Pool swim season in Opa-locka, FL
Opa-locka, FL: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Opa-locka reaches 78°F in May to Oct, about 6 months a year. The air allows up to 12 swimmable months with a heater (all year).
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Heater options for a Opa-locka pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 10 | Mar to Dec | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 12 | all year | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 12 | all year | $78 | $628 |
| Gas heater + cover | 12 | all year | $277 | $702 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at FL prices of 15.3¢/kWh electricity and $25/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Opa-locka
Solar panels + cover: 12 of 12 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $47 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 4 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: Miami Opa Locka Airport, 1.9 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Opa-locka 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 | 77° | 68° | 3.7 | 70° | 76° | $36 | $124 |
| Feb | 79° | 70° | 4.5 | 70° | 76° | $30 | $108 |
| Mar | 81° | 73° | 5.5 | 74° | 80° | $1 | $5 |
| Apr | 84° | 76° | 6.2 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| May | 87° | 80° | 6.2 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Jun | 90° | 83° | 5.7 | 84° | 90° | – | – |
| Jul | 91° | 84° | 5.9 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Aug | 91° | 84° | 5.6 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Sep | 90° | 83° | 5.0 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Oct | 86° | 80° | 4.5 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Nov | 82° | 74° | 3.9 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Dec | 79° | 70° | 3.4 | 73° | 79° | $11 | $40 |
Heating costs most in Jan (about $36 with a heat pump, $124 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.2 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 50.8 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Opa-locka compares with nearby cities
Opa-locka ranks 36 of 173 Florida cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Gardens, FL | 3 mi | 6 | 12 | $108 |
| Hialeah, FL | 4 mi | 6 | 12 | $78 |
| Miami Lakes, FL | 4 mi | 6 | 12 | $78 |
| Miami Shores, FL | 5 mi | 6 | 12 | $99 |
| North Miami, FL | 5 mi | 6 | 12 | $108 |
| Miami Springs, FL | 6 mi | 6 | 12 | $88 |