Pool Liner issue

[antcoster]

I’d appreciate if someone with some experience can look at this liner. Backstory is, I bought a house, 3/2024, and rented the house out until November. I hired a pool care tech that came recommended from my real estate agent. Right from the get go, he was telling me the liner & pool had issues. There was a leak in the pool was giving him big issues keeping water chemistry correct. There is a salt cell on the pool, he turned it off and would just use a gallon of shock a week to keep it from turning green. I hired a leak detection company, they confirmed there was a leak but couldn’t find it. This was in July/august. Pool guy and tenant agreed to keep water level in pool above skimmer as to not let pump run dry. Tenant leaves in October, I move into house in November. As soon as I get here, pool is leaking like crazy, pool keeps turning green and pool tech agrees that he’d rather not take care of until leak is fixed. No problem.

I call 2 more leak detection companies, 1 confirmed leak is around main drain area but can’t actually find it. The other, doesn’t even attempt to enter pool due to liner condition. He leaves without charging me or attempting anything.

I jump in pool yesterday, I pull covers off main drains. All the screws are loose, it seems like a handmade gasket is under the top plate of the main drain itself. There are also 2 different screws holding down one of the top plates. Picture attached.

I called the company that did the liner replacement for previous homeowner. They tell me that there’s nothing they can do. Even with the wrinkles in the liner, the 2 different screws in top plate and the leak. They won’t even come take a good will look and instead will put together a quote for a liner replacement.

Granted this liner came with a 5 year warranty from said company, I believe the issues with the main drain are actually illegal. Maybe someone can confirm. After tightening up screws, the leak has slowed considerably. Any advise on where to go from here from the pros? Thanks

IMG-8111 hosted at ImgBB

Image IMG-8111 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

IMG-8100 hosted at ImgBB

Image IMG-8100 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

 

[PoolStored]

The wrinkles look like ground water intrusion wrinkles. Low pH wrinkles will be smaller and all over the place (see pic).

I think you will have a difficult time getting the drains to seal with the wrinkles.

It may be also an issue with the drain itself, or the plumbing.

Vinyl drains have a seal UNDER the liner, a seal ON the liner, then a hard plate, then a cover. The screws for the plate are typically different than the cover screws. Neither of those screws look right to me...almost all screws for vinyl plates (drain & skimmer) look like the first screw below (Machine screw, not wood screw, the heads can be pan or flat). It may be that the screws used have damaged the drain.

I think you are in a situation where it would be best to replace the liner and correct any issues with the drains.


Low pH wrinkles.

 

[Bperry]

I’d appreciate if someone with some experience can look at this liner. Backstory is, I bought a house, 3/2024, and rented the house out until November. I hired a pool care tech that came recommended from my real estate agent. Right from the get go, he was telling me the liner & pool had issues. There was a leak in the pool was giving him big issues keeping water chemistry correct. There is a salt cell on the pool, he turned it off and would just use a gallon of shock a week to keep it from turning green. I hired a leak detection company, they confirmed there was a leak but couldn’t find it. This was in July/august. Pool guy and tenant agreed to keep water level in pool above skimmer as to not let pump run dry. Tenant leaves in October, I move into house in November. As soon as I get here, pool is leaking like crazy, pool keeps turning green and pool tech agrees that he’d rather not take care of until leak is fixed. No problem.

I call 2 more leak detection companies, 1 confirmed leak is around main drain area but can’t actually find it. The other, doesn’t even attempt to enter pool due to liner condition. He leaves without charging me or attempting anything.

I jump in pool yesterday, I pull covers off main drains. All the screws are loose, it seems like a handmade gasket is under the top plate of the main drain itself. There are also 2 different screws holding down one of the top plates. Picture attached.

I called the company that did the liner replacement for previous homeowner. They tell me that there’s nothing they can do. Even with the wrinkles in the liner, the 2 different screws in top plate and the leak. They won’t even come take a good will look and instead will put together a quote for a liner replacement.

Granted this liner came with a 5 year warranty from said company, I believe the issues with the main drain are actually illegal. Maybe someone can confirm. After tightening up screws, the leak has slowed considerably. Any advise on where to go from here from the pros? Thanks

IMG-8111 hosted at ImgBB

Image IMG-8111 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

IMG-8100 hosted at ImgBB

Image IMG-8100 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

I’d not recommend allowing a leak like that to go on. Water getting into the surrounding soil can do lots of damage to the decking and pool structure.

