Pool Liner Out of Receiver

by Antonia
(Queens, New York)

Our in ground pool was completed in Nov. 2008. In the spring of 2009 the cover was removed. The pool liner had come out of the bead receiving track in at least four places.

The pool company said this is very common with new pools. He shoved pieces of plastic in the track which only lasted a short time before coming out again in the same spots and a few new ones.

After a month of hearing "this is common in new pools" he said the track was damaged by the installation of the pavers around the pool. He refused to meet with the paver contractor and now says the track is dirty. He wants to clean the track and use t-lock in it.

After inquiries with pool liner companies and installers they said this should not happen with a new pool. They all felt the liner of the pool is too small. We would very much appreciate your input with this horrible problem we are having.

Hi Antonia

It sounds to me like you are getting the run around because someone does not want to put a new liner in your pool.

The reason the liner keeps coming out might be because it is too small or more likely because it was improperly installed. If the liner was made by the pool manufacture it is probably the correct size. If it is made by a different company it could go either way, bad install or small liner.

A bad install is suspected if the liner has wrinkles in it or if the bottom seam is off center. A bad install should be pretty noticeable and would probably be the reason it keeps coming out.

Another factor that effects beaded liners is the size of the cove. A slightly larger cove would set the seam higher and reduce the pull on the sides.

Beaded liners can be very tricky and it is not at all uncommon to have them way too big or way too small. It may have nothing at all to do with the installer. But, on the other hand, when a liner is too small and it is installed on a warm sunny day, it should not be coming out of the receiver. This is assuming the liner is of good quality and the pool is of good quality. Poor quality materials could cause problems also.

I don't see any way of fixing it correctly without draining the pool and starting over with a new liner, at least that's the way I would handle it.