How a customer's inquiry turned into a lesson in pool liner standards.
*Shelly contacted Family Pool Fun recently to voice her concerns over an above ground pool liner she had purchased from our company. After mentioning to the certified pool professional she hired to install the liner that it was 25 mil thick, he informed her that it was not actually a true 25 mils. Shelly was shocked. So, she contacted us to find out how our liners are measured.
We take our customers concerns very seriously and appreciated the fact that Shelly reached out to us. Sometimes, as was the case with Shelly, a simple bit of missing information is the root cause of a customer's dissatisfaction.
In this case, Shelly had ordered a 25 gauge pool liner. Oftentimes the word "gauge" and "mil" are used interchangeably when discussing
replacement vinyl pool liners, but it is important to note that there is a slight difference between the two. Technically, a mil is exactly
one one-thousandths of an inch (.001"). In the pool industry, this measurement is typically only used to describe in-ground pool liners.
Conversely, above ground pool liners like the one Shelly ordered are most often referred to by their gauge. For example, we list this
Sarasota Tile pool liner
on our site as a 25 gauge liner. The term 'gauge' is roughly equivalent to a mil but can vary somewhat from one manufacturer to another.
So, depending on the liner, it may not be exactly 25 one-thousandths of an inch, or 25 mil, thick.
Liner thickness is an important fact to understand. It may seem like a small difference, but it's a discrepancy that we want Shelly -and all our other customers- to be aware of because the liner is the most important part of an above ground pool. It's common practice in the pool industry to refer to above-ground liners with reference to their gauge, and because of that we would never advertise or sell one as 25 mil. We only deal with top quality liner manufacturers that carefully shape each liner with a minimum of stretch to meet National Spa and Pool Institute standards. We're not aware of any manufacturers that make or sell a true 25 mil thick liner for above-ground pools. In fact, most dealers, whether online or in-store, get their liners from the same limited number of manufacturers. This is why most dealers show similar liner patterns every year. Typically the only difference is going to be in price. With that in mind, please be cautious of anyone that represents an above ground liner as a true 25 mil thick.
Regardless the actual thickness, all our liners are backed by top-notch warranties, and you can rest assured that Family Pool Fun stands behind its products. In this instance, the 25 gauge pool liner Shelly purchased came with our standard 25-year warranty, and we encouraged her to contact us if she ever experiences any problems with it during that time. We certainly want any customer to get in touch if there is an issue with a liner purchased from us.
We understand liners and our staff understands how important a quality liner is to your above ground pool. That's why we keep such a large variety of liner patterns, shapes and sizes to choose from. It's also why we carry a complete line of Above Ground Pool Liner Accessories like Happy Bottom, Wall Foam, Pool Cove, and other items needed for a proper pool liner installation.
We're proud that our pool liners are made in the United States and Canada and that customers can enjoy quality pool liners from our company for years to come. A pool is an investment and we want patrons to be happy with the pools and products that they've chosen from Family Pool Fun, and to enjoy the peace of mind that our warranties offer.
*Not the customer's real name
