Wrinkles in Swimming Pool Liners

Wrinkles in swimming pool liners are fairly common, but that doesn’t make them any less frustrating for pool owners to deal with. Wrinkles aren’t pretty to look at and they put your swimming pool at a higher risk for damage, which can lead to costly repairs. There are several factors that can cause wrinkles, so it is important for pool owners to know how to prevent them from occurring and how to deal with them if they happen in your swimming pool.

The first step in protecting your swimming pool liner from wrinkles is to know how they form. Here are a few wrinkled pool liner causes:

• Installing a new liner – This is the most common cause of wrinkles and is mostly due to improper measurements. Taking precise measurements of your swimming pool and getting a liner that is the exact fit is important to avoid wrinkles. Never add water to your pool until the liner lies exactly where you want it and is wrinkle-free.
• Slipping pool liner – If you do not have enough coping clips attaching your above ground overlap pool liner, the liner can start to slip down the wall. This creates wrinkles in the wall that will likely spread to the floor of your pool.
• Water loss – Whether you have a leaky liner or you are partially draining your swimming pool, water loss is another cause of wrinkles. A low water level causes the liner to move away from your pool’s walls which can cause wrinkles or breaking depending on how brittle your liner is.
• Incorrect chemical levels – Keeping your pool’s chemical levels balanced is important to protect your liner from wrinkles. High chlorine and low pH levels are two culprits of wrinkles. Early signs of unbalanced chemicals can often be seen by a fading or bleaching of your liner. If you see this happening, you may want to consider adjusting your chemical levels.

Besides being unpleasant to look at, wrinkles can also cause damages to your swimming pool. Some problems include dirt getting trapped in the wrinkles, a higher risk of holes and the area of your liner with wrinkles is weakened. Proper swimming pool maintenance is the best way to avoid liner wrinkles. This includes keeping chemicals balanced, maintaining the pool’s water level, regularly inspecting for leaks and opening and closing your pool correctly.

The sooner you catch wrinkles forming, the better your chance is for removing them. Liner wrinkles that have existed for months are nearly impossible to remove, so as soon as you see any, try to remove them. Additionally, they are generally easier to remove with warm water. When you notice wrinkles forming in your pool, there are a few simple ways you can get rid of them. The first trick is using your feet. Wear shoes with soft rubber soles to spread the wrinkles out or move them towards the wall. Another solution is using your hands to push the wrinkles out. No matter where wrinkles are located, remember that draining your swimming pool is not the answer. Pumping the water out of your pool almost always does more damage than good, so use one of these two tricks to try and remove your wrinkles. For additional questions regarding pool liner wrinkles, feel free to contact the professionals at LinerWorld!