Pool swim season in Gretna, LA
Swim season in Gretna without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Gretna reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 9 swimmable months with a heater (Mar to Nov).
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Heater options for a Gretna pool, side by side
| 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 | 8 | Apr to Nov | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $176 | $726 |
| Gas heater + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $457 | $882 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at LA prices of 13.3¢/kWh electricity and $17/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Gretna
Solar panels + cover: 8 of 9 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: Terrytown 3S, 1.1 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Gretna 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 | 63° | 54° | 3.0 | 55° | 61° | – | – |
| Feb | 66° | 57° | 3.6 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| Mar | 73° | 63° | 4.9 | 62° | 68° | $92 | $236 |
| Apr | 78° | 70° | 5.8 | 69° | 75° | $34 | $95 |
| May | 85° | 77° | 6.5 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Jun | 90° | 82° | 6.1 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Jul | 92° | 84° | 5.6 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 84° | 5.4 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Sep | 89° | 81° | 5.1 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Oct | 81° | 72° | 4.5 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Nov | 72° | 62° | 3.5 | 68° | 74° | $50 | $126 |
| Dec | 65° | 56° | 2.7 | 59° | 65° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $92 with a heat pump, $236 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.5 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 62.9 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Gretna compares with nearby cities
Gretna ranks 9 of 35 Louisiana cities for unheated swim months; New Orleans, Kenner nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 12 mi | 5 | 8 | $115 |
| Kenner, LA | 14 mi | 5 | 9 | $169 |
| Slidell, LA | 31 mi | 4 | 8 | $173 |
| Mandeville, LA | 32 mi | 4 | 8 | $183 |
| Covington, LA | 39 mi | 4 | 8 | $183 |
| Houma, LA | 46 mi | 4 | 9 | $181 |