Pool swim season in Reno, NV
Reno, NV: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Reno reaches 78°F in Aug, about 1 month a year. The air allows up to 5 swimmable months with a heater (May to Sep).
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What each heater buys you in Reno
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 1 | Aug | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 3 | Jul to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $167 | $717 |
| Gas heater + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $311 | $736 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at NV prices of 13.4¢/kWh electricity and $13/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Reno
Solar panels + cover: 4 of 5 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: Reno NWS Office, 3.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Reno 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 | 46° | 37° | 2.4 | 36° | 42° | – | – |
| Feb | 50° | 40° | 3.4 | 39° | 45° | – | – |
| Mar | 57° | 45° | 4.8 | 44° | 50° | – | – |
| Apr | 63° | 50° | 6.3 | 51° | 57° | – | – |
| May | 72° | 59° | 7.3 | 59° | 65° | $128 | $231 |
| Jun | 83° | 68° | 8.3 | 69° | 75° | $39 | $80 |
| Jul | 93° | 77° | 8.0 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Aug | 91° | 75° | 7.3 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Sep | 82° | 68° | 5.9 | 74° | 80° | – | – |
| Oct | 68° | 55° | 4.3 | 63° | 69° | – | – |
| Nov | 54° | 44° | 2.8 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
| Dec | 45° | 36° | 2.0 | 39° | 45° | – | – |
Heating costs most in May (about $128 with a heat pump, $231 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 8.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 30.5 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Reno compares with nearby cities
Reno ranks 7 of 10 Nevada cities for unheated swim months; Fernley nearby gets a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparks, NV | 7 mi | 0 | 6 | $314 |
| Truckee, CA | 23 mi | 0 | 4 | $972 |
| Carson, NV | 28 mi | 0 | 5 | $247 |
| Fernley, NV | 35 mi | 2 | 6 | $185 |
| South Lake Tahoe, CA | 43 mi | 0 | 4 | $1,061 |
| Grass Valley, CA | 68 mi | 0 | 6 | $650 |