Pool swim season in Macon-Bibb County, GA
Swim season in Macon-Bibb County without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Macon-Bibb County 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 Macon-Bibb County 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 | $301 | $851 |
| Gas heater + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $755 | $1,180 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at GA prices of 15.5¢/kWh electricity and $20/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Macon-Bibb County
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: Macon Middle Ga Regional Airport, 8.6 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Macon-Bibb County 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 | 59° | 48° | 2.9 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
| Feb | 63° | 51° | 3.5 | 50° | 56° | – | – |
| Mar | 71° | 58° | 4.6 | 56° | 62° | $178 | $426 |
| Apr | 78° | 65° | 5.8 | 64° | 70° | $91 | $240 |
| May | 86° | 73° | 6.3 | 72° | 78° | $16 | $47 |
| Jun | 91° | 80° | 6.2 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Jul | 94° | 83° | 6.1 | 84° | 90° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 81° | 5.5 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Sep | 88° | 76° | 4.9 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Oct | 79° | 66° | 4.1 | 72° | 78° | $16 | $42 |
| Nov | 69° | 56° | 3.2 | 61° | 67° | – | – |
| Dec | 61° | 50° | 2.5 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $178 with a heat pump, $426 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 38.9 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Macon-Bibb County compares with nearby cities
Macon-Bibb County ranks 13 of 101 Georgia cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warner Robins, GA | 15 mi | 4 | 7 | $132 |
| Perry, GA | 23 mi | 4 | 7 | $132 |
| Milledgeville, GA | 33 mi | 3 | 7 | $174 |
| Locust Grove, GA | 44 mi | 3 | 7 | $223 |
| Griffin, GA | 45 mi | 2 | 7 | $196 |
| Dublin, GA | 48 mi | 4 | 8 | $319 |