Pool swim season in Norfolk, VA
Norfolk, VA: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Norfolk 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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Heater options for a Norfolk 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 | 6 | May to Oct | $114 | $664 |
| Gas heater + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $229 | $654 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at VA prices of 16.9¢/kWh electricity and $17/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Norfolk
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 6 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 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: Norfolk Nas, 2.7 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Norfolk 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 | 50° | 42° | 2.5 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Feb | 53° | 44° | 3.2 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Mar | 59° | 50° | 4.2 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
| Apr | 70° | 60° | 5.4 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
| May | 77° | 68° | 6.0 | 67° | 73° | $66 | $136 |
| Jun | 84° | 76° | 6.4 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jul | 89° | 81° | 6.2 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Aug | 86° | 79° | 5.5 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Sep | 81° | 74° | 4.5 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Oct | 72° | 64° | 3.5 | 69° | 75° | $48 | $93 |
| Nov | 61° | 53° | 2.7 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
| Dec | 54° | 46° | 2.2 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
Heating costs most in May (about $66 with a heat pump, $136 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 52.3 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Norfolk compares with nearby cities
Norfolk ranks 2 of 39 Virginia cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth, VA | 8 mi | 2 | 6 | $114 |
| Hampton, VA | 9 mi | 2 | 5 | $83 |
| Poquoson, VA | 15 mi | 2 | 5 | $83 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 16 mi | 2 | 6 | $158 |
| Chesapeake, VA | 17 mi | 2 | 7 | $431 |
| Newport News, VA | 19 mi | 2 | 6 | $154 |