Pool swim season in Atlanta, GA
Atlanta, GA: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Atlanta reaches 78°F in Jul to Sep, about 3 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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Heater options for a Atlanta pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 3 | Jul to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $212 | $762 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $551 | $976 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at GA prices of 15.5¢/kWh electricity and $20/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Atlanta
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $94 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 1 month 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: Atlanta Fulton County Airport, 5.9 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Atlanta 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 | 54° | 44° | 2.8 | 45° | 51° | – | – |
| Feb | 58° | 48° | 3.3 | 46° | 52° | – | – |
| Mar | 66° | 54° | 4.4 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
| Apr | 74° | 62° | 5.6 | 61° | 67° | $125 | $316 |
| May | 81° | 70° | 6.2 | 69° | 75° | $43 | $121 |
| Jun | 87° | 77° | 6.2 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Jul | 90° | 80° | 6.0 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Aug | 89° | 79° | 5.5 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Sep | 84° | 74° | 4.8 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Oct | 75° | 63° | 4.0 | 69° | 75° | $44 | $114 |
| Nov | 64° | 52° | 3.1 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
| Dec | 56° | 46° | 2.4 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $125 with a heat pump, $316 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.2 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 30.1 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Atlanta compares with nearby cities
Atlanta ranks 46 of 101 Georgia cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Point, GA | 7 mi | 3 | 7 | $169 |
| Decatur, GA | 7 mi | 2 | 7 | $235 |
| Brookhaven, GA | 8 mi | 2 | 7 | $235 |
| College Park, GA | 9 mi | 3 | 7 | $169 |
| Smyrna, GA | 9 mi | 1 | 7 | $281 |
| Mableton, GA | 10 mi | 1 | 7 | $281 |