Pool swim season in Palatka, FL
Swim season in Palatka without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Palatka reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 9 swimmable months with a heater (Mar to Nov).
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Heater options for a Palatka pool, side by side
| 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 | 8 | Apr to Nov | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $175 | $725 |
| Gas heater + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $584 | $1,009 |
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 Palatka
Solar panels + cover: 8 of 9 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: Federal Pt, 10.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Palatka 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 | 65° | 56° | 3.2 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
| Feb | 68° | 59° | 3.9 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
| Mar | 74° | 64° | 5.1 | 64° | 70° | $94 | $310 |
| Apr | 80° | 70° | 6.1 | 70° | 76° | $36 | $126 |
| May | 85° | 75° | 6.4 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jun | 88° | 80° | 5.8 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Jul | 90° | 81° | 5.8 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Aug | 89° | 81° | 5.4 | 84° | 90° | – | – |
| Sep | 86° | 79° | 4.9 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Oct | 80° | 73° | 4.3 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Nov | 73° | 65° | 3.4 | 69° | 75° | $45 | $148 |
| Dec | 67° | 59° | 2.9 | 62° | 68° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $94 with a heat pump, $310 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 23.6 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Palatka compares with nearby cities
Palatka ranks 167 of 173 Florida cities for unheated swim months; Green Cove Springs, Palm Coast, St. Augustine nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Cove Springs, FL | 23 mi | 5 | 9 | $151 |
| Palm Coast, FL | 27 mi | 5 | 9 | $140 |
| St. Augustine, FL | 28 mi | 5 | 9 | $145 |
| Gainesville, FL | 41 mi | 4 | 10 | $364 |
| Ormond Beach, FL | 42 mi | 5 | 11 | $338 |
| Ocala, FL | 44 mi | 5 | 12 | $508 |