 

[antcoster]

I’d not recommend allowing a leak like that to go on. Water getting into the surrounding soil can do lots of damage to the decking and pool structure.

My plan is to take care of it. I tightened all the screws that hold the drain top plate down but have slowed it down considerably. I lost 1/4” of water overnight instead of an inch or more. Would you replace the wrong screws with the correct one? Do I wrap all the screws with Teflon tape and re-insert. Curious on how to proceed.

Doing a new liner is not in the cards right now. We just had to spend almost $10k for a sewer conversion as that was no good as well. Thanks for the help.

 

[PoolStored]

The only way to know the right screws is to remove the drain cover and look for the make and model number if it is molded in. You might also check the ring. If you get the make/model number, we can find the right screws. Likely starts with SP. Also check on the ring and the drain for a number starting with WG.

The issue then becomes, if they were machine screws, the screws that were used may have damaged the drain. Still worth a try to figure out what the current situation is...you have the right screws or not. Having the make/model will also give you the right gaskets. I don't believe you can get a gasket under the liner, but I have not ever attempted that. It may be the right gasket on top will suffice.

I don't think adding teflon tape is going to work.

A new liner would likely be 5-6K if you pool is around 20x40.

Before we do anything else, lets see if we can get the make/model. Also measure the diameter of the cover. It LOOKS like a hayward drain cover.
Also look on the underside of the skimmer covers for make and model of skimmer. Builders typically use the same make for drains/skimmers. Having the visual of the drain cover and the make of the skimmer we may be able to triangulate.
Post Both. make/model#s

screws are different...

Hayward Main and Gutter Drain Replacement Parts

These are replacement parts for the Hayward Main and Gutter Drain. These Hayward main drain parts can be found on this Main and Gutter Drain parts schematic breakdown.

www.poolweb.com

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

What is the depth profile of the pool?

Pools do not need main drains. You can possibly keep the liner going for a while by disabling the main drain and putting liner patches over the holes.

Show us pictures of your equipment pad and what valves you have.

Please post pictures directly on the Forum.

Picture Posting and Resizing - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[antcoster]

My main drain covers are Hayward WG1048E2. My skimmer is Hayward SP1082 or 1083. Too cold to jump in the pool today to check out the drains. If it warms up this week I’ll jump in.

The pool itself is pretty small. 10x20, 6000 gallons. 3-5.5 ft deep is all it is. It’s considered a pocket pool according to my real estate agent we bought the house from. It’s good enough for me and my family though.

 

[antcoster]

My main drain covers are Hayward WG1048E2. My skimmer is Hayward SP1082 or 1083. Too cold to jump in the pool today to check out the drains. If it warms up this week I’ll jump in.

The pool itself is pretty small. 10x20, 6000 gallons. 3-5.5 ft deep is all it is. It’s considered a pocket pool according to my real estate agent we bought the house from. It’s good enough for me and my family though.

Everything about these drains just say to me crappy craftsmanship by the company that replaced the liner 2 years ago.

 

[ajw22]

The pool itself is pretty small. 10x20, 6000 gallons. 3-5.5 ft deep is all it is. It’s considered a pocket pool according to my real estate agent we bought the house from. It’s good enough for me and my family though.

There is no need for a main drain on a pool of that size and depth.

Remove the cover, put a plug in the pipe, stuff some Styrofoam in the hole, and layer some liner patches on top of it.

Vinyl Liner-Patching - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[antcoster]

After some further investigating, there are no gaskets between the main drains & the Liner itself. Using the small tube attached to the leak detection syringe, I can actually push that hose between the two( liner & main drain itself). Last gasp is it try and insert a gasket in between the MD & Liner. If that doesn’t work, liner replacement will be next.

 

[wireform]

You can save yourself all that money by taking the above advice which was to plug the main drain, fill the cavity let's say with sand so in the future it can be reversed easily, get it nice and level and then put 2 patches having the second one be larger and encapsulate the first. If there's will there might be a way.

 

[antcoster]

With the amount of wrinkles that are on the liner in this area, will a patch even work?

 

[wireform]

Using a rubber plunger you may be able to pull some this way and that way enough to get excess out of the way.

 

[antcoster]

Yesterday I installed a new rubber gasket under the liner one of the main drain that I believed was the leaker. In 20 hours, I have lost no water at all. Hoping this is now fixed.