Vinyl liner

How it is built

The walls give the pool its shape and strength, and the liner gives it colour and keeps the water in. Latham, a North American pool manufacturer, offers walls of polymer panels made from rigid polystyrene resin and walls of galvanised steel. Its liners are made of multiple vinyl sheets fused together.

The liner is made to the pool's dimensions and fitted inside the walls over a prepared floor. Skimmers, returns, lights and steps are sealed to the liner at each opening, so these points need attention during any repair.

Typical problems with age

• Fading. Latham recommends a solid or mesh cover to block sunlight and help prevent fading.
• Wrinkles. Latham attributes wrinkles to improper installation or water chemistry problems, notes that they form more easily in cold water and advises finding and patching leaks first.
• Tears and punctures. Latham warns that toys with corners or sharp edges can puncture or tear the liner.
• Bleaching. Latham advises fully dissolving chlorine or shock in a bucket before adding it, so crystals do not settle on the liner and bleach it.
• Scaling and early ageing. Latham links unbalanced water to calcium scaling, wrinkling and accelerated ageing.
• Leaks at corners, seams and around fittings.

What repairs usually involve

Small tears can often be patched, sometimes without lowering the water. Leaks at fittings may be fixed by renewing gaskets and faceplates. When the liner is faded, brittle or leaking in several places, the usual answer is a replacement liner, measured and made for the pool.

Draining needs particular care. Latham advises never to empty a vinyl liner pool completely, because an empty pool can cause the liner to shrink and crack, and recommends contacting a professional for any draining. Where water is lowered, it says not to remove more than half of the total volume.

Latham also advises checking with the pool manufacturer before using any chemicals or cleaning products on the liner and avoiding harsh chemicals.

UAE notes

Strong sun and warm water place demands on any pool surface. Ask the liner supplier what the liner is designed for in terms of sunlight and water temperature, and what the warranty covers for fading. A cover when the pool is not in use helps with fading, according to Latham, which also notes that waterline cleaning products help protect the liner from the sun's rays.

If the level keeps dropping, record it daily and call a specialist rather than topping up again and again without finding the cause. A small leak in a liner can grow, and Latham advises finding and patching leaks before dealing with wrinkles.

What to tell a specialist about your pool

• Liner make and age, if known.
• Wall type and pool shape.
• Where you see damage: photos of tears, wrinkles, faded areas and fittings.
• Whether the pool is losing water, and your daily level notes.
• Any recent draining, chemical problems or new equipment.
• The original installer, if known, and any warranty papers.