Pool swim season in Palmetto Bay, FL
Palmetto Bay, FL: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Palmetto Bay reaches 78°F in May to Nov, about 7 months a year. The air allows up to 12 swimmable months with a heater (all year).
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What each heater buys you in Palmetto Bay
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 7 | May to Nov | $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 | $47 | $597 |
| Gas heater + cover | 12 | all year | $168 | $593 |
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 Palmetto Bay
Solar panels + cover: 12 of 12 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $57 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 3 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: Miami Wso City, 6.9 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Palmetto Bay 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 | 75° | 69° | 3.7 | 71° | 77° | $26 | $90 |
| Feb | 77° | 71° | 4.5 | 72° | 78° | $19 | $69 |
| Mar | 78° | 73° | 5.5 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Apr | 81° | 76° | 6.2 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| May | 84° | 79° | 6.2 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Jun | 87° | 82° | 5.7 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Jul | 89° | 84° | 5.9 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Aug | 89° | 84° | 5.6 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Sep | 88° | 83° | 5.0 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Oct | 84° | 80° | 4.5 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Nov | 80° | 75° | 3.9 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Dec | 77° | 71° | 3.4 | 74° | 80° | $2 | $9 |
Heating costs most in Jan (about $26 with a heat pump, $90 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.2 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 22.7 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Palmetto Bay compares with nearby cities
Palmetto Bay ranks 9 of 173 Florida cities for unheated swim months; Key Biscayne nearby gets a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinecrest, FL | 3 mi | 7 | 12 | $47 |
| Cutler Bay, FL | 3 mi | 6 | 12 | $162 |
| Coral Gables, FL | 6 mi | 7 | 12 | $47 |
| South Miami, FL | 6 mi | 7 | 12 | $47 |
| Key Biscayne, FL | 11 mi | 8 | 12 | $28 |
| Sweetwater, FL | 12 mi | 6 | 12 | $91 |