Pool swim season in McAllen, TX
Swim season in McAllen without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in McAllen reaches 78°F in May to Oct, about 6 months a year. The air allows up to 12 swimmable months with a heater (all year).
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What each heater buys you in McAllen
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 8 | Apr to Nov | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 12 | all year | $351 | $901 |
| Gas heater + cover | 12 | all year | $832 | $1,257 |
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 McAllen
Heat pump + cover: 12 of 12 possible months for about $901 a year all-in, which works out near $150 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: Mcallen, 2.3 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
McAllen 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 | 71° | 60° | 3.2 | 61° | 67° | $125 | $286 |
| Feb | 76° | 65° | 4.0 | 64° | 70° | $97 | $235 |
| Mar | 82° | 70° | 4.8 | 69° | 75° | $40 | $105 |
| Apr | 87° | 76° | 5.6 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| May | 92° | 82° | 6.1 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Jun | 96° | 86° | 6.9 | 88° | 94° | – | – |
| Jul | 98° | 87° | 6.8 | 90° | 96° | – | – |
| Aug | 99° | 88° | 6.6 | 91° | 97° | – | – |
| Sep | 94° | 84° | 5.4 | 88° | 94° | – | – |
| Oct | 89° | 78° | 4.7 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Nov | 80° | 68° | 3.7 | 74° | 80° | $2 | $5 |
| Dec | 73° | 62° | 3.0 | 65° | 71° | $87 | $201 |
Heating costs most in Jan (about $125 with a heat pump, $286 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.9 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 39.7 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How McAllen compares with nearby cities
McAllen ranks 7 of 252 Texas cities for unheated swim months; Pharr, San Juan, Hidalgo nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission, TX | 5 mi | 6 | 12 | $351 |
| Pharr, TX | 5 mi | 7 | 12 | $254 |
| Alton, TX | 6 mi | 6 | 11 | $315 |
| San Juan, TX | 6 mi | 7 | 12 | $254 |
| Hidalgo, TX | 8 mi | 7 | 12 | $254 |
| Palmview, TX | 8 mi | 6 | 11 | $315 |