Hi all, new here and new pool owner!
Recently bought a home with an in-ground pool (around 16 x 40ft, 25,000 gallons). The vinyl liner clearly needs to be replaced but we were planning to wait another year. However, I lowered the water in the shallow end a few weeks to patch a small hole, and the liner shifted. Rookie mistake. The liner is now bagging up on the bottom and not adhering to the sides. Suffice it to say, we will be speeding up our schedule and replacing the liner in the spring...
Because the liner is not flush with the bottom, it is bearing weight on its own where the bottom meets the sides. This is occurring mostly in the shallow end, though perhaps a little in the deep end (there are a couple places where the liner is away from the wall and taught). There is currently only about 1.5 feet of water in the shallow end, and I can see that the liner has started to tear away from where it is connected at the top of the pool (just a wee bit) in one place. I am worried that the liner will continue to pull away, and the remaining water in the shallow end or entire pool could escape, risking erosion etc.
Question: If I know for certain that I will be replacing the liner in the spring, should I drain my pool this winter, to lessen the risk of liner failure and water escape, erosion, etc.? Everything I have read about the importance of keeping water in the pool during the winter gives protecting the liner as the reason... Just wondering if there are any OTHER reasons not to drain..
Recently bought a home with an in-ground pool (around 16 x 40ft, 25,000 gallons). The vinyl liner clearly needs to be replaced but we were planning to wait another year. However, I lowered the water in the shallow end a few weeks to patch a small hole, and the liner shifted. Rookie mistake. The liner is now bagging up on the bottom and not adhering to the sides. Suffice it to say, we will be speeding up our schedule and replacing the liner in the spring...
Because the liner is not flush with the bottom, it is bearing weight on its own where the bottom meets the sides. This is occurring mostly in the shallow end, though perhaps a little in the deep end (there are a couple places where the liner is away from the wall and taught). There is currently only about 1.5 feet of water in the shallow end, and I can see that the liner has started to tear away from where it is connected at the top of the pool (just a wee bit) in one place. I am worried that the liner will continue to pull away, and the remaining water in the shallow end or entire pool could escape, risking erosion etc.
Question: If I know for certain that I will be replacing the liner in the spring, should I drain my pool this winter, to lessen the risk of liner failure and water escape, erosion, etc.? Everything I have read about the importance of keeping water in the pool during the winter gives protecting the liner as the reason... Just wondering if there are any OTHER reasons not to drain..