Emptying Vinyl Pool

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

Good morning! The local pool company will be replacing our liner soon. If we get some warm sunny days they will do it before the spring. If not, they will wait until the spring to do it. Since the water is not clear, they need the water drained so they can take accurate measurements to order the new liner. Is it safe to drain the pool and have it sit empty, possibly until the spring, or should another route be taken? Located in eastern NC.

TIA!

Matt

 

[JamesW]

I would leave the pool full until they are ready to get the new liner installed. You don't want it to sit empty for too long.

If there is large debris, scoop it out with a net.

If it's green, kill the algae with liquid chlorine. Brush to mix.

Then, add a floc to drop everything and clear the water.

 

[1Sammy]

No need to have clear water to measure for a liner, i would find a new installer.

 

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

Okay, thanks for the feedback. They are fairly insistent that the water either needs to be clear or it needs to be drained before they can take accurate measurements.

 

[JamesW]

How bad is the pool?

Is there a lot of debris?

My suggestion of a floc was to just drop everything to the ground so that the water is clear enough so that they can measure.

Floc is not normally a recommended product, but in this case it might get the water clear enough to measure since you're not trying to do a full clean back to swimmable water.

You can do a full clean with a SLAM if you need to.

In any case, I wouldn't leave the pool empty for an extended period.

 

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

It is pretty bad. I would not say a lot of debris, but once the top of the liner tore during Hurricane Florence (fence panel came loose and flew across the pool, tearing the liner in the process), it has sat without any treatment, so it is black/dark green.

 

[JamesW]

I think that I would just brush in some liquid chlorine to kill the algae then floc.

You're not trying to do a proper cleaning, you're just try to get the water clear enough to measure the liner.

They're going to drain the pool and replace the liner anyway, so you don't have to worry about anything that falls to the bottom.

 

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

Sounds like a plan. Thanks!

 

[1Sammy]

Ask them IF the water was clear, how would they read a tape measure or whatever they are going to use . Then ask why they can not do that with green dirty water. All measurements are made ABOVE the water so i can not see what there issue is. A few long sticks or pipes that they should already have, some string, a level and a measuring tape. There should be someone in your area that has done this before ? No water, clear water, dirty water, full of quick sand, all done the same to get the correct fit.

 

[JamesW]

The reason for clear water is to be able to see the transition points, especially in the deep end.

You're not only getting depth measurements, you also need to get horizontal measurements that define the deep end.

It can be done without clear water, but you're more likely to make a mistake.

Also, the original builder probably built the pool from a standard kit, which comes with a stock liner.

The original builder should have the liner measurements for the pool in any case.

 

[duraleigh]

JamesW is on the money. It would be guesswork to accurately measure an opaque pool.

 

[1Sammy]

Sorry guys but having measured many pools for liners that fit like a glove i'll stick with my reply's. Just one example. IF you can see the bottom, what are you going to do, lay a tape on the bottom and read it, I think not. You would use your jigs ( sticks and or pipes ) that you would hold against the profile and measure using those as aids. A rectangle pool with hopper would be something a first day student should be able to do. A kidney would required more drop lines and strings but for sure no need for clear water.