Need Help Liner issue - Air or Water

[dirtdog]

I am draining out the winter cover today and getting ready to open. Opened up a couple spots on the sides and corners to inspect.
I had a small little crack at the top of my liner when i closed and figured it would be fine until I opened again next year, not likely that water could get in here. Could it be possible that air entered this hole in the liner and after the pool thawed it created a massive air pocket around the pool ?

Anyway the crack is larger and now I have what looks like air pockets all around the pool at or near the top of the waterline. I put my hands down and pulled up and the air seams to try to escape. Should I drain more water or just fill it up and hope that the water pressure pushes the air out ?

We were planning to put in a new liner this year or next year but would hate to have this issue again with a new liner.

Here are some pics, help is greatly appreciated.

 

[dirtdog]

Also could it be a leak somewhere on the bottom of the liner ? I opened up the cover a bit more to see the bottom and looks like the floor in the deep end has bubbles as well.

The water level was 8-10 inches lower than what I remember from winterizing last fall...I shouldn't be losing that much water !!

 

[samt]

How old is the liner? The first pic looks like an old liner ( like mine) my corners are starting to stretch and I think yours are too. I can almost tell on my pool in a few places where it has stretched, a split will be next.

Mine has a sand bottom and sides and I just think over the years that sand gets compacted and compressed so much that eventually the liner can't stretch anymore and starts to pull away or rip.

 

[dirtdog]

Liner is old, i think its pushing 17years. Was fine the last couple when we opened. I filled up the water and cleaned the winter cover today. Found a few holes in the winter cover so I think that is where my pool water level dropped down so low.After filling water up higher the bubbles started to go but now getting a bunch of wrinkles.

I guess its like a hole in a boat with these old vinyl liners, the water level dropped too low and the pool liner likely got pushed around by the ground water after the thaw. Does that make sense ?

Maybe time for a nice new liner !!