Patching vs replacing a liner

[Nymeria]

I'm new to the journey of having a trouble free pool. So far, it has been nothing but trouble.

I went swimming yesterday and the water seems to be noticeably lower than it had been. I'm currently doing a bucket test to figure out if I have a leak.

My liner is pretty old, I don't know exactly how old, but likely more than a decade based on my vague memories.

My concern is how to know whether to patch or just replace it. There are already a bunch of patches. I'd guess maybe 15 or so. I was brushing the top of the sides from inside the pool last night and thought I found a hole above the water line and part of the liner near it seemed to be textured and black. I couldn't tell of it is more holes or what (there is black staining I can't get off of the top of the liner for most of the circumference. )

I suspect many of the holes may be mismanagement by the previpus caretaker because there is a lot of bleaching that looks like powdered shock just sat on the floor for a while.

The issue is the cost as I would not only need to pay for the liner and installation but for at least 3 deliveries of water. So it would likely be $900 just for the water.

Thoughts?

 

[zea3]

If you liner is old and brittle and damaged by past mismanagement, it will come to a point were the liner will be too fragile to hold a patch. Start saving for the new liner so you can install it in the spring. Does your well not have enough capacity to fill the pool or is it full of iron?

 

[phonedave]

That liner is eventually going to reach the end of its' life - sooner than later.

There are other options besides having water trucked in. There are companies that will "store" your water. Pump it out into a tank truck, and then pump it back in after the liner has been changed. That may be cheaper.

I have also heard of people buying Intex type pools on the cheap off of Craigslist or eBay. They set those up, pump their water into them as a holding tank, and then when the job is done, they re-sell them - often for what they paid for them. It is a bit of a hassle, but it could save you a delivery or two of water.

-dave

 

[Nymeria]

Both issues apply - pumping 22k gallons from my well seems like a good way to make it go dry. My water also has quite a bit of dissolved iron in it.

Getting the existing water removed and then put back in sounds great. I'll have to take a look and see if that's available around here. I just got the water in great shape aside from having more CYA than I'd like.

Thanks for the ideas!