Pool swim season in Houma, LA
Swim season in Houma without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Houma 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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What each heater buys you in Houma
| 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 | $181 | $731 |
| Gas heater + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $471 | $896 |
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 Houma
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: Houma, 7.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Houma 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 | 64° | 54° | 3.0 | 55° | 61° | – | – |
| Feb | 67° | 58° | 3.6 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| Mar | 73° | 64° | 4.9 | 62° | 68° | $90 | $233 |
| Apr | 78° | 69° | 5.8 | 69° | 75° | $36 | $99 |
| May | 85° | 76° | 6.5 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jun | 90° | 81° | 6.1 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Jul | 91° | 83° | 5.6 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 91° | 83° | 5.4 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Sep | 89° | 80° | 5.1 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Oct | 82° | 71° | 4.5 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Nov | 72° | 62° | 3.5 | 67° | 73° | $55 | $139 |
| Dec | 66° | 56° | 2.7 | 59° | 65° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $90 with a heat pump, $233 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.5 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 21.9 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Houma compares with nearby cities
Houma ranks 23 of 35 Louisiana cities for unheated swim months; Morgan City, Kenner, New Orleans nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thibodaux, LA | 16 mi | 4 | 9 | $171 |
| Morgan City, LA | 30 mi | 5 | 9 | $175 |
| Kenner, LA | 40 mi | 5 | 9 | $169 |
| Gretna, LA | 46 mi | 4 | 9 | $176 |
| Gonzales, LA | 46 mi | 4 | 9 | $232 |
| New Orleans, LA | 57 mi | 5 | 8 | $115 |