Pool swim season in Beaufort, SC
Swim season in Beaufort without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Beaufort reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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What each heater buys you in Beaufort
| 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 | 7 | Apr to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $73 | $623 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $159 | $584 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at SC prices of 15.9¢/kWh electricity and $17/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Beaufort
Solar cover only: 6 of 7 possible months for about $50 a year all-in, which works out near $25 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 gas as well as a heat pump: once the purchase price is counted, gas comes out cheaper all-in here (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Beaufort Mcas, 1.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Beaufort 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 | 60° | 50° | 3.0 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
| Feb | 64° | 53° | 3.6 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
| Mar | 70° | 59° | 4.8 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
| Apr | 77° | 67° | 6.1 | 66° | 72° | $72 | $157 |
| May | 84° | 74° | 6.5 | 74° | 80° | $1 | $2 |
| Jun | 89° | 80° | 6.5 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Jul | 92° | 83° | 6.4 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 90° | 82° | 5.7 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Sep | 86° | 78° | 4.9 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Oct | 78° | 69° | 4.2 | 74° | 80° | – | – |
| Nov | 69° | 59° | 3.3 | 64° | 70° | – | – |
| Dec | 63° | 53° | 2.6 | 55° | 61° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $72 with a heat pump, $157 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.5 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 21.4 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Beaufort compares with nearby cities
Beaufort ranks 6 of 42 South Carolina cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Royal, SC | 7 mi | 4 | 9 | $296 |
| Hilton Head Island, SC | 19 mi | 4 | 9 | $296 |
| Bluffton, SC | 21 mi | 4 | 9 | $316 |
| Hardeeville, SC | 22 mi | 4 | 9 | $321 |
| Rincon, GA | 32 mi | 4 | 9 | $312 |
| Port Wentworth, GA | 34 mi | 4 | 9 | $312 |