Back in Granite Bay, Michelle loved the shade from the massive oak tree that hovered over her backyard. It made her poolside afternoons cooler and picture-perfect. That is—until she noticed the tiles along the edge of her pool starting to crack. Then came the raised coping, the uneven deck, and a mysterious drop in water level. The culprit? Roots.

Trees might add beauty and shade, but they can cause serious damage to your pool if you're not paying attention. From clogging filters to cracking concrete, here’s what every Northern California homeowner should know.

When the breeze picked up in Granite Bay one summer afternoon, Jennifer barely noticed. But by the next morning, her pool looked like it had been carpeted in pine needles, leaves, and those tiny helicopter seeds from the trees behind her fence. The filter was clogged, the skimmer basket was overflowing, and her once-clear pool had turned into a leafy mess.

Living in Northern California means shade trees and greenery—but it also means seasonal pool trouble. Here’s how tree debris can quietly mess with your pool water, your equipment, and even your surfaces if you’re not on top of it.

Carlos loved everything about his backyard pool in Lincoln—except for the mystery of the popping tiles. It started with one near the steps. Then two more broke loose along the waterline. By the end of July, it looked like the pool was trying to shed its skin. “What is going on?” he asked. “It’s like the heat is pulling them right off the wall.”

He wasn’t far off.

Every summer in Northern California, especially around Lincoln, Rocklin, Loomis, and Granite Bay, we hear from homeowners dealing with pool tiles cracking, shifting, or falling off. And while it may seem like random wear and tear, there’s a reason behind the madness—and a few things you can do to stop it.

Brent had always been proud of his backyard pool in Granite Bay. He skimmed it daily, vacuumed it weekly, and kept the chlorine steady. But even with all that effort, the water still looked a little…off. Not green, not cloudy—just dull. His kids started complaining about itchy skin, and one day he noticed a slick film near the steps. “How is this happening?” he asked. “I clean it all the time.”

The truth is, many Northern California pool owners are cleaning their pools—just not the right way. And when cleaning is done wrong (or out of order), it can actually make things worse.

It was a classic Saturday afternoon in Roseville. The Hendersons had friends over for burgers, cornhole, and splashes in the pool. The kids brought floaties, the adults brought sunscreen, and the grill stayed busy for hours. By the time the sun went down, everyone agreed—it was the perfect backyard BBQ. On Monday, though, Mrs. Henderson noticed the water looked a little hazy. It didn’t smell right either. “But we cleaned everything before the party,” she said.

That’s the thing—your pool might look okay after a party, but chemically? It could be crying for help.

Kelsey thought her pool in Granite Bay was finally ready for a relaxing weekend. The sun was out, the furniture was set, and she’d even picked up new pool floats. But when she pulled the cover back, her heart sank—the water had a weird brown tint. It didn’t smell bad, and it wasn’t foamy, but it definitely wasn’t the sparkling blue she expected. "What is that?" she muttered.

If you’ve ever walked out to your backyard in Lincoln, Rocklin, Loomis, or anywhere in Northern California and noticed brown water in your pool, you’re not alone. And no, your pool isn’t just dirty—it’s likely reacting to metals, source water, or organic debris.

Dylan hadn’t had to top off his pool in nearly a month, which was odd for late June in Rocklin. No big splash-outs, no obvious leaks, just stubbornly low water that kept creeping downward. Then came the notices—local water restrictions were going into effect. He figured he’d just ride it out, but within a couple weeks, his pool turned a little hazy, then fully cloudy. "I haven’t changed anything," he said. "Why does it look like a swamp now?"

It’s not just about water levels—drought affects your pool chemistry in ways most Northern California homeowners don’t expect.

It started with a faint line of white creeping along the waterline tiles. Then came the dull green haze that wouldn't scrub off. By the end of the month, the once-pristine mosaic bordering Amanda's backyard pool in Rocklin looked like it had aged twenty years overnight. Her water was clear. The filter was running. So what went wrong?

If you’ve noticed your pool tiles changing color—white, green, brown, or worse—it’s not just a cosmetic issue. It’s a warning sign. And in Northern California, where mineral levels and heat can fluctuate wildly, ignoring the signals could lead to permanent staining, scaling, or surface damage.

It started with a few dead bugs here and there. No big deal, right? But by mid-June, Ellie from Rocklin was fishing out bees, beetles, earwigs, and even a drowning lizard almost every morning. The pool didn’t smell bad. The water wasn’t cloudy. But it was starting to feel like a petting zoo—and not the fun kind.

If you live in Northern California and find yourself scooping up more bugs than leaves, you’re not alone. Certain regional conditions make pools here a bug magnet—but the good news is, you can do something about it.

It started with a small tear on the side, barely noticeable. Then Ashley noticed her hot tub wasn’t holding temperature overnight. The water was a little cooler, the chemical smell a little stronger. She shrugged it off—until her next energy bill came in, sky-high and screaming for attention. One soggy, heavy cover later, Ashley realized she’d ignored the problem for too long.

