Water behind my vinyl liner

[Jabski]

Hi and thank you for this site.

I have a 22,000 gal vinyl liner pool with a main drain and one skimmer with two return jets. There are some holes in the liner at the top of the pool which seem to have gotten a whole lot of water behind it.

Should I lower the water in the pool to below the holes and then suck out the water with a pump to my lawn?

Then should I patch up all the holes with vinyl liner repair kits and then fill to the middle of the skimmer.

The liner is from 2001 and has been cared for semi ok from what I have heard from neighbors.

Thank You everyone.

 

[DWSPool]

I'm not a pool care specialist, but I have a pool very similar to yours and we have dealt with vinyl liner leaks also.

This is how I see it: since your leaks are at the upper part of the pool liner, I wouldn't lower the pool level; the reduced pressure on the inside will cause the liner to bulge out even more from the water pressure on the outside, and/or allow the outside water to make its way lower down. If possible, pull out the liner from the decking just a little bit above where the leak is - then insert a hose behind the liner and pump out the water to your lawn. Once the water behind the liner is gone, you can then pump the inside water level down below the leaks, patch, and fill back up again, or, avoid pumping down the inside and simply patch underwater. Though it is much easier to patch above water, we have patched 4 feet below water with success and you save water also.

Some pool care specialists on this forum may have other (and better ) ideas....

 

[DWSPool]

I assume your pool is an in-ground pool - and, I forgot to ask: how large are your leaks and how would you describe the volume of water behind the liner - is it limited to the uppermost wall of the liner - in other words, only bulging out at the top ? Any pictures?