Pool swim season in Glasgow, KY
Glasgow, KY: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Glasgow 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 Glasgow
| 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 | $271 | $821 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $522 | $947 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at KY prices of 14.2¢/kWh electricity and $14/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Glasgow
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: Glasgow, 1.1 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Glasgow 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 | 47° | 38° | 2.0 | 39° | 45° | – | – |
| Feb | 52° | 42° | 2.7 | 40° | 46° | – | – |
| Mar | 62° | 50° | 3.8 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
| Apr | 73° | 60° | 5.1 | 57° | 63° | $149 | $279 |
| May | 81° | 69° | 5.7 | 67° | 73° | $57 | $119 |
| Jun | 87° | 76° | 6.3 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Jul | 90° | 79° | 6.1 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Aug | 90° | 78° | 5.6 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Sep | 84° | 71° | 4.7 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Oct | 74° | 61° | 3.5 | 67° | 73° | $65 | $124 |
| Nov | 60° | 50° | 2.5 | 55° | 61° | – | – |
| Dec | 51° | 41° | 1.8 | 44° | 50° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $149 with a heat pump, $279 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 66.7 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Glasgow compares with nearby cities
Glasgow ranks 6 of 42 Kentucky cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green, KY | 28 mi | 2 | 7 | $287 |
| Campbellsville, KY | 39 mi | 2 | 6 | $179 |
| Franklin, KY | 40 mi | 2 | 6 | $140 |
| Portland, TN | 44 mi | 2 | 6 | $136 |
| Hartsville/Trousdale County, TN | 44 mi | 2 | 7 | $325 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | 48 mi | 0 | 5 | $117 |