Why Winter Is the Best Time to Book a Liner Replacement
If you already know your above ground pool liner is on its last season, the best time to book the replacement is now, over the winter, not when you pull the cover off in spring. Here’s why booking early gets your pool open sooner, and what to do between now and install day.
Step 1
The spring rush is real
Every spring, most New England pool owners pull back their covers within the same few weeks. That’s when tears, leaks and liners that slipped out of the track over the winter all show up at once, and everyone wants their pool fixed before Memorial Day.
Liner work also depends on the weather. Vinyl installs best when it’s warm enough to be flexible, so the season for liner replacements in Massachusetts and Rhode Island is short, and the calendar fills up fast. Homeowners who wait until the pool is opened often end up waiting weeks to swim.
Step 2
Why booking early pays off
| Book over the winter | Wait until spring |
|---|---|
| Your pool is on the schedule before the rush | You join the line with everyone else |
| Time to compare patterns and liner styles | Rushed decisions to get on the calendar |
| Swimming early in the season | Often weeks of waiting with an unusable pool |
| Skip opening and balancing the old water | Money spent on chemicals for water that gets drained |
If the liner is getting replaced, the old water gets drained anyway. There’s no reason to shock and balance a full pool of winter water first. Your new liner gets a fresh fill.
Step 3
How to know you’ll need one
Most above ground pool liners last 8 to 15 years. You probably already know if yours is close. Signs from last season that point to a replacement:
- You kept adding water all summer and couldn’t find the leak.
- The liner was faded, stiff or cracking at the waterline.
- It pulled out of the track, or you saw wrinkles that never relaxed.
- You patched it more than once.
See the full list in 7 Signs Your Above Ground Pool Liner Needs Replacing and How Long Do Above Ground Pool Liners Last? If the wall or frame is rusting through too, a whole new pool may make more sense. See Pool Replacement.
Step 4
Choose your liner without rushing
Winter is the right time to make the decisions that are hard to make in a hurry:
- Liner style. Overlap, beaded, J-Hook or Uni-Bead depends on how your pool is built and whether you have a deck. Compare them in 6 Pool Liner Attachments for Above Ground Pools.
- Pattern. Browse options on our Pool Liners page, and see How to Choose a Pool Liner Pattern.
- Extras while the pool is empty. A new skimmer and return, or repairs to the base, are easiest to do during a liner change.
- Budget. Get a quick liner estimate now, and look at financing if it helps. See What Affects the Cost of a Liner Replacement?
Step 5
What to do between now and install day
- Keep the pool covered and closed for the winter as usual. See Winterizing an Above Ground Pool in New England.
- Keep snow and water off the cover so it doesn’t stretch the wall or tear the liner further. See How to Combat Pool Winter Damage.
- Take photos of the liner, the top of the wall and the uprights, and send them with your estimate request.
- Clear a path to the pool before install day.
Curious what the day looks like? Read 5 Successful Steps to a Perfect Pool Liner Replacement.
A $120 value, and your pool gets on the schedule before the opening-season rush.
Liner replacements across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Site visits are free.