Patch it yourself — but buy the right kit.

Yes, you can fix most vinyl liner tears yourself. The trick is using a proper underwater patch kit, not duct tape or superglue.

You don’t need to drain the pool — in fact, you shouldn’t. The liner will shrink and shift if you pull all the water out. Just lower the water level below the tear if it’s near the surface, or buy a patch kit designed for underwater application (they usually come with a special adhesive that cures in water).

Clean the area around the tear with a pool liner cleaner or rubbing alcohol. Cut the patch into a circle or oval (corners peel up). Apply the adhesive to both the patch and the liner, press firmly for a minute, and wait 24 hours before messing with it. Most kits come with glue and patches, but spend the extra few bucks for a name-brand kit — the cheap ones fail within a season.

If the tear is longer than six inches or right next to a seam, call a pro. Everything else is a ten-minute job.

One good patch will outlast the rest of the liner.