Pool swim season in Hutchinson, KS
Swim season in Hutchinson without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Hutchinson reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 6 swimmable months with a heater (May to Oct).
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Heater options for a Hutchinson 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 | 5 | May to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $177 | $727 |
| Gas heater + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $330 | $755 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at KS prices of 15.3¢/kWh electricity and $15/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Hutchinson
Solar panels + cover: 5 of 6 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $94 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: Hutchinson, 1.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Hutchinson 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 | 45° | 32° | 2.4 | 33° | 39° | – | – |
| Feb | 50° | 36° | 3.2 | 34° | 40° | – | – |
| Mar | 60° | 46° | 4.3 | 42° | 48° | – | – |
| Apr | 70° | 56° | 5.4 | 53° | 59° | – | – |
| May | 79° | 66° | 6.1 | 64° | 70° | $90 | $177 |
| Jun | 89° | 76° | 6.9 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Jul | 94° | 81° | 6.7 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 79° | 6.0 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Sep | 84° | 71° | 4.9 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Oct | 72° | 58° | 3.7 | 65° | 71° | $87 | $153 |
| Nov | 58° | 45° | 2.7 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| Dec | 47° | 35° | 2.2 | 39° | 45° | – | – |
Heating costs most in May (about $90 with a heat pump, $177 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.9 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 60.2 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Hutchinson compares with nearby cities
Hutchinson ranks 8 of 38 Kansas cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McPherson, KS | 25 mi | 2 | 6 | $195 |
| Newton, KS | 31 mi | 2 | 5 | $94 |
| Wichita, KS | 40 mi | 2 | 6 | $168 |
| Bel Aire, KS | 41 mi | 2 | 6 | $169 |
| Haysville, KS | 46 mi | 2 | 6 | $173 |
| Andover, KS | 50 mi | 2 | 6 | $169 |