Pool swim season in Salina, KS
Swim season in Salina without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Salina reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 5 swimmable months with a heater (May to Sep).
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
What each heater buys you in Salina
| 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 | 5 | May to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $98 | $648 |
| Gas heater + cover | 5 | May to Sep | $190 | $615 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at KS prices of 15.3¢/kWh electricity and $15/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Salina
Solar cover only: 4 of 5 possible months for about $50 a year all-in, which works out near $25 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 gas as well as a heat pump: once the purchase price is counted, gas comes out cheaper all-in here (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Salina Municipal Airport, 2.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Salina 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 | 41° | 31° | 2.4 | 31° | 37° | – | – |
| Feb | 46° | 35° | 3.2 | 33° | 39° | – | – |
| Mar | 57° | 45° | 4.3 | 41° | 47° | – | – |
| Apr | 67° | 55° | 5.4 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
| May | 77° | 65° | 6.1 | 63° | 69° | $98 | $190 |
| Jun | 88° | 76° | 6.9 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Jul | 93° | 81° | 6.7 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Aug | 90° | 79° | 6.0 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Sep | 82° | 70° | 4.9 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Oct | 69° | 57° | 3.7 | 64° | 70° | – | – |
| Nov | 55° | 44° | 2.7 | 50° | 56° | – | – |
| Dec | 43° | 33° | 2.2 | 37° | 43° | – | – |
Heating costs most in May (about $98 with a heat pump, $190 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.9 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 36.2 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Salina compares with nearby cities
Salina ranks 5 of 38 Kansas cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McPherson, KS | 31 mi | 2 | 6 | $195 |
| Junction City, KS | 44 mi | 2 | 5 | $119 |
| Hutchinson, KS | 54 mi | 2 | 6 | $177 |
| Newton, KS | 56 mi | 2 | 5 | $94 |
| Manhattan, KS | 60 mi | 2 | 5 | $103 |
| Great Bend, KS | 71 mi | 2 | 5 | $120 |