Pool swim season in Los Lunas, NM
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Los Lunas, NM?
An unheated pool in Los Lunas reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
What each heater buys you in Los Lunas
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 2 | Jul to Aug | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $372 | $922 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $431 | $856 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at NM prices of 15.3¢/kWh electricity and $10/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Los Lunas
Gas heater + cover: 7 of 7 possible months for about $856 a year all-in, which works out near $171 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 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: Los Lunas 3 SSW, 2.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Los Lunas 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 | 51° | 35° | 3.4 | 36° | 42° | – | – |
| Feb | 58° | 41° | 4.3 | 39° | 45° | – | – |
| Mar | 66° | 48° | 5.8 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
| Apr | 73° | 55° | 7.0 | 56° | 62° | $188 | $210 |
| May | 82° | 64° | 7.8 | 64° | 70° | $86 | $109 |
| Jun | 92° | 74° | 8.1 | 74° | 80° | – | – |
| Jul | 93° | 78° | 7.3 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Aug | 91° | 76° | 6.7 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Sep | 85° | 68° | 5.9 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Oct | 74° | 56° | 4.9 | 64° | 70° | $98 | $112 |
| Nov | 61° | 44° | 3.7 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| Dec | 50° | 35° | 3.0 | 39° | 45° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $188 with a heat pump, $210 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 8.1 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 42.6 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Los Lunas compares with nearby cities
Los Lunas ranks 14 of 19 New Mexico cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | 22 mi | 2 | 7 | $348 |
| Rio Rancho, NM | 34 mi | 2 | 7 | $313 |
| Santa Fe, NM | 75 mi | 0 | 5 | $300 |
| Española, NM | 92 mi | 0 | 6 | $368 |
| Las Vegas, NM | 105 mi | 0 | 5 | $391 |
| Gallup, NM | 121 mi | 0 | 5 | $272 |