- Ground cracks and fissures are a real concern for any homeowner. No one wants to purchase their dream home and have one of these open up on your property or anywhere near your home! There areas that are prone to have this problem.
- "Earth fissures of south-central Arizona are pervasive ground cracks measuring up to a mile or more in length, and up to 15 feet wide and 40 feet deep." (according to the Arizona Geological's Survey Site)
- The Arizona Geological Survey's site at http://azmap.org/fissures is a very good resource for viewing the maps of the areas of concern so that you can make an informed decision while looking for homes that could possibly be near any of the problem areas.
What are earth fissures and what causes them? -To get a good explanation I would recommend you go to http://azgs.az.gov/EFC.shtml for an in depth explanation. What I can tell you is that they are frequently near the base of mountains (but not all of them) and water runoff/drainage areas, and are caused by too much ground water causing a collapse of the ground above.
This does not mean you cannot buy homes near mountains, but what it does mean is that you should do your homework and make sure you have informed yourselves of the areas of concern by checking with the experts!
Comments(2)