

They just showed the one in Orlando/Clearmount on TV. Wow

[Ron1Z]

The difference is that the big sink holes that sink plop and destroy your house all at once are covered by the "catastrophic-ground-collapse" provision that is required to be included in all homeowners' policies. But, you may or may not have coverage for the gradually developing sinkhole that slowly chews up your house (covered by the optional "sinkhole" coverage-- that many insurance companies are discontinuing and which you may not be able to obtain).

Do the insurance companies know something we don't. Why are they discontinuing coverage? Who determines catastrophic ?

[Villageshooter]

As I recall from another thread, that field is owned by some company located in Connecticut. It probably would not be easy tracking down the owner quickly. Call the Lady Lake non-emergency number and tell them the situation.
If you trace that owner back I'll bet it belongs to our old buddy Morris. Or at least a subsidiary of the company owns!

[delima2000]

The city gave me the names of the three different plots that are in back of our house and one isn't Morris and no one from Connecticut. one is the villages, one owner lives in new york and the other owner is from leesburg.It is all subdivided into plots with a couple of roads shown. I'm going to call the lake county number that she gave me tomorrow to see if they can come out to give me a piece of mind.

[Advogado]

Do the insurance companies know something we don't. Why are they discontinuing coverage? Who determines catastrophic ?

If you look at the language in your insurance policy, you will see the definitions. I suppose, as you indicate, that certain situations will be in a somewhat unclear.

[Duvalboomer]

Do the insurance companies know something we don't. Why are they discontinuing coverage? Who determines catastrophic ?

First, the state law dealing with insurance has the definition of catastrophic ground collapse. Insurance companies are in business to make money / profit for their shareholders not to pay out claims to policy holders. The way they make a profit is by insuring risk, if the risk gets too high they don't provide insurance. There was a lot of fraud and or dubious claims around sinkhole claims in the last 5 or so years so insurance companies were threatening to refuse to provide home insurance in Florida so the state legislature changed the law. If you don't like the current law write your state rep and senator, become pro-active

[kagney123]

From what I have seen around here...sinkholes aren't gradual. They sink...plop.

They sink...plop

Kinda like how I sit down LoL

[DDoug]

Least you people could do is get the last name right. And why do people rag so bad on the Morse family. If you live here you came on your own accord. They and in the business to make money so what's the problem. Sorry I feel better now.

[delima2000]

No one is ragging on the morse family. I just had a simple question and I now know the answer about who owns the field behind me and who is responsible for seeing if there is going to be a sinkhole problem. Wouldn't you like to know before your house goes plop? The depression is not a beginning of a sinkhole. It is just a depression that I thought looked bigger than what it was when we moved here. The mowers just mowed differently and it looked bigger. Have a lot of gopher turtles back there making tunnels. A friend checked it out.

[janmcn]

No one is ragging on the morse family. I just had a simple question and I now know the answer about who owns the field behind me and who is responsible for seeing if there is going to be a sinkhole problem. Wouldn't you like to know before your house goes plop? The depression is not a beginning of a sinkhole. It is just a depression that I thought looked bigger than what it was when we moved here. The mowers just mowed differently and it looked bigger. Have a lot of gopher turtles back there making tunnels. A friend checked it out.


Good news. You can't be too careful these days.

[delima2000]

I just want to thank all of the wonderful info that the people from totv has given me on all of my posts and to thank you for not thinking I was a paranoid old lady. And to also thank the Morse family for making this a wonderful place for my husband and I to enjoy our golden years. I have kept all of the info and phone numbers just in case there is a sinkhole problem in the future.