If your parents were lucky enough to have a pool they probably didn’t change the liner until you were long out of college and well into adulthood. And that’s not because they were too lazy to upgrade – back in the old days pool liners lasted a whopping 25 years.
But times change, and pool liners change with them. The longest-lasting liners on the market now tap out at around 15 years, so you’ll be replacing your’s when your kids are teenagers. This may sound like a hassle but it’s actually a good thing – the chemicals keeping those old liners in good condition weren’t exactly conducive to safe swimming.
Why are today’s pool liners so short-lived?
Sometimes bigger (or, in this case, longer) isn’t always better. The reason ye olde liners made it to a quarter-century is because they were constructed with toxic materials that made them hardy but hazardous.
Vinyl liners made in the 1960s, and right through to the 1980s, contained a laundry list of chemicals that have since been banned from modern manufacturing processes. These include arsenic, lead, formaldehyde, and other scary-sounding toxins.
Nowadays liners are still made of vinyl but regulators are more careful about their content, recognising that chemical burns are not a great look for summer. The industry used to employ around 30,000 chemicals to plasticize or mold liners that number is now closer to 50.
How to get the most out of your pool liner
It’s impossible to say for sure how long your liner will last as their lifespan depends on a number of factors including:
- How well you maintain your pool
- Climate conditions
- The style/shape of your pool
- General wear and tear
As a general rule of thumb, liners should last between 8-12 years but if you notice any of the following, it’s usually a sign that your liner is about to shuffle off to liner heaven:
- Your pool leaks
- Bubbles or wrinkles appear in the liner
- The liner is faded, torn, or stained above the water line
- You notice the liner getting dry and chalky feeling
Based in Winnipeg, UV Pools works with the highest-quality manufacturers in Canada to ensure your liner stays in top shape right to the end. We source our liners from reputable firms who are well-established, or part of a large consortium, so you never find yourself chasing a manufacturer who promises a 15-year liner but goes out of business in year two, leaving you with a useless warranty.
We specialize in pool liner replacement and pool renovations. That’s literally our entire business model so you can be confident we know our stuff. We’ll tell you when your liner should be replaced, if there’s a few more good years left in it, or if it needs a quick repair job.
As Winnipeg’s premier pool people (try saying that after a few beers), we’ve helped hundreds of homeowners make the most of their pools with our professional installation and maintenance services. If you’ve issues with your liner, give us a call to get swimming again asap.