Pool swim season in Desert Hot Springs, CA
Desert Hot Springs, CA: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Desert Hot Springs 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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What each heater buys you in Desert Hot Springs
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 3 | Jul to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 5 | Jun to Oct | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $346 | $896 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $450 | $875 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at CA prices of 32.6¢/kWh electricity and $22/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Desert Hot Springs
Solar panels + cover: 7 of 7 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $71 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: Morongo Valley N, 9 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Desert Hot Springs 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 | 59° | 50° | 3.4 | 50° | 56° | – | – |
| Feb | 61° | 51° | 4.3 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
| Mar | 66° | 56° | 5.7 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| Apr | 73° | 60° | 7.0 | 62° | 68° | $245 | $310 |
| May | 80° | 67° | 7.9 | 69° | 75° | $101 | $140 |
| Jun | 89° | 76° | 8.4 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Jul | 94° | 81° | 7.8 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Aug | 94° | 82° | 7.3 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Sep | 88° | 77° | 6.3 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Oct | 78° | 68° | 5.0 | 74° | 80° | – | – |
| Nov | 67° | 57° | 3.7 | 63° | 69° | – | – |
| Dec | 59° | 50° | 3.0 | 53° | 59° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $245 with a heat pump, $310 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 8.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 51.0 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Desert Hot Springs compares with nearby cities
Desert Hot Springs ranks 42 of 376 California cities for unheated swim months; Cathedral City, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cathedral City, CA | 10 mi | 6 | 11 | $705 |
| Palm Springs, CA | 11 mi | 6 | 11 | $731 |
| Yucca Valley, CA | 13 mi | 3 | 7 | $404 |
| Rancho Mirage, CA | 15 mi | 6 | 11 | $705 |
| Palm Desert, CA | 18 mi | 6 | 11 | $701 |
| Banning, CA | 20 mi | 3 | 9 | $844 |