Vinyl liner pulling away from wall?

[TurboBoost]

Good evening,

I'm in the process of winterizing my 24' above ground pool and noticed a couple things I'd like to address with the liner.

1. On a small section, probably 4' wide, the liner is slightly pulled away from the wall towards the top. So it's attached at the top and bottom still, but a portion of it is a little bit off the wall. I tried to get a photo of this, though it doesn't show up great. I've thought a lot about it, and I just can't figure out how it happened. What causes this, and is it possible to fix?

2. I think this is less concerning, but there are a few wrinkles on the wall near the skimmer and return jet. Any harm in leaving these?

Thanks!

 

[Texas Splash]

Good morning! Since you haven't received a reply yet, I thought I would kick this up a bit to help get it started. Often times the separation or "puffing" of the liner away from a wall is related to water getting between the two. Any chance what you are seeing could be water trapped?

 

[TurboBoost]

Good morning! Since you haven't received a reply yet, I thought I would kick this up a bit to help get it started. Often times the separation or "puffing" of the liner away from a wall is related to water getting between the two. Any chance what you are seeing could be water trapped?

Good morning, I appreciate the response! I can remove the top rail to check, but it doesn't seem like there's water between the liner and the pool wall (based on gently feeling it, anyway).

Last winter (in Wisconsin) the water level got down to about a foot below the skimmer. Prior to winterization, I had drained the water level to just below the skimmer and I do use a winter cover. I have also been watching the water level this season and do not see any loss that suggests a leak.

Could the low water level have caused something to go wrong with the liner positioning? I'm hoping to winterize it soon, and am mainly just wanting to ensure the problem doesn't worsen during this off-season.

 

[Texas Splash]

Could the low water level have caused something to go wrong with the liner positioning?

Sometimes, but from your description it doesn't sound as though the water level dropped too low. While you may not have a pool/liner leak, is there any chance you have water pushing upwards from below? Or perhaps run-off following heavy rains somehow getting between the two?

 

[TurboBoost]

Sometimes, but from your description it doesn't sound as though the water level dropped too low. While you may not have a pool/liner leak, is there any chance you have water pushing upwards from below? Or perhaps run-off following heavy rains somehow getting between the two?

I took one of the top rails off to investigate further. I couldn't see/feel any moisture behind the liner, granted that was only towards the top. I looked around the base of the pool wall and the liner seems fine at the bottom.

As far as identifying a cause, I'm a bit stumped. It seems like I can probably get the liner back into it's proper place by undoing the plastic liner clips and pulling the excess liner over the edge, then putting the holder clips back on. The question is whether I'd be better off leaving it alone until spring and seeing if anything changes between now and then.

 

[Newdude]

Could the low water level have caused something to go wrong with the liner positioning?

Very much so. (When it drained to a foot deep last winter) We have seen similar a few times with liner changes. The one side is a bit tight and the other has slack. It doesn't take much to make it loose.

It was probably hidden or mostly unnoticeable with a regular water level, but once you drained in prep for closing, it appeared.

Let's call some Above Ground Queens for their thoughts. @Mdragger88 @kimkats @Casey (who has since conquered fiberglass pool land, but still presides over linerville)

 

[TurboBoost]

Very much so. (When it drained to a foot deep last winter) We have seen similar a few times with liner changes. The one side is a bit tight and the other has slack. It doesn't take much to make it loose.

It was probably hidden or mostly unnoticeable with a regular water level, but once you drained in prep for closing, it appeared.

Let's call some Above Ground Queens for their thoughts. @Mdragger88 @kimkats @Casey (who has since conquered fiberglass pool land, but still presides over linerville)

Thanks for the insight! It drained to about a foot below the skimmer, so I'd estimate the water level to be around 2.5' or so (sorry for the confusion). Not sure why the level got that low though, given that I have no leaks.

 

[Newdude]

It drained to about a foot below the skimmer, so I'd estimate the water level to be around 2.5' or so (sorry for the confusion)

Ha !!! That was my goof.

Then the liner probably didn't shift any with 2.5 ft holding it in place.

Is it a jhook liner or overlap ?

 

[TurboBoost]

Ha !!! That was my goof.

Then the liner probably didn't shift any with 2.5 ft holding it in place.

Is it a jhook liner or overlap ?

Good, I was pretty worried it had shifted. I figured that 2.5' would still be a lot of water weight holding it.

Looks like it is considered a j hook liner. The type where the liner wraps up around the pool wall, then a long plastic clip sort of holds it in position.

 

[Newdude]

OK so it didn't pull out from the slack on the outside like an overlap theoretically could.

I'll go with it lost its elasticity from unfavorable UV / freeze thaw cycles. It could be age, or just a bad batch from the manufacturer back when. Hang tight for more thoughts.

 

[Mdragger88]

I would probably wait until the water warms up in the spring to address it & pull the excess over. You want it to be as pliable & stretchy as possible especially if it’s very old at all or you risk ripping it.
As for the original cause, ground water & heaving can push/shift the cove or floor of the pool up causing an excessive amount of liner to remain & create wrinkles etc.
be sure to address any drainage issues & ensure water flows away from the pool area in every way possible.
Or as @Newdude said, age & uv/temp changes may have taken their toll- we all get a little bit wrinkled over time
Is this pool buried at all?

 

[TurboBoost]

I would probably wait until the water warms up in the spring to address it & pull the excess over. You want it to be as pliable & stretchy as possible especially if it’s very old at all or you risk ripping it.
As for the original cause, ground water & heaving can push/shift the cove or floor of the pool up causing an excessive amount of liner to remain & create wrinkles etc.
be sure to address any drainage issues & ensure water flows away from the pool area in every way possible.
Or as @Newdude said, age & uv/temp changes may have taken their toll- we all get a little bit wrinkled over time
Is this pool buried at all?

That all makes sense, I appreciate the thorough response. It's getting pretty chilly here, so probably not a good idea to start pulling on the liner. Any issues with proceeding with the normal closing process?

The pool is slightly buried, but I've never measured how far (the previous owners did it). I would guess 6" or so, though.

 

[Mdragger88]

No issues- just follow the guide

Closing (Winterizing) Your Above Ground Pool

Closing an above ground pool at season’s end should be a fast and worry-free process. Learn the basics of above ground pool winterization in easy steps.

www.google.com

my liner is like that too, only worse. It is the fault of the installers mostly for mine. I should have made them come back & re set the liner & pull up the slack but I waited so long for the install to actually happen & mine being so deeply buried I just let it go because when I called & told them about it they said “oh, it’ll shrink up!” Some of it did but there are tons of wrinkles on the wall in those places.
I do have some cove shifting type wrinkles due to heaving/ground water as well but mine is buried pretty deep on that side. I just have to pay attention & brush those areas well. We have really been working to adjust our flow of water on our property so hopefully no more will occur.
I have a deck around mine so it’s difficult to get the rails off but I may try to pull up the slack next season. I’ll be riding this wrinkly liner out as long as possible lol