Pool swim season in Brunswick, GA
Brunswick, GA: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Brunswick reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 8 swimmable months with a heater (Mar to Oct).
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What each heater buys you in Brunswick
| 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 | 8 | Mar to Oct | $186 | $736 |
| Gas heater + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $479 | $904 |
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 Brunswick
Solar panels + cover: 7 of 8 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 a heat pump sized to your pool's surface area; here it beats gas all-in (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Brunswick, 3 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Brunswick 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 | 61° | 53° | 3.0 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
| Feb | 64° | 56° | 3.6 | 55° | 61° | – | – |
| Mar | 70° | 61° | 4.8 | 60° | 66° | $129 | $324 |
| Apr | 76° | 68° | 5.9 | 67° | 73° | $57 | $155 |
| May | 83° | 75° | 6.5 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Jun | 88° | 80° | 6.2 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Jul | 90° | 83° | 6.2 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 89° | 82° | 5.6 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Sep | 84° | 78° | 4.8 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Oct | 78° | 70° | 4.1 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Nov | 69° | 61° | 3.3 | 66° | 72° | – | – |
| Dec | 63° | 55° | 2.6 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $129 with a heat pump, $324 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.5 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 40.6 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Brunswick compares with nearby cities
Brunswick ranks 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Marys, GA | 27 mi | 4 | 8 | $147 |
| Kingsland, GA | 28 mi | 4 | 9 | $346 |
| Fernandina Beach, FL | 33 mi | 4 | 9 | $195 |
| Jesup, GA | 41 mi | 3 | 9 | $423 |
| Hinesville, GA | 48 mi | 4 | 9 | $283 |
| Waycross, GA | 53 mi | 4 | 9 | $318 |