Need a new liner

[GreenLight]

I had a hailstorm that damaged (punctured) my liner on the end step. I got a quote to replace it for about $5000. Does that sound reasonable?
The quote document warned that the installer was not responsible for damage to the pool due to it being drained. What damage can occur when I drain the pool? Also, how long will it take me to drain 20,000 gallons from my pool? Can I put the water in a creek?

[aylad]

How big is your pool? Is it IG or AG? Where do you live? If you live in an area with a high water table, and have an IG pool, the pool can "float" out of the ground when it's drained.

You can probably drain 20K gallons overnight, but I wouldn't put it in a creek--the chlorine will kill any fish or other creatures that live in it, and will seriously disrupt the biological climate in the creek.

Is the puncture small enough to be patched, rather than replaced?

Janet

[GreenLight]

How big is your pool? Is it IG or AG? Where do you live? If you live in an area with a high water table, and have an IG pool, the pool can "float" out of the ground when it's drained.

You can probably drain 20K gallons overnight, but I wouldn't put it in a creek--the chlorine will kill any fish or other creatures that live in it, and will seriously disrupt the biological climate in the creek.

Is the puncture small enough to be patched, rather than replaced?

Janet

I live in Central Ohio, and I have a 16 x 36 IG pool, with a concrete bottom and galvanized steel sides. The installer has told me that I will not have any problems draining the pool. He also said that the chlorine will not hurt anything.

The hole is about 2 inches in diameter. I would rather replace the liner than patch it.

What about the cost? Does $5000 seem normal?

[aylad]

$5000 seems a bit high to me, but I haven't ever had to replace mine. In looking around online, $2000-$2500 seems to be an average price for a liner that size--I guess the difference is how much your installer charges to install it. I'd shop around. I'd also have the installer put in writing that you "will not have any problems draining the pool". If it weren't a possibility, then he wouldn't have the clause in the contract that states that he's not responsible for any damage that may occur from draining it.


I also strongly disagree with your installer about the chlorine issue. Ponds, creeks, and other small bodies of water have developed biological climates to maintain balance between fish, plants, and bacteria so that everything thrives. That climate is easily disrupted, and 20K gallons of chlorinated water would do a good job of it.

Janet