Pool swim season in Laredo, TX
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Laredo, TX?
An unheated pool in Laredo reaches 78°F in May to Oct, about 6 months a year. The air allows up to 10 swimmable months with a heater (Feb to Nov).
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
Heater options for a Laredo pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 7 | Apr to Oct | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 10 | Feb to Nov | $194 | $744 |
| Gas heater + cover | 10 | Feb to Nov | $471 | $896 |
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 Laredo
Solar panels + cover: 9 of 10 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 1 month 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: Laredo 2, 0.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Laredo 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 | 68° | 58° | 3.2 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
| Feb | 74° | 63° | 4.0 | 61° | 67° | $122 | $289 |
| Mar | 81° | 70° | 4.9 | 68° | 74° | $52 | $133 |
| Apr | 88° | 77° | 5.7 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| May | 94° | 83° | 6.2 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Jun | 99° | 88° | 7.0 | 89° | 95° | – | – |
| Jul | 100° | 89° | 6.8 | 92° | 98° | – | – |
| Aug | 101° | 89° | 6.7 | 93° | 99° | – | – |
| Sep | 94° | 84° | 5.4 | 89° | 95° | – | – |
| Oct | 87° | 77° | 4.7 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Nov | 77° | 66° | 3.6 | 72° | 78° | $20 | $49 |
| Dec | 69° | 59° | 3.0 | 62° | 68° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Feb (about $122 with a heat pump, $289 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 7.0 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 6.8 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Laredo compares with nearby cities
Laredo ranks 6 of 252 Texas cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roma, TX | 85 mi | 6 | 12 | $454 |
| Alice, TX | 88 mi | 6 | 11 | $313 |
| Rio Grande City, TX | 91 mi | 6 | 12 | $460 |
| Eagle Pass, TX | 99 mi | 4 | 10 | $403 |
| Kingsville, TX | 100 mi | 6 | 11 | $351 |
| Robstown, TX | 113 mi | 6 | 10 | $246 |