Pool swim season in Alachua, FL
Swim season in Alachua without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Alachua reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 10 swimmable months with a heater (Feb to Nov).
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What each heater buys you in Alachua
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 8 | Apr to Nov | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 10 | Feb to Nov | $360 | $910 |
| Gas heater + cover | 10 | Feb to Nov | $1,141 | $1,566 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at FL prices of 15.3¢/kWh electricity and $25/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Alachua
Heat pump + cover: 10 of 10 possible months for about $910 a year all-in, which works out near $152 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 2 months here for about $50 a year (why a cover comes first). If you get quotes, ask for a heat pump sized to your pool's surface area; here it beats gas all-in (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Gainesville 11 WNW, 6.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Alachua month by month: air, sun and pool water
| Month | Air high | Air avg | Sun kWh/m²/day | Water, unheated | Water, covered | Heat pump $ | Gas $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67° | 55° | 3.3 | 57° | 63° | – | – |
| Feb | 71° | 58° | 4.0 | 58° | 64° | $162 | $488 |
| Mar | 77° | 63° | 5.1 | 63° | 69° | $103 | $335 |
| Apr | 82° | 69° | 6.1 | 69° | 75° | $42 | $146 |
| May | 88° | 75° | 6.6 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jun | 91° | 80° | 6.0 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Jul | 92° | 81° | 5.7 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 81° | 5.4 | 84° | 90° | – | – |
| Sep | 89° | 79° | 5.0 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Oct | 83° | 72° | 4.4 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Nov | 76° | 64° | 3.6 | 68° | 74° | $53 | $172 |
| Dec | 69° | 58° | 3.0 | 61° | 67° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Feb (about $162 with a heat pump, $488 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.6 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 31.1 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Alachua compares with nearby cities
Alachua ranks 168 of 173 Florida cities for unheated swim months; Ocala, Green Cove Springs, Jacksonville nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville, FL | 11 mi | 4 | 10 | $364 |
| Lake City, FL | 30 mi | 4 | 9 | $284 |
| Ocala, FL | 46 mi | 5 | 12 | $508 |
| Palatka, FL | 50 mi | 4 | 9 | $175 |
| Green Cove Springs, FL | 50 mi | 5 | 9 | $151 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 63 mi | 5 | 9 | $153 |