Even though your warranty may cover your pool liner for much longer, most liners won’t last much longer than 10 years. Five to nine years is more likely the average, although some can be used for 15 to 20 years or more. It really depends on your individual circumstances. There are many reasons as to why and when to replace inground pool liners. In this article, we go over the most common causes of pool liner replacement.
Chlorine
Chlorine is absolutely necessary for keeping your swimming pool water fresh and clean, but it does cause wear and tear on your pool liner over time. Just like bleach in your washing machine keeps your clothes clean, but is eventually responsible for holes, chlorine in your pool slowly eats away at your pool liner.
UV Rays
Sunlight is probably the major reason you got a swimming pool in the first place. After all, who wants to be in the pool when it’s cold, cloudy and grey outside? But even though sunlight makes for a perfect day in the pool, it’s UV rays eventually causes your pool liner to get brittle and break down.
Bad Weather
Poor weather conditions not only make for terrible pool days, but they can also cause damage to your pool liner. Heavy rainstorms can change the chemistry of your water and decrease the lifespan of your liner. That’s not to mention tree branches or other debris that can end up in your pool on windy days and can scratch up your liner.
Toenails and Fingernails
Toenails and fingernails of humans and pets can be terrible for a swimming pool liner. All it takes is for a small scratch to occur and it can quickly turn into a large tear that requires you to replace the liner completely. There’s not a whole lot you can do about this other than keep your eyes open for any small scratches. Or implement a strict “trimmed nails only” rule to your pool.
Lawnmowers
It may be hard to understand how your grass can affect your pool liner, but lawnmowers have been known to violently shoot rocks and other debris through the walls and liners of swimming pools. If at all possible, keep your lawnmower outlet pointed away from your swimming pool when mowing your lawn.
Heat and Cold
The combination of heat and cold will cause your pool liner to expand and contract. Over time this stretching will create weak spots that have the potential to fail.
When to Replace Your Liner
If you notice the water level of your pool is falling faster than normal you may have a leak in your pool liner. You should be able to patch it, but the patch won’t last forever. If you start having to patch your liner too often it may be time to think about installing a new liner.