INGROUND POOL LINER REPLACEMENT GUIDE

Replacing an inground pool liner isn’t cheap. On the other hand, leaving an old, worn-out liner in a pool for too long can cause problems and can even lead to serious damage to the pool structure. Today, we will discuss how you can tell when an inground pool liner is in need of replacing before it becomes an issue.

Inground pool liners typically last between 10-15 years before they need to be replaced. There are several factors that can increase or decrease that lifespan, however. These include:

• Water Balance. Pool water that isn’t properly balanced can greatly reduce the life of a pool liner. Over time, poorly balanced water can stretch the liner, cause wrinkles to form and can turn the liner hard and brittle.
  
  
• The Fit Of The Liner. If a liner wasn’t made specifically to fit the pool it will not last as long. Improperly sized liners need to be stretched into place. This means that a liner that was once 30mil thick might be as thin as 15-20mil once installed. This leads to weak points in the liner and a reduced lifespan.
  
  
• Ground Water Problems. In areas with high groundwater levels, water can seep in under the liner, causing it to “float”. While the liner will settle back down when the groundwater recedes, it never goes perfectly back in to place. This leads to stretching, wrinkling, or the liner coming completely out of the coping.

So how can you tell when it is time to replace your inground pool liner? There are several obvious signs that a pool liner is past its prime, the most obvious of which are:

Probably the most obvious sign that a pool liner is aging is when the colour and pattern of the liner fades. While most pool liners today resist fading from UV, they’re not completely immune to it. Over time, the coloured finish of the liner will begin to fade, and with it the plasticizers that make the liner pliable.



As these plasticizers deteriorate, the pool liner becomes more and more brittle. A faded liner is, therefore, a good sign that the liner is becoming brittle and will start cracking and tearing soon. If you notice that your liner is badly faded, be sure to regularly check for cracks or rips in the liner and for potential leaks.

Vinyl pool liners slowly deteriorate from a combination of UV radiation of the Sun and pool chemicals. As they deteriorate, pool liners become more brittle and are much more susceptible to rips and tears.

Cracks in pool liners generally form at or very near the surface of the water, as UV damage is most prevalent in that area. If your pool liner is beginning to crack or tear around the water line, chances are that you will need to replace your liner in the very near future.



This isn’t to say that just because your pool liner has a small leak it is time to replace it though. The odd leak is fairly normal – especially for older liners – and can be easily fixed with a pool liner patch kit. The real sign that the pool liner needs to be replaced is when you notice several cracks forming in one place, or rips that begin appearing in different parts of the pool.

Just looking for rips in the liner isn’t enough though. Rips in the pool liner that are below the surface of the water are very difficult to spot and can often go unnoticed for a long period of time. That it is why it is a good idea to monitor how much water your pool loses, especially if your liner is more than 10 years old.



How can you tell what water loss if from evaporation and what is from a potential leak? For that, you will need to perform the bucket test.

If you suspect that your pool might be losing water due to leaks, simply place a bucket on the entrance steps to your pool and fill it with water to the same exact level as the water in the pool.

After 2-3 days check the water level in the bucket vs the water level in your pool. If the water level is lower in your pool than it is in the bucket, you have a leak. This is because the water in the bucket evaporates at the same rate as it does in the pool. Any difference between the two levels is therefore caused by leaks in the pool.

Spring and fall are the best times to replace your pool liner. There are to reasons for this:

• The liner replacement process generally takes at least 2-3 weeks. Replacing your liner in the early spring or fall means that you can still enjoy a full, uninterrupted swim season.
  
  
• Pool retailers generally have better deals on during these months as they are not as busy as in peak pool season.
  
  

Note: If you’re planning on replacing your pool liner in the spring, it is important to get the process started as early as possible. Most people that want their pool liner replaced in the spring start their buying process in March or April. By this time though, many pool retailers already have several liner replacements booked and won’t able to install the new liner until the mid-summer. To get at the front of the line, we recommend that you start your liner buying process no later than the end of January.

So how can you ensure that your pool liner lasts as long as possible? Here are a few tips that will help you extend the life of your inground pool liner.

• Make Sure You Buy The Right Sized Liner. The most important thing when buying a replacement liner is to make sure that the liner is custom made to fit your pool. The best way to do this is to first remove the old liner and then empty the pool before measuring for the new liner. This allows for more accurate measurements and greatly reduces the amount of stretching needed to get the new liner in place.

• Balance Your Water. Keeping your water balanced within the recommended ranges slows down the natural deterioration of the pool liner. Proper water balance also keeps the liner soft and supple so that it won’t crack as easily as it ages.

• Patch Leaks Immediately. When liners leak, water gets in behind them, rusting the metal structure behind and, if left long enough, damaging the concrete bottom of the pool. The longer you wait to repair a small leak, the more damage is done to the pool. You also run the risk of a small tear becoming a large tear, growing to the point where the liner is no longer repairable and will need to be replaced.



• Get A Good Winter Cover. Covering your pool for the winter not only keeps debris out of the pool that could cause potential damage to the liner, it also protects the liner from the UV radiation of the Sun.