New Vinyl liner (over stairs too) - pool company says not to drain below skimmers

[jandersen13]

We had a new vinyl liner put in when we opened in the spring of this year. Our pool also has the stairs covered with the vinyl liner. The pool company is coming tomorrow and said to not drain the pool below the skimmer levels and returns because they do not want the liner on the stairs to shrink due to the water weight being removed if the pool is drained down to that level.

My question is, is this normal? I asked how they will blow the lines out and he explained a process (which I didn't completely follow) that they do for fiberglass pools all of the time.

Anyone else have experience with that? Should I be concerned? We also get a lot of snow and rain each year so by the time spring rolls around the pool is full. What will happen next spring when we haven't drained the pool at all this year?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Right-o! They can blow out the pipes from the equipment pad back out to the returns.

One never wants to drain a liner pool below about 2' in the shallow end or you risk the liner shifting and not going back in place.

Come spring you can empty extra water via a simple hose siphon, or a small sump pump, or rent a larger pump for the day. All can be accomplished before even turning the power back on to the pool.

Maddie

(As the fiberglass pool- an empty or very low water level on a fiberglass pool has a great risk of turning it into a fiberglass airboat when the ground water pressure is higher than the weight in the pool. No bueno!)

 

[Cincicobra]

I just had this discussion with my PB also. They said draining it below the skimmer was no problem, but I had concerns of the liner not liking that. So I placed a 40 lb bag of salt on the stairs at each corner of the first step, which normally only has 3 or so inches of water anyway, to hold it in place and the salt will be needed next spring. I also have a solid safety cover so there shouldn't be much change in water level at all.

 

[Catanzaro]

Given that you have a liner over the stairs, I would suggest leaving the water level 1/2 way in the skimmer and not even draining anything. Although, I would purchase Gizzmo's that have blow out holes up top so the water can be removed properly. If not, slightly below the skimmers is fine as well. You can still close with the water this way, but most members close a little bit below the skimmer as water fills up through the winter was well. Whatever you are comfortable with is best. If you just had regular fiberglass or plastic steps, then right below the skimmer would be fine.

 

[gsrel]

Each step has a locking track/bead to help keep it tight against the step (atleast mine does). Wouldnt this prevent the liner from moving? I suppose the tip above with the salt bags is extra insurance

Im also going to need to close my pool soon.

 

[1Sammy]

Did i read or dream of a skimmer cover of some sort that goes over what i would think is the pool side of the skimmer mouth. And for insurance get as many foam noodles in the skimmer body. I would like to leave the water high as well as pumping off during warm times isn't a problem to keep from overflowing. Thanks.