Vinyl liner, lumpy rolly, bottom and sides

[bobwatson]

We installed a new liner last year, but because of the wet weather before the installation, the liner had a couple of lumps on one side. Later in the year, a small sunked portion of the liner began collecting debris, though we could still vacuum the debris out. Over the winter, the hole size increased and now we can't vacuum debris out of the hole. There is quite a bit more lumpyness long sides and at the turns from wall to bottom.
Obviously, the sub-base has been water compromised. I wondered if some of the lumpy areas can be gently smoothed out and reshaped with the liner in place. I realize that is a less than desired repair, but I don't want to replace the liner since it is only a year old.
The other obvious problem to resolve is drainage which affects the sub-base - but that is a separate problem.

 

[Texas Splash]

Hi Bob! Wow, that's quite a prediciment. Not sure you will have much luck trying to press-out lumpy areas in place. Can't hurt to try as long as you don't get too aggressive with the liner and damage it somehow. I do know that for areas around the side walls, owners have used a shopvac to pull water out of those buldging areas, but that's along the side and only as far as they could get to reasonabally. Under the pool .... not sure. If you manage to get the liner to a point where you're satisifed (for now) to avoid removing the liner, maybe you can install perimeter (french) drain type products to help guide water away from the pool? Not as ideal as a sump pump or something installed underneath, but might help. A couple of our AGP folks may have mroe ideas: @Casey @zea3 . Good luck, and have a nice weekend.

 

[Casey]

Do you have a mole/rodent problem? Maybe it was a hole from the previous year that affected the area? Its impossible to manipulate a liner with several inches of water in it, let alone a full pool. To actually fill the hole/base, you'd have to remove the water and pull the liner back in the offending area. It may just be better to deal with the problem and watch it and make sure you're not losing water.

 

[duraleigh]

The other obvious problem to resolve is drainage which affects the sub-base - but that is a separate problem.

I think I would view it as the same problem. I can think of no practical way that you can make that repair without draining.......so when you drain and remake the sub-base I would solve the underlying erosion issue

 

[zea3]

You are going to have to find out why the depression in the floor is growing. I have a bunch of questions for you. Were you able to see what kind of shape the pool floor was in before they dropped the new liner? Did they say if the floor needed patching or repairs? Have you tried having the installer look at the liner and see if they can offer any resolution for the depression in the floor?

As for the lumpy walls, did you have or add wall foam prior to liner installation? Sometimes it slips in the liner installation process and can cause lumps in the wall. Do you have a well point in your yard? It would be a canister set in the ground near the deep end of the pool. It may look like a skimmer access point in the yard near the pool. If you have one you should be able to drop a small submersible pump in there and pump the ground water away from the pool. That should help with the liner problem in the floor and walls. It you don't have a well point you may want to install one if ground water is a frequent problem. You can also install french drains to move water away from the pool, but that won't help with water that is already there.

 

[bobwatson]

Thank you all for your responses.
I'll be checking with the installer to see if they can offer a little help, though I doubt it. I will correct the likely drainage issues that have caused the problem, and then wait for the next liner installation to correct the base.
Hey lumpy looks like a creek bed