TIPS FOR FIXING POOL LINER WRINKLES—JUST IN TIME FOR POOL SEASON!
Wrinkles are sometimes a part of owning a vinyl liner pool. it’s not uncommon to have a wrinkle here and there over time.
But just because wrinkles in inground pool liners are common doesn’t mean you have to put up them!
If you encounter unsightly wrinkles in your pool, the good news is that most of the time, you can deal with them! Permanent wrinkles are caused by poor measurements and/or manufacturing errors or improper balancing of chemicals–which is why it’s so important to ensure your pool water chemistry is properly balanced.
We’ve put together a few helpful tips on how to remedy this problem, and what you can do to prevent wrinkles from appearing in the future.
TIPS TO REMOVE/SMOOTH OUT WRINKLES
If you notice wrinkles forming on your pool liner, use these tips to remove them so they don’t get harder to fix and you don’t have to feel them every time you go swimming.
FILL YOUR POOL WITH WATER
Wrinkles are common in pools with water that is low and has sat for a long period of time—such as over the winter. Once the water level moves higher, this causes issues like floating liners in major cases and wrinkles in minor cases.
So, if your pool’s water level is lower than normal, fill up your pool with fresh water.
WALK AROUND THE LINER
When your pool is ready for swimming, put on a pair of soft-soled shoes and go for a walk in your pool. As you walk around on the liner, gently stretch the wrinkles from one side and then the other using your feet. This stretching should help smooth out minor wrinkles.
USE A (CLEAN) TOILET PLUNGER
Bring a clean toilet plunger into the pool and plunge each side of a wrinkle. The plunger will pull and stretch the liner each way to remove the wrinkle.
WARM UP YOUR POOL
Wrinkles are likely to develop in cold temperatures. During a long, brutal winter, the cold weather can cause the liner to harden and wrinkle. If you have a pool heater, consider warming up the water to 33 C (92 F) to soften the liner before you start working out the wrinkles.
If you don’t have a pool heater, then wait until the weather warms up and your pool liner has had time to soften after the winter.
Once it’s softened, you can work out the wrinkles with your feet, a plunger, or a pool brush.
DRAIN THE WATER
For hard-to-remove wrinkles, you might have to drain your pool and use a shop vac to smooth out the wrinkle. A shop vac should only be used between the liner and pool wall, never directly on the liner.
Some pool companies offer professional wrinkle removal services that will remove each individual wrinkle in your liner to ensure there is no leakage. With a special water pump and suction device, they’ll get into your pool and eliminate every wrinkle they find!
That being said, be sure to keep the liner wet at all times so it doesn’t dry up and crack. It’s important to note that the liner should not be left with out water for more the 48 hours.
*Important: Due to the complexity and potential issues that could occur during this process, it is highly recommended that this step be performed by experienced professionals.
CHECK AROUND YOUR LANDSCAPING
If the ground around your pool has shifted, or trees, bushes, or shrubs are directing water toward your pool, your liner could wrinkle.
Take some time to inspect your landscaping around your pool and make adjustments to shore up the ground before getting rid of those wrinkles for good.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR LEAKAGE
The most damaging cause of wrinkles is a leak in the liner. If your liner has a leak, even a small one, water from your pool will get under the liner and force it up.
This will cause wrinkles and costly water damage to the structure of your pool if left untreated.
Make sure to keep an eye out for leaks in your liner if your liner is wrinkled and patch the leaks before smoothing out the wrinkles.
CALL THE PROS
Let’s be honest: sometimes, the DIY approach is exhausting.
Your energy is better spent on other things! If you’re struggling to smooth out all the pool liner wrinkles, even after trying everything above, give HB Pools a call. We’ll handle this job for you and help you get the results you’re after.
REPLACE THE LINER
If all else fails, you might need to replace your pool liner. Just be sure to have your pool liner replacement installed by professional pool experts so you can avoid having wrinkles form on your new liner any time soon.
WHAT CAUSES POOL LINER WRINKLES IN THE FIRST PLACE?
By understanding what causes wrinkles in pool liners, you can prevent them from forming in the first place. The most common cause of wrinkles in the pool liner is excessive water in the soil around the pool.
A high water table can cause the liner to lift like a balloon from the floor of the pool. And when the groundwater recedes, the liner won’t return to its previous position, so wrinkles will develop.
Another cause of wrinkles is poor water chemistry. If the water has a low pH level, the liner can end up absorbing water, stretching out, and wrinkling. Not testing the water regularly and not properly maintaining your pool can lead to other costly problems as well, so follow a regular pool maintenance routine.
To prevent wrinkles from developing in your pool liner:
- Close your pool using a duck plug system to keep the pool water level high throughout the winter.
- Install a dewatering system around your pool to prevent high groundwater;
- Maintain your pool with regular cleaning and maintaining balanced water chemistry; and
- Only have pool liner replacements completed by reputable pool builders.
Wrinkles are a part of owning a pool with a liner. But by addressing wrinkles early on, you can spend less time trying to fix wrinkles and more time enjoying your smooth, wrinkle-free pool this summer.
