Hole in Liner

Okay, my pool is sparkling clean, I am dumping in some polyquat today, after 24 hours I will be shocking with bleach and covering for the winter. I have been battling all season with my water level dropping quicker than it ever has before. I kept telling myself it was just evaporation.

I had to fill with water at least once a week. Finally after cleaning real good the other day, I noticed a small 1/8" hole in the liner. I bought a patch kit and tried to jump in and patch it. Whooooa, that water was so cold. I immediately began to hyperventilate as soon as I jumped in. Needless to say, I didn't get it patched.

I don't know what to do now. I don't want to keep refilling my pool with water all winter (especially since it will probably dilute the chemical balance). Is there a good technique to patch it from above the water? :)

Any companies out there patch swimming pools? I'd try again if I had a wetsuit.

Please help! I need to cover in about 2 days. Leaves are getting terrible. Thanks!!

BTW, it is a 24' round AG pool. Vinyl liner.

I don't know how to patch a hole - sorry. But I do know our wet suits have been well used in the pool at closing and openning time. Hubby and kids all have one and they have a great time. We also use the suits in the ocean on our trips to the beach. Cheap ones from Walmart work for us. Wash well after the beach and before getting into the pool.

Good luck on the hole. I am sure I will be in your place one day and will look here for the answer.

Sorry to hear you have a leak - on the bright side, you found it before closing for the winter. You can try the yellow pages for leak detection or divers - or call a liner pool company, they should be able to either do it themselves or refer you to a diver.

Those are the expensive ways. Poconos, the moderator, made his own patch applying rig he posts some pictures here

Good luck with it and make sure that that is the only leak.

While I was looking for that very thread, Waste found it and posted it. Thanks Waste. The post in that thread that you should look at is post # 9. Good luck.

You didn't say where the hole is. If it's on the bottom you can temporarily plug it pretty well by laying a piece of plastic sheeting and dropping a sandbag on it. Plastic sheeting from Home Depot and the sandbag can be an old pillow case or something like that. It will slow or stop the leak until you get the patch stuff ready. My patch was done in Spring 05 and it's still holding well with no sign of lifting. Just ask if I can be of any more help and good luck.
Al

After freezing myself numb patching my mom's pool one fall, I went on-line and bought a full-coverage wet-suit for about $100. Being a wimp, I also sprang for boots, gloves and a hood. You can work in incredibly cold water with this stuff.

Double-patch: Always patch over the first patch as if it's a hole.

Well, the "hole" I was working on turned out NOT to be the problem. Although using Poconos' rig (modified), I was able to patch it. Apparently it was a hole in the liner but wasn't leaking...?

Anyways, I woke up this morning to find water all over my backyard and bubbles coming from the return. I called a leak detection company and they found 3 places that need patches. They are very small pinhole leaks right at the point where the wall angles up from the floor (there is no crease here, it is all flush). They cost me $150, but they don't do the repair.

My luck with the rig ran out, I cannot get these holes patched to save my life. I figure I have two choices: get a wetsuit and try to get in and patch (I hope I can find one this late in the year). Or I can drain the pool halfway, which would allow me to get "in" but only my legs get wet (I can live with my legs being cold, just not my torso).

My problem with draining the pool. I *just* got my chemicals balanced and polyquat added. If it weren't for these leaks, I would be closing this afternoon. If I drain (which I need to drain below the return anyways for closing), then I will need to re-add some water so that the level isn't too low for the winter. If it is too low, the air pillow won't hold the cover and the weight of rainwater/leaves on the cover would put too much pressure on the sidewalls, I would think.

Do you think if I add maybe a foot of water from the hose to my pool that my chemicals will be too unbalanced? If not, that is the route I would like to take. Otherwise, if I have to rebalance, now it will be at least this coming weekend before I can close. We're expecting rain and wind later this week, which means LEAVES!! Any help is appreciated. You all have been great.

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by spcchap

Do you think if I add maybe a foot of water from the hose to my pool that my chemicals will be too unbalanced? If not, that is the route I would like to take. Otherwise, if I have to rebalance, now it will be at least this coming weekend before I can close.

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Unless the numbers on your fill water are totally out of whack, I don't see where adding fill water will "unbalance" your chemicals enough to matter. Once you put the water back in, just raise your chlorine back to shock level and you should be good from there. The TA and CH are not crucial at this point, and topping off shouldn't affect your pH that much if your tap water pH is within normal limits.

Glad you found the leaks, hope it's not too much of a pain to fix, once you get in..

Janet

Draining the pool as I type this... Will update everyone on my results, if they don't find me floating face-down in the pool from hypothermia. I'm hoping to drain the pool to about 2 feet, which should enable me to patch the holes without getting my torso into the water. Then I'll fill the pool another foot of water so it is just under the return. Hopefully I can close tomorrow.