Patch it underwater with a vinyl repair kit.

You can fix it yourself without draining the pool.

Small tears and holes in vinyl liners are a common annoyance. The fix is straightforward: get a vinyl patch kit from any pool store or online. It comes with a tube of adhesive and a patch of matching liner material. No draining necessary.

Clean the area underwater as best you can. Use a scrub pad if you have one. Cut the patch into a rounded shape (corners peel up easily). Apply the adhesive to the patch, press it firmly over the tear, and hold for 30-60 seconds. Water pressure from the pool does the rest. Avoid using duct tape or generic adhesives — they won’t stick to wet vinyl.

If the tear is bigger than a few inches or near a seam, you might want a pro. But for a quarter-sized hole? This works fine.

It’s a 15-minute job that can save you hundreds.