All ponds, regardless of their size or intended use, tend to perform better and last longer when lined. Yet, not every liner will specifically help a pond last through the winter. Some liners are worse than not having one at all, when it comes to dealing with ice and freezing temperatures. Making the right choice is simply a matter of understanding how a liner can benefit a pond and which materials provide the most benefits. Find out why a durable liner is a worthwhile investment for any year-round water feature; even for natural ponds.
Keeping Water In
The primary purpose of any pond liner is to keep water from seeping or leaking out into the surrounding soil. This remains the primary benefit in the winter too, since water loss is a major problem during the season. Soil movement and cracking happens primarily in the winter, in many areas, because of the frost cycle. Frost expands to push soil apart, then melts away to leave a gap that encourages leaking. Leaking ponds can kill fish when all the water drains out from under the ice on the surface or while no one is visiting in the off season. Make sure all ponds you intend to keep filled over the winter are lined since a leak in an unlined pond can open up overnight in this season.
Preventing Frost Heaving
Frost heaving is another problem common to ponds. This issue can be prevented or controlled with a flexible liner. As with the expansion that causes leaks in compacted soil, frost heaving is a process that unsettles the entire surface of the soil. A heaved area can be much lower or higher than normal. An unlined pond will likely leak badly around sections of heave, and the problem can even be caused by the soil saturation from the pond. Lining the pond keeps the soil as dry as possible so it stays in place and supports the liner in return.
Stretching with Expansion
Steer away from pre-formed and rigid pond liners anywhere freezing temperatures occur. These pond liners in particular are prone to cracking and snapping when the water in them freezes and expands. Flexible liners are the best choice for any cold climate where ice expansion will be an eventuality. Choose a reinforced material, to ensure that being stretched in multiple directions won’t stress or tear the material. BTL Liners has multiple pond liners to choose from that all offer maximum stretch to prevent cracking and tearing when cold temperatures make materials brittle.
Protecting from Pests
Durable liners also help protect ponds from opportunistic pests looking for a place to sleep for the winter. Heated ponds, in particular, tend to attract animals that burrow below the surface and want to dig near the water. Tunnels and burrows breach through the surface eventually, creating large leaks that rapidly suck water out of the pond and cause other erosion issues underground. Reinforced liners, such as reinforced polyethylene (RPE), are the first line of defense against this kind of damage.
Insulating with Extra Materials
It’s possible to add special closed cell foams, poly fiber mats, and other insulating materials under a pond to keep it warmer than usual. While these insulation materials won’t replace the need for heating or de-icing, they do make supplemental heat last a lot longer in the pond. You’ll definitely need a liner between any of these materials and the water of the pond itself. For the best protection against leaks and damage, try a layer of liner under the insulation as well. This creates a sandwich to stop leaks before they can become serious, giving you time to replace an aging or damaged liner.
A flexible liner is definitely the best choice for protecting any pond designed to last through multiple winters in a cold climate. Yet, there’s a big difference between a pond liner meant for harsh winters and materials meant primarily for hot climates. Make sure you’re getting the right liner for your pond project by discussing the details with our team here at BTL Liners.
