Pool swim season in High Point, NC
Swim season in High Point without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in High Point 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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Heater options for a High Point pool, side by side
| 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 | $236 | $786 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $508 | $933 |
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 High Point
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: High Pt, 2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
High Point 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° | 42° | 2.6 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Feb | 56° | 45° | 3.3 | 44° | 50° | – | – |
| Mar | 64° | 52° | 4.3 | 50° | 56° | – | – |
| Apr | 74° | 62° | 5.5 | 59° | 65° | $132 | $278 |
| May | 80° | 69° | 6.0 | 68° | 74° | $48 | $111 |
| Jun | 87° | 76° | 6.4 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jul | 89° | 79° | 6.1 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Aug | 88° | 78° | 5.5 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Sep | 82° | 72° | 4.6 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Oct | 73° | 62° | 3.7 | 68° | 74° | $56 | $119 |
| Nov | 62° | 51° | 2.9 | 57° | 63° | – | – |
| Dec | 54° | 44° | 2.3 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $132 with a heat pump, $278 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 70.4 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How High Point compares with nearby cities
High Point ranks 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archdale, NC | 6 mi | 2 | 7 | $236 |
| Thomasville, NC | 9 mi | 2 | 7 | $236 |
| Kernersville, NC | 9 mi | 2 | 7 | $294 |
| Greensboro, NC | 12 mi | 2 | 7 | $283 |
| Summerfield, NC | 15 mi | 2 | 7 | $292 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 17 mi | 2 | 7 | $296 |