Pool swim season in Roma, TX
Roma, TX: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Roma reaches 78°F in May to Oct, about 6 months a year. The air allows up to 12 swimmable months with a heater (all year).
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What each heater buys you in Roma
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 7 | Apr to Oct | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 12 | all year | $454 | $1,004 |
| Gas heater + cover | 12 | all year | $1,047 | $1,472 |
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 Roma
Heat pump + cover: 12 of 12 possible months for about $1,004 a year all-in, which works out near $167 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: Rio Grande City, 12.2 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Roma 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 | 71° | 58° | 3.3 | 59° | 65° | $155 | $341 |
| Feb | 76° | 63° | 4.1 | 62° | 68° | $118 | $279 |
| Mar | 82° | 69° | 5.0 | 68° | 74° | $52 | $133 |
| Apr | 89° | 76° | 5.7 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| May | 94° | 82° | 6.1 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Jun | 98° | 86° | 7.0 | 88° | 94° | – | – |
| Jul | 99° | 87° | 6.9 | 91° | 97° | – | – |
| Aug | 99° | 87° | 6.7 | 91° | 97° | – | – |
| Sep | 94° | 83° | 5.4 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Oct | 88° | 76° | 4.7 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Nov | 79° | 67° | 3.7 | 72° | 78° | $19 | $47 |
| Dec | 72° | 59° | 3.2 | 63° | 69° | $110 | $247 |
Heating costs most in Jan (about $155 with a heat pump, $341 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 7.0 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 50.3 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Roma compares with nearby cities
Roma ranks 9 of 252 Texas cities for unheated swim months; Hidalgo nearby gets a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande City, TX | 12 mi | 6 | 12 | $460 |
| Palmview, TX | 41 mi | 6 | 11 | $315 |
| Alton, TX | 44 mi | 6 | 11 | $315 |
| Mission, TX | 44 mi | 6 | 12 | $351 |
| McAllen, TX | 49 mi | 6 | 12 | $351 |
| Hidalgo, TX | 51 mi | 7 | 12 | $254 |