When I went out to the morning check on the pool today, to my horror I saw a large rip/gash/puncture in the vinyl liner and I need some advice.
I've known for awhile that I was running out of time with the liner so this isn't a complete surprise. Some background...the pool was built in 2002 and I suspect the liner is original. I purchased the house in 2012, so this is my 3rd summer with the pool (and 3rd summer of the TFP method.) Unfortunately, the previous owner contracted out maintenance of the pool to a local pool company, which from what I can gather consisted of them coming out once a week to dump the strainers, vacuum, and "shock" the pool, then float tabs to maintain chlorine until they showed up the following weekend. Hey...at least it wasn't a baquacil pool. Unfortunately, this method, combined with the age of the liner, left it faded and brittle.
Fast forward to today and I find the hole shown in the photo. The good news (if there is any) is that the hole is entirely above the water line for now. That won't be the case if it rips any further. So...based on the picture, if this were your pool, what would you do? I KNOW that replacing the liner is in my future. But must it be done now? I live in Pittsburgh and this summer has been awful for swimming...I'd hate to lose what is left of the swim season when we have had so few opportunities so far to swim. Do you think this can be patched temporarily to get through August at least and then replace the liner in the Fall? What's the worst that can happen if I leave it 'as-is' and just swim until the end of the season? Assuming I don't need to replace TODAY, then what is the best time to replace the liner?
Lastly, does anybody have a good company in Pittsburgh to replace the liner?
So many questions...any advice (or just sympathy!) is appreciated. My air conditioner just conked out last week. Now this. When it rains it pours!
I've known for awhile that I was running out of time with the liner so this isn't a complete surprise. Some background...the pool was built in 2002 and I suspect the liner is original. I purchased the house in 2012, so this is my 3rd summer with the pool (and 3rd summer of the TFP method.) Unfortunately, the previous owner contracted out maintenance of the pool to a local pool company, which from what I can gather consisted of them coming out once a week to dump the strainers, vacuum, and "shock" the pool, then float tabs to maintain chlorine until they showed up the following weekend. Hey...at least it wasn't a baquacil pool. Unfortunately, this method, combined with the age of the liner, left it faded and brittle.
Fast forward to today and I find the hole shown in the photo. The good news (if there is any) is that the hole is entirely above the water line for now. That won't be the case if it rips any further. So...based on the picture, if this were your pool, what would you do? I KNOW that replacing the liner is in my future. But must it be done now? I live in Pittsburgh and this summer has been awful for swimming...I'd hate to lose what is left of the swim season when we have had so few opportunities so far to swim. Do you think this can be patched temporarily to get through August at least and then replace the liner in the Fall? What's the worst that can happen if I leave it 'as-is' and just swim until the end of the season? Assuming I don't need to replace TODAY, then what is the best time to replace the liner?
Lastly, does anybody have a good company in Pittsburgh to replace the liner?
So many questions...any advice (or just sympathy!) is appreciated. My air conditioner just conked out last week. Now this. When it rains it pours!