Pool swim season in Lake Wales, FL
Swim season in Lake Wales without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Lake Wales reaches 78°F in May to Oct, about 6 months a year. The air allows up to 12 swimmable months with a heater (all year).
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
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- S
- O
- N
- D
Heater options for a Lake Wales pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 8 | Apr to Nov | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 11 | Feb to Dec | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 12 | all year | $275 | $825 |
| Gas heater + cover | 12 | all year | $914 | $1,339 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at FL prices of 15.3¢/kWh electricity and $25/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Lake Wales
Solar panels + cover: 11 of 12 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $57 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: Mountain Lake, 1.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Lake Wales 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 | 75° | 62° | 3.6 | 64° | 70° | $91 | $292 |
| Feb | 78° | 65° | 4.3 | 65° | 71° | $77 | $259 |
| Mar | 82° | 69° | 5.4 | 70° | 76° | $38 | $133 |
| Apr | 86° | 74° | 6.2 | 74° | 80° | – | – |
| May | 90° | 78° | 6.5 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Jun | 92° | 82° | 5.9 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Jul | 93° | 83° | 5.8 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 93° | 83° | 5.5 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Sep | 91° | 81° | 5.1 | 84° | 90° | – | – |
| Oct | 86° | 76° | 4.6 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Nov | 80° | 69° | 3.8 | 73° | 79° | $7 | $24 |
| Dec | 76° | 65° | 3.3 | 67° | 73° | $62 | $206 |
Heating costs most in Jan (about $91 with a heat pump, $292 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.5 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 47.8 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Lake Wales compares with nearby cities
Lake Wales ranks 104 of 173 Florida cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Haven, FL | 12 mi | 6 | 12 | $273 |
| Haines City, FL | 13 mi | 6 | 12 | $273 |
| Bartow, FL | 14 mi | 6 | 12 | $327 |
| Davenport, FL | 17 mi | 6 | 12 | $273 |
| Auburndale, FL | 18 mi | 6 | 12 | $273 |
| Avon Park, FL | 24 mi | 6 | 12 | $313 |