Vinyl Pools

[dubele]

Hello,

In my consideration of installing a new pool, I decided to look into Vinyl Pools. I originally disqualified them, but I saw one last week and talked to a PE and he mentioned he had one and liked it.

I guess the thing I like about them is that they are supposed to be less money for a given size, the liner replacement is relatively cheap as compared to resurfacing concrete or re-coating fiberglass, and it seems the cheapest to demolish if I need to for whatever reason (ie: I decide to move and the pool is luring potential buyers away.)

I'd love to hear from people who have had vinyl liner pools for many years and give their experience. How is the liner holding up? Are the vinyl tiles fading terribly? Do you have issues with wrinkles? Is your property wet (mine is and I am considered with water getting underneath)? If there is anything else, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks,
Doug

 

[Isaac-1]

Vinyl pools have advantages and disadvantages, my pool is over 30 years old now and I have lost track of how many liners it has been through (about 5 or 6), care and quality of liner are the two main factors that effect vinyl liner life, my current liner is just now starting to show some age related wear, it is a premium grade liner and is about 9 years old. Some of the cheaper ones in the past have lasted as little as 3 years before the seams started splitting. The key to maximizing liner life though is through proper addition of chemicals and maintaining proper chlorine levels, many liners are ruined by broadcasting dry chemicals into the water allowing them to settle on the bottom (this is the method listed on many pool chemical packages, and worked ok 50 years ago before vinyl and fiber glass pools), the same goes for the common industry practice of one time "shocking" at VERY high chlorine levels (nuking) as opposed to the practice we teach here which involves frequent testing and addition of more chlorine when needed. On your concern about wrinkles generally they only become a problem if you drain your water level down too low, which can often be avoided.

Ike

p.s. there are still some issues in the construction vinyl pool, types of walls, floors, etc.

 

[dubele]

Thanks Isaac-1. Do you regret purchasing a vinyl liner? Wow....that is a lot of liners to go through. I was expecting them to last a good 15 years and this was the main attraction because I believe they are only about $2,500 to replace.

The company I am looking into has been installing vinyl liner pools for decades. He says he uses 27 mil thick liners and I could get thicker if I wish. Like I mentioned, I talked to a guy yesterday who has one and he is very happy with his. I believe he said it was 8 years old with the original liner. He bought one because neighbors have one and they have had success. This builder uses a salt generator.....so maybe that is the why they have been so lucky.

I am currently swimming with "too much information" and I am dealing with many builders who specialize in vinyl, concrete, and fiberglass. I honestly don't know which way to go! LOL! Maybe I'll just go to walmart and get a blow up.

Thanks again,
Doug

 

[Isaac-1]

Replacement point for vinyl liners is often much like deciding the replacement point for a used car, sometimes it is undeniable and sometimes it is a matter of personal opinion. My current liner is a 27 mil and is still going strong, but does not look brand new anymore, based on previous liners and those I have seen in other pools, anything over about 10 years and you should consider yourself lucky, a 15 year old liner may still hold water, but is likely close to the point of failure, will be really showing its age. As to would I choose vinyl again, I don't know, but part of that is the grass is always greener, I know I would be tempted by a pool with a pebble tec finish, maybe even a free form gunite in general. One nice thing about vinyl liner pools is they are not as rough on your skin as plaster can be, particularly when it has aged.

 

[dubele]

Mind if I ask what you have payed for when you get a new liner....liner, water, labor, etc.?

 

[Isaac-1]

I think the last one was around $3,000 installed, but that was 8 or 9 years ago, and as you know prices just seem to keep going up on everything, water is on a well (good water no iron, low CH, etc. thankfully). So even if I had to change it out now, the cost would still work out under a dollar per day, I wish all pool expenses were that cheap.

Ike

 

[dubele]

Ouch....I'm sure in today's prices we are around 4,000. Hmmm....may just run through the sprinkler to cool off. Concrete now seems cheaper in the long run....but who really knows.