Pool swim season in La Porte, TX
Swim season in La Porte without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in La Porte 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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Heater options for a La Porte pool, side by side
| 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 | $203 | $753 |
| Gas heater + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $493 | $918 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at TX prices of 16.0¢/kWh electricity and $19/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in La Porte
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: Houston Nwso, 13.7 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
La Porte 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° | 55° | 2.9 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| Feb | 67° | 59° | 3.3 | 57° | 63° | – | – |
| Mar | 73° | 64° | 4.5 | 63° | 69° | $104 | $249 |
| Apr | 78° | 70° | 5.3 | 69° | 75° | $40 | $105 |
| May | 85° | 77° | 6.0 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jun | 90° | 82° | 6.3 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Jul | 92° | 84° | 6.1 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 84° | 5.9 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Sep | 88° | 80° | 5.0 | 84° | 90° | – | – |
| Oct | 82° | 72° | 4.4 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Nov | 73° | 63° | 3.3 | 68° | 74° | $59 | $139 |
| Dec | 66° | 57° | 2.6 | 59° | 65° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $104 with a heat pump, $249 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 47.4 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How La Porte compares with nearby cities
La Porte ranks 177 of 252 Texas cities for unheated swim months; Deer Park, Pasadena, South Houston nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Park, TX | 4 mi | 5 | 9 | $187 |
| Seabrook, TX | 6 mi | 4 | 9 | $199 |
| Pasadena, TX | 6 mi | 5 | 9 | $187 |
| Baytown, TX | 8 mi | 4 | 9 | $266 |
| Webster, TX | 10 mi | 4 | 9 | $203 |
| South Houston, TX | 11 mi | 5 | 9 | $187 |