Pool swim season in Bel Air, MD
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Bel Air, MD?
An unheated pool in Bel Air reaches 78°F in Aug, about 1 month a year. The air allows up to 5 swimmable months with a heater (May to Sep).
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Heater options for a Bel Air pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 1 | Aug | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 3 | Jul to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $211 | $761 |
| Gas heater + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $321 | $746 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at MD prices of 21.3¢/kWh electricity and $16/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Bel Air
Solar panels + cover: 4 of 5 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 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: Aberdeen Phillips Field, 10.4 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Bel Air 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 | 42° | 33° | 2.0 | 35° | 41° | – | – |
| Feb | 44° | 36° | 2.9 | 34° | 40° | – | – |
| Mar | 53° | 43° | 3.8 | 40° | 46° | – | – |
| Apr | 65° | 54° | 5.0 | 50° | 56° | – | – |
| May | 73° | 63° | 5.5 | 61° | 67° | $165 | $244 |
| Jun | 82° | 72° | 6.2 | 71° | 77° | $36 | $61 |
| Jul | 86° | 77° | 6.2 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Aug | 84° | 75° | 5.4 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Sep | 78° | 69° | 4.4 | 73° | 79° | $10 | $16 |
| Oct | 67° | 57° | 3.2 | 63° | 69° | – | – |
| Nov | 56° | 46° | 2.3 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| Dec | 46° | 38° | 1.7 | 41° | 47° | – | – |
Heating costs most in May (about $165 with a heat pump, $244 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.2 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 13.7 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Bel Air compares with nearby cities
Bel Air ranks 19 of 23 Maryland cities for unheated swim months; Baltimore, Elkton, Newark nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen, MD | 9 mi | 1 | 5 | $211 |
| Havre de Grace, MD | 12 mi | 1 | 5 | $211 |
| Baltimore, MD | 22 mi | 2 | 5 | $111 |
| Elkton, MD | 28 mi | 2 | 5 | $186 |
| Newark, DE | 33 mi | 2 | 5 | $158 |
| Middletown, DE | 34 mi | 2 | 5 | $158 |