Pool swim season in Las Vegas, NV
Swim season in Las Vegas without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Las Vegas reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 8 swimmable months with a heater (Mar to Oct).
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Heater options for a Las Vegas 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 | 7 | Apr to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $183 | $733 |
| Gas heater + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $345 | $770 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at NV prices of 13.4¢/kWh electricity and $13/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Las Vegas
Solar panels + cover: 7 of 8 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: Las Vegas Air Terminal, 4.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Las Vegas 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 | 58° | 49° | 3.0 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
| Feb | 62° | 53° | 4.0 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
| Mar | 71° | 60° | 5.5 | 59° | 65° | $129 | $236 |
| Apr | 78° | 66° | 6.9 | 67° | 73° | $54 | $109 |
| May | 88° | 76° | 7.8 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jun | 99° | 86° | 8.5 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Jul | 104° | 92° | 7.6 | 94° | 100° | – | – |
| Aug | 102° | 90° | 7.1 | 95° | 101° | – | – |
| Sep | 94° | 82° | 6.2 | 89° | 95° | – | – |
| Oct | 81° | 69° | 4.7 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Nov | 67° | 56° | 3.4 | 63° | 69° | – | – |
| Dec | 56° | 47° | 2.7 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $129 with a heat pump, $236 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 8.5 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 36.4 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Las Vegas compares with nearby cities
Las Vegas ranks 4 of 10 Nevada cities for unheated swim months; North Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Las Vegas, NV | 10 mi | 5 | 8 | $162 |
| Henderson, NV | 20 mi | 5 | 8 | $161 |
| Boulder City, NV | 33 mi | 6 | 8 | $133 |
| Mesquite, NV | 75 mi | 4 | 8 | $253 |
| Bullhead City, AZ | 86 mi | 6 | 9 | $144 |
| Kingman, AZ | 99 mi | 4 | 7 | $200 |