Pool swim season in Fuquay-Varina, NC
Fuquay-Varina, NC: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Fuquay-Varina reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 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 Fuquay-Varina
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 2 | Jul to Aug | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $324 | $874 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $673 | $1,098 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at NC prices of 14.9¢/kWh electricity and $16/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Fuquay-Varina
Heat pump + cover: 7 of 7 possible months for about $874 a year all-in, which works out near $175 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: Garner, 7.6 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Fuquay-Varina 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 | 52° | 40° | 2.6 | 41° | 47° | – | – |
| Feb | 56° | 42° | 3.3 | 41° | 47° | – | – |
| Mar | 64° | 50° | 4.3 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
| Apr | 72° | 59° | 5.5 | 57° | 63° | $163 | $330 |
| May | 78° | 66° | 6.1 | 66° | 72° | $71 | $160 |
| Jun | 85° | 74° | 6.4 | 74° | 80° | $3 | $8 |
| Jul | 88° | 78° | 6.2 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Aug | 87° | 76° | 5.5 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Sep | 80° | 70° | 4.6 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Oct | 71° | 59° | 3.7 | 65° | 71° | $87 | $175 |
| Nov | 61° | 48° | 2.9 | 53° | 59° | – | – |
| Dec | 54° | 42° | 2.3 | 45° | 51° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $163 with a heat pump, $330 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 27.5 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Fuquay-Varina compares with nearby cities
Fuquay-Varina ranks 75 of 91 North 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holly Springs, NC | 5 mi | 2 | 7 | $304 |
| Apex, NC | 10 mi | 2 | 7 | $279 |
| Garner, NC | 10 mi | 2 | 7 | $324 |
| Cary, NC | 12 mi | 2 | 7 | $279 |
| Morrisville, NC | 16 mi | 2 | 7 | $244 |
| Raleigh, NC | 17 mi | 2 | 7 | $247 |