Pool swim season in Safford, AZ
Safford, AZ: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Safford reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 9 swimmable months with a heater (Mar to Nov).
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
Heater options for a Safford 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 | 9 | Mar to Nov | $393 | $943 |
| Gas heater + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $862 | $1,287 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at AZ prices of 15.4¢/kWh electricity and $19/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Safford
Heat pump + cover: 9 of 9 possible months for about $943 a year all-in, which works out near $189 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: Safford Ag Center, 1.6 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Safford 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 | 62° | 46° | 3.6 | 47° | 53° | – | – |
| Feb | 67° | 50° | 4.5 | 50° | 56° | – | – |
| Mar | 74° | 57° | 6.0 | 57° | 63° | $173 | $375 |
| Apr | 83° | 64° | 7.4 | 65° | 71° | $83 | $199 |
| May | 91° | 73° | 8.2 | 73° | 79° | $5 | $12 |
| Jun | 100° | 81° | 8.2 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Jul | 99° | 84° | 7.1 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Aug | 97° | 83° | 6.6 | 87° | 93° | – | – |
| Sep | 93° | 77° | 5.9 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Oct | 84° | 66° | 5.1 | 74° | 80° | $2 | $4 |
| Nov | 72° | 55° | 3.9 | 61° | 67° | $130 | $272 |
| Dec | 61° | 46° | 3.3 | 50° | 56° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $173 with a heat pump, $375 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 8.2 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 41.4 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Safford compares with nearby cities
Safford ranks 33 of 44 Arizona cities for unheated swim months; Tucson nearby gets a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oro Valley, AZ | 80 mi | 4 | 9 | $411 |
| Tucson, AZ | 83 mi | 5 | 9 | $206 |
| Marana, AZ | 87 mi | 4 | 9 | $409 |
| Sierra Vista, AZ | 95 mi | 2 | 9 | $552 |
| Sahuarita, AZ | 97 mi | 4 | 9 | $262 |
| Douglas, AZ | 100 mi | 4 | 9 | $404 |