Question: My pool liner has fallen out of my liner track. Easiest way to get my pool liner back in the liner track? How to put vinyl pool liner back in track ?
Answer: Merodynamic Pools gets a lot of calls for the answer to this question. Your pool liners track is made from plastic or aluminum or steel (old School). Plastic track usually becomes compromised faster then aluminum because of sunlight and chemicals. Aluminum is compromised faster when a pool is not grounded properly or the pool has a salt system with higher than normal salt levels. In over three decades of replaceing vinyl swimming pool liners I’ve witnessed so many pool companies make terrible errors in correcting the issue of a pool liner that has fallen out of it’s track. There are two huge errors that you should always avoid when putting your pool liner back in it’s track. These 2 mistakes that I know to be detrimental and will drastically increase your margin for error instead of success are heat guns and blow dryers. I have seen pool techs and homeowners try both ways. I’ve also noticed that previous pool companies had performed these two procedures with terrible results. Dry heat (Blow Dryers and Heat Guns) will burn your vinyl pool liner or even melt your liner when used to try and get a pool liner back in it’s track. So How do you get a pool liner back in the track? The easiest way with the best chance for success is to follow Merodynamic Pools simple steps. First, make sure that your fingernails are trimmed! I have seen many times where homeowners or other pool companies try to put the liner back in and have embedded or marred the liner because of sharp fingernails. This marred part of the liner will become the first place that a tear may occur when cold water of winter constricts it or when hot weather expands it. Remember that any pool company that charges to perform this task is not specially trained, certified or has a degree in “liners out of their tracks”. It’s not hard to accomplish and the average person can accomplish putting their liner back in the track with ease and great results.Here are the steps that Merodynamic Pools follows:Boil a large (Spaghetti size) pot of water. Bring it to a rolling boil. Don’t be cautious. It will not hurt your liner. I find it easiest when I set the large pot of boiling water next to the area that the pool liner is out of the track and then I use a smaller pot to scoop the boiling water out of the large pot for easy pouring, accuracy, safety and to eliminate spilling t on yourself. Drop your water level (only if necessary) to the bottom of your skimmer. This gives you more available liner to heat up. With a high water level in your swimming pool it may still work but your percentages for success may be reduced because you have less bare liner above the water level to work with. I always try to get the liner in the track before I drop the level to save money. Next, scoop your hot water into the small pot and pour all over the “Liner Bead”(the part at the top of the liner that has a lip on it that hooks into the track. The liner bead goes around the entire pool perimeter.) Pour water on the area that is out of the track and over the liner down to the water line.An easy way to guide the bead into it’s track is to grab the bead and fold it backwards behind the liner and against the structural wall. Then pull up on the liner bead above and passing the track upwards. After you have pulled it higher than the track that it is supposed to go in, start to lower it. This is when I guide it into the liner track where it belongs. If there is ever a small spot that gets pinched and does not go in flush with the track you can either heat it again and repeat these steps or use a credit or plastic card to push the pinched area in. Never use a blunt object such as screw drivers, keys, or something that could puncture the vinyl.This is an easy fix. Swimming Pool companies make a lot of money off of your lack of knowledge for pool liners that have come out of their tracks. Here is a video we made to show you how this is performed.:
Please call Merodynamic Pools if you still have any questions about our procedures. We would be glad to explain it over the phone. 770-720-9905 Click Here to Ask a Swimming Pool Pro Now!
