Pool swim season in Long Branch, NJ
Long Branch, NJ: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Long Branch never reaches 78°F in a normal year. It peaks around 77°F in Aug. The air allows up to 4 swimmable months with a heater (Jun to Sep).
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Heater options for a Long Branch 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 | 4 | Jun to Sep | $111 | $661 |
| Gas heater + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $139 | $564 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at NJ prices of 24.1¢/kWh electricity and $14/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Long Branch
Solar cover only: 3 of 4 possible months for about $50 a year all-in, which works out near $17 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: Long Branch-Oakhurst, 0.6 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Long Branch 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 | 42° | 33° | 1.9 | 35° | 41° | – | – |
| Feb | 43° | 35° | 2.8 | 34° | 40° | – | – |
| Mar | 49° | 41° | 3.8 | 39° | 45° | – | – |
| Apr | 59° | 50° | 5.0 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
| May | 68° | 60° | 5.6 | 57° | 63° | – | – |
| Jun | 78° | 69° | 6.1 | 68° | 74° | $85 | $107 |
| Jul | 84° | 75° | 6.2 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Aug | 82° | 74° | 5.5 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Sep | 76° | 68° | 4.4 | 72° | 78° | $26 | $32 |
| Oct | 66° | 56° | 3.0 | 62° | 68° | – | – |
| Nov | 56° | 46° | 2.1 | 50° | 56° | – | – |
| Dec | 47° | 38° | 1.6 | 41° | 47° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Jun (about $85 with a heat pump, $107 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jul at 6.2 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 47.3 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Long Branch compares with nearby cities
Long Branch ranks 93 of 116 New Jersey cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eatontown, NJ | 3 mi | 0 | 4 | $115 |
| Asbury Park, NJ | 5 mi | 0 | 4 | $115 |
| Red Bank, NJ | 5 mi | 0 | 4 | $115 |
| Tinton Falls, NJ | 6 mi | 0 | 4 | $115 |
| Freehold, NJ | 15 mi | 0 | 5 | $313 |
| Point Pleasant, NJ | 16 mi | 0 | 5 | $381 |