In the state of Florida there are 3 types of sinkholes that are common in our area. They are Dissolution, Cover-Subsidence, and Cover-collapse sinkholes. All of these types can cause damage that requires foundation repair.

Dissolution is the ultimate cause of all sinkholes. Sinkholes do not have to be one category or the other; many are often a combination of any of the three categories and may form in several phases.
Dissolution happens when rain water falls and saturates the ground. The water causes voids to develop in pre-existing openings in the ground, such as, along joints, fractures, and bedding planes causing a small depression to form gradually over time. This downward erosion flows into a pre-existing cavity below.

Cover Subsidence forms gradually overtime. Underneath all our structures lies water deep below the surface or empty spaces. They are caused by water which once flowed there or roots from plant materials which grew above ground and are now dead. Rain water or surface water flows into the underlying ground and settles into these vacated spaces. Overtime the small downward erosion forms small surface depressions. Gradually more water will continue to accumulate and fill the void below. This may go undetected for long periods of time due to the fact that it happens so slowly. Small cracks in your properties structure form and you may think nothing of it. Overtime these cracks my get bigger and you may begin to wonder if they were always so large. Until one day, you notice other parts of the structure cracking or sloping and you realize this is not ordinary settling.

Cover-Collapse sinkholes develop quickly over a period of hours and can cause major damage. These are the types of sinkholes which make the news. These usually happen where the ground has a large amount of clay. Water flows underground and fills a cavity. As it continues the ground forms a structural arch. The cavity moves upward by progressive roof collapse. Then the cavity breaks through to the surface and creates sudden, dramatic sinkholes.  These types of sinkholes have been known to swallow homes, swimming pools, buildings, roadways, and bridges.