We started answering frequently asking questions in part one to help our valued customers better understand the basics of vinyl pools. Today, we at Metropolitan Pools would like to conclude answering FAQ with part 2 below.
What Can I Use to Clean a Vinyl Pool Liner?
To clean your vinyl pool liner once a week, use a soft cloth and pool water. Use a brush to gently scrub the liner above and below the waterline to remove more stubborn dirt, algae and stains. Avoid using harsh, acidic chemicals or abrasive materials such as steel wool. To prevent staining from sunscreen, body oils and other, you can also add a vinyl liner cleaning solution to the pool water.
What is the Best Thickness of a Pool Liner?
A balance of strength and flexibility is available with the right thickness. If it’s too thick it won’t fit properly in tight corners or over complex shapes, and it won’t stand up to regular wear if your liner is too thin. The thickest liners are challenging to install since they are heavy. Liner thickness is measured in gauge or mil. A 30-mil vinyl liner is thicker than a 30-gauge liner. For most applications, we recommend a 27-mil, often referred to as a 30-gauge.
How Can I Tell Where My Pool is Leaking?
Use your hands or feet to explore your liner for soft or squishy spots that could indicate water is beneath the liner if you suspect your pool liner is leaking and the location of the leak isn’t obvious. Small rips and tears can be camouflaged in faded or wrinkled areas. Near any suspicious spots as well as around vulnerable locations like lights, returns, skimmers and steps, add a few drops of non-toxic food coloring. Also, you can hire a pro to locate and seal any leaks.
How Serious is a Pool Leak?
When a leak is present, you either need to repair or replace. You will have a hefty water bill in the short term and over the long term you can damage your pool’s structure and the surrounding landscape if you don’t do one or the other.
Can You Fix a Ripped Pool Liner?
Particularly if the rip is in the pool wall and not in a corner or somewhere the liner has been cut, such as stairs or returns, a small rip or hole in an otherwise healthy liner can often be patched successfully. Larger tears are usually unrepairable as the integrity of the patch will likely not hold. Also, chances are you’ll spring another leak soon so it may not be worth the effort and expense to repair your pool liner if your liner is in pretty poor shape overall.
How to Get Wrinkles Out of Pool Liner
Identify the cause of the wrinkles to take preventive action. You may want to warm the pool water by a few degrees to make the wrinkles easier to manipulate to remove the wrinkles. Try smoothing them towards the edge of the pool with your feet while wearing soft-soled shoes if the wrinkles are on the pool floor. Also, using a plunger or a brush, you can also carefully pull the wrinkles towards an edge. We advise strongly against doing this, as sometimes people will drain most or all of the water from their pool to smooth out the wrinkles. If you lower the water below the halfway mark and an older liner is likely to rip or crack if you remove too much water, a liner can shrink.
Vinyl Pool Installation, Repair, Maintenance & More in Sandusky, Lorain, Elyria, Medina, Parma, Mentor, Akron & Greater Cleveland, Ohio
If you have any other questions, Metropolitan Pools can answer any of your questions. When you need vinyl pool liner services, contact us for assistance.