Pool swim season in Montgomery, AL
Montgomery, AL: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Montgomery 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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What each heater buys you in Montgomery
| 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 | $216 | $766 |
| Gas heater + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $449 | $874 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at AL prices of 16.5¢/kWh electricity and $18/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Montgomery
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: Montgomery 6SW, 6.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Montgomery 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 | 60° | 50° | 2.8 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| Feb | 65° | 54° | 3.4 | 53° | 59° | – | – |
| Mar | 72° | 61° | 4.5 | 59° | 65° | $150 | $303 |
| Apr | 79° | 67° | 5.7 | 67° | 73° | $66 | $146 |
| May | 86° | 75° | 6.3 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Jun | 92° | 82° | 6.3 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Jul | 94° | 85° | 6.1 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Aug | 94° | 84° | 5.6 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Sep | 89° | 79° | 5.0 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Oct | 80° | 68° | 4.1 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Nov | 70° | 58° | 3.2 | 63° | 69° | – | – |
| Dec | 62° | 52° | 2.4 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $150 with a heat pump, $303 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 27.6 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Montgomery compares with nearby cities
Montgomery ranks 1 of 66 Alabama cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike Road, AL | 10 mi | 4 | 8 | $216 |
| Millbrook, AL | 12 mi | 4 | 8 | $268 |
| Prattville, AL | 13 mi | 4 | 8 | $268 |
| Troy, AL | 42 mi | 4 | 7 | $121 |
| Alexander City, AL | 44 mi | 3 | 7 | $209 |
| Selma, AL | 45 mi | 4 | 8 | $296 |