Seeking advice to repair or not?

[larryincanada]

I have a new vinyl IG pool installed last summer. I removed winter cover to find a problem at one return port. The liner looks like it was pulled (stretched) down to the return port and there are a couple of wrinkles below the port. The graphic border above the port is distorted down about 1" just above the return port. I figure when the liner was installed the bottom of the pool liner was not exeactly centered. Over winter the liner recentered itself and relaxed at the stretched side. The port opening being fixed did not allow the liner underneath to relax back. This left the drooping wrinkled bit directly below.

The question is: do I bother repairing this? I would have to remove the port, patch the old opening, wait for the liner to relax and create a new opening and reconnect the return. I have plenty of scrap liner to match repair. I have no leaks or problems now. Are patched repairs easy to do and reliable? Would you take this on to make the cosmetic improvement?

[duraleigh]

Hi, Larry,

I think it depends on YOUR tolerance level. No on else will probably notice it but, if your a little like me, it may nag you endlessly 'til you fix it!!

I'd try to live with it if it's causing you no other problems. I have never patched but can imagine they are quite reliable if done patiently and correctly ( like an owner would do). That said, it is probably not as easy as it may seem.....draining your pool to that level can be a major hassle in itself.

Dave S.

[larryincanada]

Dave,

You're absolutely correct. My wife doesn't even notice and wants me to leave it alone.

The water level is below the wrinkles now as I haven't filled my pool up yet for the year. Once the water fills up, the wrinkle will probably dissappear below he return current, but I will know it's there. The 1/2" to1" dip in the paterned border will always remind me of it I guess. Having installed the pool myself, I know there are absolutely no other wrinkles what-so-ever.

I've never done a patch and I'm too worried about opening up a can of worms. At the moment I'm tending not to do the repair. Of course, that's until I get the courage or it drives me nuts looking at it.

Thanks for your perspective.

Score wife 1 : me 0

[duraleigh]

Larry,

Score wife 1 : me 0

That's the permanent score at my house!!! I had no idea it was a variable!

Dave S.

[CarlD]

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Your liner leaking? No? Leave it alone!

My liner looks terrible--the original was defective, though well-installed, and failed in 10 days. The liner company had a local crew install the replacement--they didn't know how to work sand, having only done vermiculite. I hate all the wrinkles (espec at night under the lights) but to re-seat the liner mean dumping the water, removing the liner, re-doing the sand PROPERLY and re-setting the liner.

So I'm torn. I want the liner to fail in a couple of years so I can replace it right. OTOH, I want it to last 20 years.....