How to fill holes near a foundation

[Betty]

Can you please tell me what is the best product to use to fill a hole, approximate size 3-by-2 feet?

It was caused by the downspout.

Experiencing much rain.

[home improvement guy]

I'm not clear on your question. Is the hole 2 feet deep by 3 feet wide or vise versa? It would be difficult for a downspout without a diverter to form a 2- to 3-foot deep hole.

When I find a large hole in the soils near a foundation, I suspect there may be a buried pipe that has come loose or has cracked open and is carrying the soils away from the area.

Buried drains for the downspouts, water supply pipes, sewer pipes or foundation drains can cause major erosion of the soils at the surface of the yard. First determine what, if anything other than the gutter drain has caused the erosion. Using a metal probe you may be able to locate a buried pipe that is near the surface of the yard.

If the pipe is deeper, such as a sewer or a foundation drain, a plumber can use a camera to "scope" the pipes to see if there is any damage near the eroded area.

Can't afford a plumber? Digging a hole by hand would be the next step in locating a buried pipe. Even if a plumber finds a damaged pipe or you discover a pipe using a probe, the area will need to be excavated to make repairs.

If you believe the hole was caused by the downspout only, you can fill the hole with soils similar to that found in your area. Use a dry dense soil that contains a significant amount of compatible clay.

If the hole reappears, then you know you have to excavate the area to locate the cause of the problem.