Soon-to-be hole in vinyl liner

Jump to latest Follow Reply
J

jnorris

0
Apr 9, 2007
68
N.E. South Carolina
My pool is a little over a year old. While swimming yesterday, we noticed something on the side wall in the shallow end. About 1 1/2 feet below the surface, you can fell the outline of a small rock under the liner. It sticks out, and you can tell it's a rather sharp feeling pebble. I just know that if someone pushes on it really hard, the rock would punch a hole in the liner. Or maybe it's possible that it could just wear a hole there all on it's own.

What should I do? Go ahead and put a patch over the area now, before there is a hole? Or should I have a repair person lower the water level, loosen the liner from the track, and try to reach in there and get the rock out? I guess it's possible it's something permanent in there (it's a concrete shell with a liner dropped in). So I don't know if one could get it out even if we did try to go behind the liner. Also, I'm afraid that will make huge wrinkles in the liner.

What should I do?
 
HI Judy, I'm very tempted to tell you to throw a patch on it before it can become a problem. It all depends on how difficult it would be to drain some water out and get behind the liner to see what the 'bump' is. If it's sharp, as you said it is, don't rub on it nor do too much 'feeling' around on it to determine it's exact size and shape! A possible way to deal with this is to leave it be for the summer (keeping an eye out for extra water loss) and when you lower the water for the winter address it at that point, and put a patch on the back side of the liner, just in case it weakened the liner in that place.
 
Judy, a patch from the original liner will work VERY well. If you can find Boxer 100 glue that is what I usually use. Make the patch round, so that there are no corners to catch the vac or brush on, and be sure the edges are tight on the liner. If you want more info on this, just post the ? and we'll all try to help you :)
 
waste said:
Judy, a patch from the original liner will work VERY well. If you can find Boxer 100 glue that is what I usually use. Make the patch round, so that there are no corners to catch the vac or brush on, and be sure the edges are tight on the liner. If you want more info on this, just post the ? and we'll all try to help you :)
Click to expand...

Yes Yes, I need help. If I mess this up, my husband will never let me forget it!

The area that sticks out is probably the size of a nickel to a quarter. So I should cut a round patch, a little larger, right? I was thinking maybe 3 inches in diameter, to make sure it covers any possible tear in the area. I apply the Boxer 100 glue (are there directions on the package?), and just stick it to the area. Do I hold it there for a while? Anything else I should know?
 
You have the right idea. At least 1" larger than the potential hole all the way around. You need to hold it there for some time, several minutes to be sure you got it. It will take 24 hours before it is totaly solid, so don't disturb before then. Using a roller around the edges to make sure they get down flat all the way around can help but isn't required.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
This is part of a really long story, but we have some pea gravel behind our liner all around our pool. The concrete and coping were all damaged and had to be replaced and when they replaced the coping, they let pea gravel and water slip behind the wall. I have a couple spots that look like they're just asking to pop through. I was told by the PB not to worry about it, "just don't mess with them". They're bulged enough for me to worry about brushing the sides with them in there. I'll be getting a new liner next spring because of all of this, so I'm not too worried, but that's what I was told. I'm no expert, but it would seem to me that patching would be smart. I would wonder if cutting a little slit and removing the offending material and then patching it would be a bad idea?
 
Habbajabba, I wouldn't cut the liner just because it might leak in the future - I'd either put the patch on now or wait until it leaks. You plan on a new liner anyway, so let it be or put a preventative patch on and rest easy knowing that you won't have this problem with the new liner :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply