Pool swim season in Raleigh, NC
Raleigh, NC: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Raleigh reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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Heater options for a Raleigh pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 2 | Jul to Aug | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $247 | $797 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $528 | $953 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at NC prices of 14.9¢/kWh electricity and $16/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Raleigh
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 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: Raleigh State Univ, 4.3 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Raleigh 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 | 52° | 42° | 2.6 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Feb | 55° | 44° | 3.3 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
| Mar | 63° | 51° | 4.3 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
| Apr | 72° | 61° | 5.5 | 59° | 65° | $142 | $295 |
| May | 80° | 69° | 6.1 | 68° | 74° | $50 | $117 |
| Jun | 87° | 77° | 6.4 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jul | 91° | 80° | 6.2 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Aug | 89° | 79° | 5.5 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Sep | 82° | 73° | 4.6 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Oct | 73° | 62° | 3.7 | 68° | 74° | $55 | $116 |
| Nov | 62° | 52° | 2.9 | 57° | 63° | – | – |
| Dec | 55° | 45° | 2.3 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $142 with a heat pump, $295 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 39.0 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Raleigh compares with nearby cities
Raleigh ranks 21 of 91 North Carolina cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knightdale, NC | 9 mi | 2 | 7 | $284 |
| Garner, NC | 10 mi | 2 | 7 | $324 |
| Cary, NC | 11 mi | 2 | 7 | $279 |
| Morrisville, NC | 11 mi | 2 | 7 | $244 |
| Rolesville, NC | 12 mi | 2 | 6 | $257 |
| Wake Forest, NC | 12 mi | 2 | 6 | $257 |