If you own a hot tub, your spa cover is more than just a lid—it’s one of the hardest-working parts of your setup. And when it stops working properly, your hot tub can become a money pit, a bacteria trap, or both.

Here’s how to tell if it’s time to say goodbye to that old cover and upgrade.

It was supposed to be the best birthday bash of the summer. Kristen invited the whole neighborhood over—kids, neighbors, even her sister's Golden Retriever. The grill was hot, the music louder, and her pool crystal clear. But the next morning? That “sparkling blue” water had turned cloudy gray.

The filters were humming. The pump was running. But the pool looked like someone stirred in a gallon of milk.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. After a big pool party, even the cleanest swimming pool can turn murky. Here's why it happens—and what to do about it.

Nate thought he had everything set. His pool heater kicked on, the digital display lit up, and he waited for that perfect warm water moment. But after 30 minutes of anticipation, he dipped his toe in—and immediately pulled it back out. The water was lukewarm at best. “What’s the point of having a heater,” he muttered, “if it’s just going to pretend to work?”

If your pool or hot tub heater turns on but isn’t doing the job, there are several things that might be standing in the way of that cozy swim. Some are simple fixes. Others point to larger maintenance problems you don’t want to ignore.

Derek looked out over his backyard in Loomis, admiring the pool water glistening in the late afternoon sun. “Looks great,” he said. “Clean as can be.” But by midweek, his kids were itching like crazy after swimming, and his wife noticed a strange smell. The pool looked clear—but it was anything but clean.

Here’s the truth: clear water doesn’t mean your pool is healthy. In fact, some of the biggest water problems are invisible.

Lena couldn’t figure it out. Her pool wasn’t green, but it wasn’t exactly crystal clear either. It had this constant haze, like a pair of sunglasses had been dunked in the deep end. She checked the chlorine levels—fine. Cleaned the skimmer baskets—did that yesterday. Her pump was humming away like normal. “So why,” she muttered, “does it still look like a ghost lives in there?”

Here’s the thing: just because your pool filter is technically working doesn’t mean it’s doing its job well. And that can be the difference between a sparkling pool and a murky mystery.

Mark thought the sharp smell coming from his backyard pool meant it was clean. “Must be the chlorine doing its job,” he told his wife as their kids cannonballed in. But by the next day, everyone had red, itchy eyes, and the water had gone from “just a little smelly” to “what died in there?” Spoiler alert: it wasn’t the chlorine — it was what the chlorine had failed to fight off.

If your pool water smells like a chemical plant or has a funky odor you can’t quite describe, your water’s trying to tell you something — and it’s not good.

Amanda had planned everything down to the last detail—string lights, wine glasses, and a night under the stars in her hot tub with a few friends. But what started as a relaxing evening quickly turned into a murky mess. By the next morning, the water looked cloudy, the sanitizer level had plummeted, and the tub smelled… off. What happened? Too many bathers. That’s what happened.

Hot tub owners often underestimate just how much human bodies can affect hot tub water. Between lotions, oils, sweat, dirt, and a surprising amount of dead skin, your hot tub becomes a chemical warzone when overloaded with guests. Let’s break down how heavy usage wrecks your water quality—and what you can do to keep things clean, warm, and inviting.

A couple in Granite Bay had the pool ready for their son’s graduation party. They vacuumed, skimmed, and added chemicals. It looked good—until two days before the big day when the pool water turned green and cloudy. Algae had built up along the walls.

They had skipped one step: brushing.

If you’re not brushing your pool walls on a regular basis, you’re setting yourself up for cloudy water, poor water balance, and, yes, some very expensive repairs down the road.

When Tyler finished shocking the pool, he figured it was safe to swim a few hours later. The water looked good—clear, no smell, no weird color. So, in went the kids.

By that evening, they were complaining about red eyes, itchy skin, and one even had nausea.

What went wrong? Tyler didn’t wait long enough.

Last August, a small wildfire broke out just a few miles from Melanie’s home in Loomis. The flames never reached her backyard, but the smoke and falling ash blanketed everything—especially her pool. The water turned cloudy, the chemical levels crashed, and her once-clear pool was now an expensive science experiment. She called us in a panic.

If you live in Northern California, you already know wildfire season is real—and it doesn’t just affect your air. It can wreak havoc on your pool.

Here’s how to protect your swimming pool, hot tub, and spa during fire season—and what to do when ash hits the water.

Julie noticed her water bill creeping higher, even though her kids had barely been in the pool that week. The pool looked a little low, but it had been hot lately, so she figured it was just evaporation. Two weeks later, the level dropped even more, her pump started making angry noises, and the water turned a weird shade of cloudy green. Turns out, she wasn’t dealing with evaporation at all. She had a slow leak that was slowly sabotaging her entire pool system.

If you’re in Northern California and trying to figure out whether your pool is just evaporating or leaking, you’re not alone. Let’s clear up the confusion and save you from more damage (and a higher water bill).