Pool swim season in Hampton, VA
Hampton, VA: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Hampton reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 5 swimmable months with a heater (May to Sep).
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What each heater buys you in Hampton
| 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 | 5 | May to Sep | $83 | $633 |
| Gas heater + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $169 | $594 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at VA prices of 16.9¢/kWh electricity and $17/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Hampton
Solar cover only: 4 of 5 possible months for about $50 a year all-in, which works out near $25 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: Langley Afb, 3.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Hampton 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 | 49° | 41° | 2.3 | 42° | 48° | – | – |
| Feb | 52° | 43° | 3.1 | 42° | 48° | – | – |
| Mar | 58° | 49° | 4.2 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
| Apr | 68° | 58° | 5.3 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| May | 76° | 67° | 5.9 | 65° | 71° | $83 | $169 |
| Jun | 83° | 75° | 6.4 | 74° | 80° | – | – |
| Jul | 87° | 79° | 6.2 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Aug | 85° | 78° | 5.5 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Sep | 79° | 72° | 4.5 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Oct | 70° | 61° | 3.5 | 67° | 73° | – | – |
| Nov | 60° | 51° | 2.6 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| Dec | 52° | 44° | 2.0 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
Heating costs most in May (about $83 with a heat pump, $169 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 53.4 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Hampton compares with nearby cities
Hampton ranks 5 of 39 Virginia cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poquoson, VA | 6 mi | 2 | 5 | $83 |
| Norfolk, VA | 9 mi | 2 | 6 | $114 |
| Newport News, VA | 13 mi | 2 | 6 | $154 |
| Portsmouth, VA | 13 mi | 2 | 6 | $114 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 24 mi | 2 | 6 | $158 |
| Chesapeake, VA | 25 mi | 2 | 7 | $431 |