Help, liner repair advice needed

[wireform]

Went to check on a pool today which we decided to leave uncovered for the winter. Not sure I'd do that again because when you'd think you've eliminated every last leaf somehow a good bit is back in the pool when the fall had passed by a good bit. The water is looking greenish but I'm not too concerned about it except I'd want to be up and running mid may to have an easier slam before the water hits 60°. As you can see in the pictures a liner tear up at the bead level developed, well above mid skimmer and I have a pool cover pump on the second step keeping the water well below. Liner is about 6 years old with no other problems. What would be the best way to save this and repair it to get by another full season or two.

 

[ajw22]

I think the best you can do is put two or three layers of patch over it. Each patch larger then the one below it. And hope the patches keep the hole from expanding.

It will not look good but it should keep water from getting behind the liner.

The patches may give you another season or not. It is worth a try.

I would get the pool measured for a new liner and know where you will get it from so if the patch does not work you can move quickly to replace it.

Liner Replacement - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[JamesW]

Looks like maybe a burn from the reflection of the sun from low-e windows.

Try a big patch.

Investigate if the sunlight is getting focused on the liner.

 

[JamesW]

My pool is burning

My pool is about to go up in smoke, literally! Last week I noticed my pool cover was burned. I assumed it was from the leaf embers that might have blown over. Fast forward a few days and I can see it getting worse. Today the wife calls me out and says the pool is smoking! Sure enough we get...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[JamesW]

It looks like there is a second damaged spot down past the skimmer?

Ask if the people have low-e windows.

If they have an outside camera that points at the pool, ask them to see if the sun is hitting any spots on the liner with high focus.

 

[wireform]

Any windows are behind that wall and nowhere remotely close to anything else. That wall faces trees but wait there's a neighbors house behind the trees so maybe. Need to take a look. I have the file with all dimensions from this liner so we have what it takes for a new order.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I was going to say that the tear looks suspiciously like a melted/burn spot ….

 

[wireform]

It looks like there is a second damaged spot down past the skimmer?

What you're seeing there is the bead rail popped out because the screw holding it in place rusted off behind the liner, I'll need to put another screw in there before I let the water back up to level. This is an old pool that they threw lots of cash at with constant water loss due to cracks all over the place. From what I remember its a concrete floor with fiberglass walls. When I took this one over it was with the condition to drop a liner in it and call it done. Has been good for the last six years.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I know nothing about vinyl pool patches but can you get something behind that hole, like a piece of foam or something stiff to act as a backer board so that you can press the plat h from the front onto something stiff? Or put a patch on the back and front?

 

[wireform]

I was going to say that the tear looks suspiciously like a melted/burn spot ….

Can't disagree with you but as I said this is the first year let uncovered with the water kept low so maybe a reflection off the water did that.

 

[wireform]

I know nothing about vinyl pool patches but can you get something behind that hole, like a piece of foam or something stiff to act as a backer board so that you can press the plat h from the front onto something stiff? Or put a patch on the back and front?

Being so close to the bead and probably fragile I'm a bit nervous pulling it out.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Can't disagree with you but as I said this is the first year let uncovered with the water kept low so maybe a reflection off the water did that.

Perhaps some piece of ice grew there that acted as a lens . Ice has enough of a refractive index to act like a lens and it can reflect light as well.

 

[JamesW]

If you make a 3 D digital model with the position of the windows relative to the sun’s path and the pool, you can determine if the light from the window would be reflected onto that spot.

You can measure the concavity or concaveness of the window and calculate a focal point.

 

[wireform]

Update:
Liner tore a good 18inch in another spot in the water line area and that sort of was the clincher for a new liner. Looked into the liner purchased almost 5 years back only to realize it's 3 months still left on the warranty. Long story short with lots of back and forth but TARA LINERS came through and delivered a new 27/27 liner of choice. The rest is history.

 

[JamesW]

Were you able to rule out reflection?

If not, this can possibly happen again.

 

[wireform]

Unless the trees reflect there isn't a remote chance it is coming off a window anywhere. Now the sun and ice glare maybe, as this is the first year the pool was left uncovered but the second tear was almost as if it was cut straight across but with some good amount of height above the ice it couldn't possibly have been cut by the sharp ice. Lesson learned...no short cuts for winterizing going forward.