Pool swim season in Northport, AL
Swim season in Northport without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Northport 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).
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
What each heater buys you in Northport
| 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 | $288 | $838 |
| Gas heater + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $585 | $1,010 |
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 Northport
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: Tuscaloosa Acfd, 2.5 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Northport 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 | 57° | 47° | 2.7 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
| Feb | 62° | 51° | 3.2 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
| Mar | 71° | 59° | 4.3 | 56° | 62° | $186 | $363 |
| Apr | 78° | 66° | 5.5 | 65° | 71° | $86 | $186 |
| May | 85° | 74° | 6.1 | 73° | 79° | $10 | $23 |
| Jun | 91° | 81° | 6.3 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Jul | 94° | 83° | 6.1 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 93° | 83° | 5.6 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Sep | 88° | 78° | 5.0 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Oct | 79° | 67° | 4.0 | 73° | 79° | $6 | $13 |
| Nov | 67° | 56° | 3.0 | 61° | 67° | – | – |
| Dec | 59° | 49° | 2.3 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $186 with a heat pump, $363 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 28.4 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Northport compares with nearby cities
Northport ranks 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 4 mi | 4 | 7 | $161 |
| Hueytown, AL | 35 mi | 3 | 7 | $178 |
| Bessemer, AL | 37 mi | 3 | 7 | $178 |
| Helena, AL | 41 mi | 4 | 7 | $167 |
| Alabaster, AL | 45 mi | 4 | 7 | $155 |
| Jasper, AL | 45 mi | 3 | 7 | $260 |