Sudden rip in liner (PHOTO). Need suggestions

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brian4110

brian4110

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May 7, 2013
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Pennsylvania
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!

liner1.jpg
liner2.jpg
 
Hi Brian, I can relate. Just replaced our 14 year old liner last year.

You might look around and see if there is any pieces of liner hidden away somewhere. We had a section of liner left with ours and you could match up pattern and trim and glue it in place. That's where most of your tears will appear, at the waterline from years of exposure.

The downside is the patch will look a lot newer than the liner, so it will stand out but, at least your not loosing water.

Also, I don't know if they make clear plastic patches that big (like the kind you repair floats with) but that would be an option. Hope that helps
 
That's no tear, you have a cracked tile! haha

I hear ya, the home I'm about to move into needs a new liner too but it's already failed
and has to be replaced immediately.

If I were you though I would patch it best you can and ask guests to keep the
water chop to a minimum. (no cannon balls, aggressive swimming)
 
Thanks for the tips/reply. I've been in the house 3 years so I'm pretty sure there are no pieces to the liner left around. I don't care a whole lot to preserve aesthetics here...I just want to make it through this season if at all possible.

I've never had to patch the liner before, but is this a typical rip? Is this something a pool company could come out and patch up, at least so that it doesn't rip any further down below the water line?
 
SO...sounds like maybe I should attempt to patch myself and hope for the best? Anybody got a product they'd recommend for patching this type of hole? Is there a difference between patching holes above or below water line? This is a giant hole...a rip really.
 
In that first picture it look like a bit of a tear/crack is below water line.

I don't have any experience with IGP's but it can't be good to have water going behind the liner? If it were me I'd try some kind of patch myself.

Good luck, keep an eye on it.

Dom
 
How big is this tear? I would patch it with something. Don't want the tear to grow in size.

Since you are not too concerned with aesthetics and intend to replace the liner anyways why not patch it with some vinyl from a pool store?
What I mean is go to your local pool store or bulider and tell them you are thinking of replacing your liner. (which you are)
Ask for some sample pieces to bring home to show your family. They should have several pieces to give you.
Some stores even have left over vinyl from other installs just for making patches. Just ask them.
Use some HH-88 vinyl cement and you should be good to go.
 
10 inches I'd estimate left to right. 6 inches top to bottom. It's not quite ripped to the water line. I'm hoping it doesn't rip more until I can patch. I won't be able to attempt a patch until tomorrow, but nobody will be in the pool until then.
 
IMO I would go ahead and replace the liner. I would be worried that if the liner is already that brittle you will get more tears before the winter is over. It would cost you a whole lot more in repairs if the liner rips before next year and your water table is high and pool floats or causes costly repairs.
 

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dakhath has a good idea. They may even have something that closely matches it. and your being honest with them, you are going to replace the liner. I'm not sure what it's called, but they make a "wet" adhesive for repairing liners above and below the water line. It works under water. I know you can buy a 4 0z can, but you may need more. That would buy you sometime to fix a/c and save for liner replacement;)

- - - Updated - - -

Also when they replace liner, they will (should) smooth out and patch any low or uneven spots in your base material before installing new liner
 
Thanks. I can't make it out to the pool store for at least a few days so I went ahead and ordered a do-it-yourself repair kit from Amazon for delivery tomorrow. My main concern is to keep the rip to it's current size so I can make it through the swim season and then replace the liner in the early fall. I presume a liner needs to be replaced before the weather gets too cold?
 
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