Pool swim season in Phenix City, AL
Swim season in Phenix City without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Phenix City 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
Heater options for a Phenix City 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 | 7 | Apr to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $268 | $818 |
| Gas heater + cover | 8 | Mar to Oct | $546 | $971 |
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 Phenix City
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: Columbus Metro Airport, 6.7 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Phenix City 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 | 59° | 49° | 2.8 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
| Feb | 63° | 52° | 3.4 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| Mar | 70° | 59° | 4.5 | 57° | 63° | $175 | $343 |
| Apr | 78° | 66° | 5.7 | 65° | 71° | $84 | $182 |
| May | 85° | 74° | 6.3 | 73° | 79° | $6 | $15 |
| Jun | 90° | 80° | 6.2 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Jul | 93° | 83° | 6.1 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 82° | 5.5 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Sep | 87° | 78° | 4.9 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Oct | 78° | 68° | 4.1 | 74° | 80° | $3 | $6 |
| Nov | 68° | 57° | 3.2 | 63° | 69° | – | – |
| Dec | 61° | 51° | 2.5 | 53° | 59° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $175 with a heat pump, $343 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 44.3 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Phenix City compares with nearby cities
Phenix City ranks 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, GA | 10 mi | 3 | 7 | $167 |
| Opelika, AL | 25 mi | 2 | 7 | $228 |
| Valley, AL | 26 mi | 3 | 7 | $236 |
| Auburn, AL | 29 mi | 3 | 7 | $181 |
| Eufaula, AL | 38 mi | 4 | 9 | $363 |
| LaGrange, GA | 40 mi | 3 | 7 | $194 |