Leaving Pool Liners in the Sun

Fading

• Pool liners are made of a ultraviolet ray protective type of vinyl sold in either a 20- or 25- gauge thickness. Over time, it's possible for a pool liner to fade from the sun, but by the time that happens, the liner usually punctures or deteriorates. This will require you to replace the liner. The part of the liner that is vulnerable to fading is at or above the pool liner where the water doesn't cool down the vinyl.

Draining the Pool

• You shouldn't drain a pool unless it absolutely has to be when your pool has a vinyl pool liner. The pool liner will shrink when you drain the pool because the vinyl stretches back to its original state. The older a liner gets, the harder it will be to add the water back into the pool because the liner will have difficulty stretching back out again. In the event you refill the pool without properly stretching or replacing the liner, the weight of the water can cause your pool walls to collapse.

Leave it in the Sun

• Pool liners can become weak and brittle, preventing them from stretching back out without tearing or providing too much resistance. The only way you can salvage a used liner is to leave it in the sun for a few hours on a hot day. The warmth of the sun will heat the liner and make it soft, allowing it to stretch again as the pool is filled up with water. Placing it in a strong afternoon sun is the best approach to warming the liner. Begin to re-fill the pool shortly after the sun starts to bear down on the pool.

Liner Types

• Pool owners have the choice between two main pool liner types, an overlap or beaded liner. Overlap liners are the most common and cost effective. These liner types overlap the pool wall and are held in place by coping strips. For beaded liners, a bead track is installed beneath the pool railing and the liner hooks onto the railing and is held in place.