Pool swim season in Gainesville, GA
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Gainesville, GA?
An unheated pool in Gainesville 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 Gainesville
| 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 | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $245 | $795 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $630 | $1,055 |
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 Gainesville
Solar panels + cover: 6 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 a heat pump sized to your pool's surface area; here it beats gas all-in (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Gainesville Lee Gilmer Mem Airport, 1.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Gainesville 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 | 51° | 42° | 2.7 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Feb | 55° | 46° | 3.3 | 44° | 50° | – | – |
| Mar | 63° | 53° | 4.3 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| Apr | 72° | 61° | 5.5 | 59° | 65° | $138 | $345 |
| May | 79° | 69° | 6.1 | 68° | 74° | $52 | $145 |
| Jun | 85° | 76° | 6.3 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jul | 88° | 79° | 6.1 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Aug | 87° | 78° | 5.6 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Sep | 81° | 72° | 4.8 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Oct | 72° | 62° | 3.9 | 68° | 74° | $55 | $140 |
| Nov | 62° | 52° | 3.0 | 57° | 63° | – | – |
| Dec | 53° | 45° | 2.3 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $138 with a heat pump, $345 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 38.2 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Gainesville compares with nearby cities
Gainesville ranks 78 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowery Branch, GA | 10 mi | 2 | 7 | $245 |
| Braselton, GA | 13 mi | 2 | 7 | $245 |
| Buford, GA | 15 mi | 2 | 7 | $289 |
| Jefferson, GA | 17 mi | 2 | 7 | $265 |
| Sugar Hill, GA | 18 mi | 2 | 7 | $290 |
| Cumming, GA | 18 mi | 2 | 7 | $290 |