Sinkholes In Safety Harbor? Officials, Experts Weigh In

A good portion of the Tampa Bay area has been on high alert for sinkholes the past couple weeks, and with good reason. 

Following a rash of recent incidents, from the tragic situation in Seffner to subsequent reports in Palm Harbor and Largo, Gulf Coast residents can be forgiven for falling victim to a hurricane-like hysteria over the issue.

So are sinkholes a problem in Safety Harbor? According to the sinkhole website Sinkhole Damage Blog.com: 

“Specifically, there are areas in Florida where sinkholes are especially prevalent. Areas such as Spring Hill, Safety Harbor, and Port Richey are prone to sinkholes.” 

With that in mind, Patch did a little digging on the subject, and we found that although there are incidents reported, many turn out to be false sinkhole alarms. 

“We get maybe two to three calls per year from people who think they have a sinkhole problem at their home,” city building official Danny Sandlin said. 

“But the majority of what’s going on in Safety Harbor is soil, not sinkhole, related.” 

Jamie Wester, owner of Champion Foundation Repair, concurred with Sandlin.

“We do not get called out to Safety Harbor as much as other areas,” she wrote via email.  “I have reviewed my records of Safety Harbor and we have only repaired six sinkhole properties in the area and bid an additional four last year.” 

While sinkholes may not be a major issue in the Harbor, experts say related conditions can still cause damage to homes and yards.

When is a Sinkhole Not a Sinkhole?

Sandlin, who has been with the city for 21 years, explained that the clay in the underlying soil beneath homes goes through constant shrinking and swelling, which causes cracks and instability in the soil. 

That instability often leads to foundation problems, which in turn can be mistaken for sinkholes by worried homeowners. 

“We have a different type of clay in the soil here than other places — it swells up during the rainy season and then shrinks in the dry season, causing cracks,” Sandlin said.

“Sinkholes are caused when the water table drops and then the soil drops, causing a pocket. Over a period of time that pocket grows, whereas the clay soil swells and shrinks constantly.” 

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Sandlin cautioned the damage from soil swelling could be just as problematic as that of sinkholes.

But it probably won’t swallow your entire house, especially if treated promptly.

“There could be many reasons why there is swelling in your yard, from broken sewer and water lines to an old tree stump or septic tank rotting away,” he said. 

“In fact a woman called the other day and said her Florida room had dropped two inches, and she assumed it was a sinkhole. Turned out her pool line had broken along her foundation.” 

With any kind of settlement situation, Sandlin said he always urges the homeowner to promptly contact their insurance company.

“My advice is to contact your insurance company immediately and have them send someone over. Don’t panic, and don’t put off getting it checked out.”

Think You Have a Sinkhole? Here’s Some Advice From an Expert

We contacted a company that advertises sinkhole repair in the Safety Harbor area to find out what homeowners can do to prevent, or spot, possible damage. 

Brent Ferguson of All Coast Foundation Systems said he has worked on homes in the city over the years, and he offered some advice for Safety Harbor homeowners. 

“Look for depressions, low spots or hollow points in your yard and separations or cracks inside the home,” he said.

“A simple way to test for a sinkhole is to take a probing rod and just walk your yard searching for weak spots.” 

Ferguson also said that even when damage from sinkholes or soil erosion is found, it doesn't mean the home needs to be abandoned.

"I'm living in a sinkhole home I purchased a few months ago, and the damage was some of the worst I've ever seen," he said.

“The majority of times when we find sinkhole damage, the home can be repaired normally. What happened in Seffner was a 1 in 1000 occurrence, fortunately."

Harborites, have you had sinkhole or settlement issues with your home? If so, we'd like to hear about it. Please share your experience in the comments below.