Sometimes, you might have wished that the earth would just open up and swallow you. However, as embarrassed as you have been in your life, you probably never wanted the same to happen to your house. For increasing numbers of people, this nightmare scenario is becoming increasingly common. Subsidence, as the phenomenon of house shrinkage and movement is known, is a larger problem in parts of the UAE than it has been for years.
Subsidence – What is it?
Subsidence is a technical name for a broad swathe of concepts. It refers largely to the idea of the earth moving beneath and around a house, and the damage this can do to buildings. Soil is made up of numerous different substances. The weather affects these in different ways. How they move as a result of different weather phenomena causes the different effects of subsidence.
Why is it happening?
Subsidence is a bigger problem in the UAE this year than it has been for a long time. This is due largely to the unusually dry weather. Soils which contain a lot of clay can shrink as much as 20% in dry weather. If there are large trees nearby, then the lack of water can cause their roots to suck up more water from further away. This means that the soil beneath a house can sink and cause damage to buildings.
What are the options?
Subsidence Insurance protects you against the costs incurred from house movement. It allows you to insure yourself against the potential damage subsidence may do to your property. Insurance claims for subsidence are the highest this year that they have been for a decade. However, new technology ensures that the price of insuring against subsidence will not necessarily rise. A new map of predicted subsidence worked on by the university of Cranfield means that Insurers will find it easier to tell if subsidence is likely to happen or not. This could correct for freak weather events or unusual patterns.