Repair a Pond Liner on Your Own
If you have noticed that your pond is no longer holding water like it should, whether it is a fast leak or a slow leak, you need to take action as soon as possible. If you wait too long to repair a pond liner, it could get worse. In addition, it could be harmful for the plants and fish that you have in the pond, which is the last thing you want.
When you are getting ready to repair a pond liner, you first need to consider the type of liner you have for your pond. First, you have to determine what is causing the leak, though.
Look for the Obvious Problems First
Before you drain the pond and start looking for holes, you should look for any simple to fix issues that could be causing the leak. For example, if the liner slips out of place, simply moving it back into the correct position can fix the problem. In other cases, there could be something lodges in the pump’s plumbing that is causing the issue. Turn off the pump and then check to see if there is anything blocking the plumbing that could cause the water to overflow and spill out of the pond.
If you do not find any obvious problems, you will want to find the source of the leak. In some instances, this will require that you remove the plants and fish that you have in the pond for their safety while you look for the leak, and when you repair the pond liner. Once you find the source of the leak, regardless of the type of liner, you can start the repairs.
Plastic Liners
If you have a PVC plastic liner that has a hole in it, the first thing you should to is clean the area and let it dry. You will then want to use a hair dryer to warm up the area, as this will help the patch stay in place when you first apply it. Instead of using glue, you will want to use PVC sheeting cement when you apply the patch. Place the cement on the liner as well as the patch, and then let it get to the point where it is not tacky when you touch it. Then you can apply the patch. Press and hold it in place for about 30 seconds and make sure there are no wrinkles.
EPDM Liners
If you have an EPDM liner, you will repair the pond liner in a similar fashion, but the material you use will be different. You need to have an EPDM patch to repair the pond liner. You can buy a kit that has everything you need, or you can use a piece of the EPDM that you might have leftover. Clean the area and then apply glue to the patch and the liner after heating them up a bit with a hair dryer. It should never get to the point where it is too hot to touch. Apply the patch and hold it in place for 30 seconds, ensuring there aren’t any creases.
These are simple repairs that you can do on your own. Then, just let them dry and refill with water and check to make sure the liner holds.
