Pool swim season in Port Lavaca, TX
Port Lavaca, TX: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Port Lavaca reaches 78°F in Jun to Oct, about 5 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 Port Lavaca pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 5 | Jun to Oct | $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 | $177 | $727 |
| Gas heater + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $434 | $859 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at TX prices of 16.0¢/kWh electricity and $19/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Port Lavaca
Solar panels + cover: 8 of 9 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 a heat pump sized to your pool's surface area; here it beats gas all-in (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Pt Comfort, 5.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Port Lavaca 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 | 64° | 55° | 3.0 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| Feb | 68° | 59° | 3.5 | 57° | 63° | – | – |
| Mar | 73° | 65° | 4.6 | 63° | 69° | $101 | $243 |
| Apr | 78° | 71° | 5.4 | 70° | 76° | $34 | $89 |
| May | 84° | 77° | 6.2 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Jun | 89° | 83° | 6.7 | 84° | 90° | – | – |
| Jul | 91° | 85° | 6.5 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 85° | 6.3 | 88° | 94° | – | – |
| Sep | 89° | 81° | 5.2 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Oct | 83° | 74° | 4.6 | 79° | 85° | – | – |
| Nov | 74° | 64° | 3.5 | 70° | 76° | $42 | $102 |
| Dec | 67° | 57° | 2.7 | 61° | 67° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $101 with a heat pump, $243 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.7 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 18.1 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Port Lavaca compares with nearby cities
Port Lavaca ranks 29 of 252 Texas cities for unheated swim months; Rockport, Portland nearby get a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria, TX | 26 mi | 4 | 9 | $217 |
| El Campo, TX | 46 mi | 5 | 9 | $204 |
| Rockport, TX | 47 mi | 6 | 9 | $147 |
| Bay City, TX | 48 mi | 4 | 9 | $244 |
| Ingleside, TX | 63 mi | 5 | 9 | $144 |
| Portland, TX | 66 mi | 6 | 9 | $137 |