Pool swim season in New Albany, IN
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in New Albany, IN?
An unheated pool in New Albany reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 6 swimmable months with a heater (May to Oct).
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What each heater buys you in New Albany
| 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 | 6 | May to Oct | $165 | $715 |
| Gas heater + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $220 | $645 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at IN prices of 17.0¢/kWh electricity and $11/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in New Albany
Solar panels + cover: 5 of 6 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 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: Louisville Mcalpine, 3 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
New Albany 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 | 43° | 35° | 1.9 | 36° | 42° | – | – |
| Feb | 48° | 38° | 2.6 | 36° | 42° | – | – |
| Mar | 57° | 47° | 3.7 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Apr | 69° | 58° | 5.0 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
| May | 77° | 68° | 5.5 | 65° | 71° | $82 | $115 |
| Jun | 85° | 76° | 6.3 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Jul | 89° | 79° | 6.0 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Aug | 88° | 78° | 5.5 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Sep | 82° | 72° | 4.6 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Oct | 70° | 60° | 3.3 | 66° | 72° | $83 | $105 |
| Nov | 57° | 47° | 2.3 | 53° | 59° | – | – |
| Dec | 47° | 39° | 1.7 | 42° | 48° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Oct (about $83 with a heat pump, $105 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 35.1 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How New Albany compares with nearby cities
New Albany ranks 3 of 88 Indiana cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, IN | 3 mi | 2 | 6 | $165 |
| Sellersburg, IN | 7 mi | 2 | 6 | $165 |
| Jeffersonville, IN | 7 mi | 2 | 6 | $165 |
| Shively, KY | 8 mi | 2 | 6 | $127 |
| St. Matthews, KY | 11 mi | 2 | 5 | $70 |
| Lyndon, KY | 13 mi | 2 | 5 | $70 |