Pool swim season in La Plata, MD
Swim season in La Plata without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in La Plata never reaches 78°F in a normal year. It peaks around 77°F in Aug. The air allows up to 5 swimmable months with a heater (May to Sep).
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Heater options for a La Plata pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 0 | no month | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 3 | Jul to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $220 | $770 |
| Gas heater + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $333 | $758 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at MD prices of 21.3¢/kWh electricity and $16/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in La Plata
Solar panels + cover: 4 of 5 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 3 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: Mechanicsville 5 NE, 13.6 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
La Plata 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 | 44° | 35° | 2.2 | 36° | 42° | – | – |
| Feb | 48° | 37° | 3.0 | 36° | 42° | – | – |
| Mar | 56° | 44° | 4.0 | 42° | 48° | – | – |
| Apr | 67° | 55° | 5.1 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
| May | 74° | 63° | 5.8 | 62° | 68° | $156 | $230 |
| Jun | 82° | 71° | 6.4 | 71° | 77° | $40 | $66 |
| Jul | 85° | 76° | 6.3 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Aug | 83° | 74° | 5.6 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Sep | 77° | 67° | 4.5 | 72° | 78° | $24 | $37 |
| Oct | 66° | 56° | 3.4 | 62° | 68° | – | – |
| Nov | 57° | 46° | 2.5 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| Dec | 48° | 38° | 1.9 | 41° | 47° | – | – |
Heating costs most in May (about $156 with a heat pump, $230 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 41.2 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How La Plata compares with nearby cities
La Plata ranks 21 of 23 Maryland cities for unheated swim months; Alexandria, Washington, Falls Church nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, VA | 20 mi | 2 | 5 | $83 |
| Washington, DC | 25 mi | 2 | 5 | $134 |
| Falls Church, VA | 26 mi | 2 | 5 | $126 |
| Fairfax, VA | 28 mi | 0 | 5 | $211 |
| Hyattsville, MD | 29 mi | 2 | 5 | $113 |
| Vienna, VA | 29 mi | 0 | 5 | $211 |