Pool swim season in Murray, KY
Murray, KY: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Murray 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).
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Heater options for a Murray pool, side by side
| 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 | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $282 | $832 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $539 | $964 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at KY prices of 14.2¢/kWh electricity and $14/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Murray
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $71 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: Murray, 1.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Murray 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 | 46° | 37° | 2.3 | 37° | 43° | – | – |
| Feb | 50° | 41° | 2.8 | 38° | 44° | – | – |
| Mar | 61° | 49° | 3.9 | 46° | 52° | – | – |
| Apr | 71° | 59° | 5.2 | 57° | 63° | $154 | $287 |
| May | 79° | 68° | 5.8 | 67° | 73° | $59 | $124 |
| Jun | 86° | 76° | 6.4 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Jul | 89° | 79° | 6.2 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Aug | 89° | 78° | 5.7 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Sep | 83° | 71° | 4.8 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Oct | 71° | 60° | 3.6 | 66° | 72° | $69 | $128 |
| Nov | 58° | 48° | 2.6 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
| Dec | 48° | 40° | 2.0 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $154 with a heat pump, $287 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 20.3 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Murray compares with nearby cities
Murray ranks 4 of 42 Kentucky cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris, TN | 22 mi | 2 | 7 | $304 |
| Martin, TN | 35 mi | 2 | 7 | $284 |
| Paducah, KY | 36 mi | 2 | 6 | $153 |
| Union City, TN | 42 mi | 2 | 6 | $140 |
| Hopkinsville, KY | 50 mi | 2 | 6 | $136 |
| Clarksville, TN | 54 mi | 2 | 7 | $271 |