A vinyl liner is softer and smoother than concrete walls, and it allows you to have a pool in nearly any size or shape. Unfortunately, however, vinyl liners can get ripped or scratched. To protect your liner, you may want to keep the following tips in mind.
1. Trim Overhanging Trees
If you have tree limbs hanging over your pool, they could break and fall into the pool. To lessen this risk, keep your trees trimmed. Remove dead branches at least once a year and thin out the canopy of the tree as needed.
2. Keep Pool Covered When Not in Use
You don't necessarily want to trim living tree branches, but if a serious storm occurs, it could rip those branches off. To protect your pool against that eventuality, you should cover it when not in use. In particular, if there are high winds or storms forecast, you may want to ensure that you are using the pool cover.
This also helps to limit the amount of UV rays that hit the liner. Over time, UV rays can start to break down the vinyl.
3. Keep Sharp Objects Out of the Pool
Don't let sharp objects get into the pool. It's probably unlikely that anyone will ever get into your pool with a fork or a pocket knife, but you should also safeguard against other sharp objects. For example, some children's action figures may have slightly sharp edges that could cut through a vinyl liner. That's especially true for older liners that have started to wear down over time.
4. Don't Let the Dog Swim
Ideally, you should also keep your dog out of the pool if you want to protect the liner. If you have a dog who hits the sides of the pool with his paws, his claws may rip the liner. If your dog loves to swim, keep him away from the sides and bottom of the pool, or consider putting little doggy slippers on him so that his claws can't cut the liner.
5. Fix Scratches or Holes ASAP
If your vinyl liner gets damaged, make sure to fix it as soon as possible. If you wait to do a repair, the damage could spread. Luckily, there are repairs kits that make this job relatively easy. Essentially, you cut a patch and glue it onto the liner. Otherwise, you can hire a pool specialist to do the job for you, like sterns salt water pools.