Liner Wrinkle Removal

[fd5016]

Hey everyone. I have an in-ground liner pool in an area with a high water table in NJ. I've developed half a dozen wrinkles in the floor of the shallow end over the last few seasons, which I know to be caused by water behind the liner. They haven't really bothered me until last season. I'm looking for advice on two points.

1. Return plugs - When I close the pool in the fall, I drain the water down about 6" below the returns and plug them after blowing them out. In the spring of '24, I found new wrinkles when I removed my solid cover. I prefer to drain the water below the returns to ensure there's no chance of infiltration in the winter. However, I'd consider leaving the water level above the returns to reduce/eliminate the possibility of new wrinkles with a low water level as a factor if I could be sure that a product in the returns wouldn't allow water in. Has anyone had success with a particular return plug not allowing water infiltration in an in-ground pool?
2. Wrinkle removal - In an effort to lessen the wrinkles, I'm considering draining the pool completely when I open it, using something flat and heavy to flatten the wrinkles, then filling the pool completely before removing the heavy objects. Does anyone have experience with this? What did you use that worked?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Larry

 

[Newdude]

Hey FD and Welcome !!!

If the wrinkles aren't localized by the returns, it's probably the ground water table coming up, or poor drainage during big storms.

Some have had success smoothing big wrinkles with a toilet plunger. The chlorine won't even blink sterilizing an old plunger, but I'd still start with a new one so I wasn't thinking about that the whole time.

I'd give it a shot as is, and then lower a foot or so and try again if it didn't work well.

The liner needs 12 to 18 inches of water in the shallow end or you risk making more wrinkles than you fixed. Pay closer attention to it as the water gets near 18 inches for any liner shifting and stop wherever you're comfortable, leaving at least a foot of water.