Pool swim season in Payson, UT
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Payson, UT?
An unheated pool in Payson reaches 78°F in Aug, about 1 month a year. The air allows up to 4 swimmable months with a heater (Jun to Sep).
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Heater options for a Payson pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 1 | Aug | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 2 | Jul to Aug | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $69 | $619 |
| Gas heater + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $110 | $535 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at UT prices of 13.2¢/kWh electricity and $10/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Payson
Solar panels + cover: 4 of 4 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 1 month 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: Santaquin Chlorinator, 5.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Payson 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 | 37° | 29° | 2.3 | 28° | 34° | – | – |
| Feb | 42° | 33° | 3.2 | 31° | 37° | – | – |
| Mar | 52° | 42° | 4.5 | 39° | 45° | – | – |
| Apr | 59° | 48° | 5.6 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
| May | 69° | 57° | 6.6 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| Jun | 81° | 67° | 7.8 | 67° | 73° | $53 | $85 |
| Jul | 90° | 76° | 7.5 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Aug | 88° | 75° | 6.6 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Sep | 78° | 65° | 5.4 | 72° | 78° | $16 | $25 |
| Oct | 64° | 51° | 3.8 | 59° | 65° | – | – |
| Nov | 49° | 39° | 2.5 | 44° | 50° | – | – |
| Dec | 38° | 29° | 1.9 | 33° | 39° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Jun (about $53 with a heat pump, $85 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 7.8 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 55.4 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Payson compares with nearby cities
Payson ranks 51 of 67 Utah cities for unheated swim months; Springville, Provo nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, UT | 4 mi | 1 | 5 | $161 |
| Santaquin, UT | 5 mi | 1 | 4 | $67 |
| Spanish Fork, UT | 7 mi | 1 | 5 | $161 |
| Mapleton, UT | 10 mi | 1 | 5 | $161 |
| Springville, UT | 11 mi | 2 | 5 | $126 |
| Provo, UT | 15 mi | 2 | 5 | $126 |