Pool swim season in Shively, KY
Swim season in Shively without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Shively reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 6 swimmable months with a heater (May to Oct).
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Heater options for a Shively 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 | 5 | May to Sep | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $127 | $677 |
| Gas heater + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $253 | $678 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at KY prices of 14.2¢/kWh electricity and $14/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Shively
Solar panels + cover: 5 of 6 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: Louisville International Airport, 4.7 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Shively 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 | 44° | 36° | 1.9 | 37° | 43° | – | – |
| Feb | 48° | 40° | 2.6 | 37° | 43° | – | – |
| Mar | 58° | 48° | 3.7 | 45° | 51° | – | – |
| Apr | 70° | 59° | 5.0 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| May | 78° | 68° | 5.5 | 66° | 72° | $61 | $129 |
| Jun | 86° | 76° | 6.3 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jul | 89° | 80° | 6.0 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Aug | 88° | 79° | 5.5 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Sep | 82° | 72° | 4.6 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Oct | 71° | 60° | 3.3 | 67° | 73° | $66 | $124 |
| Nov | 58° | 49° | 2.3 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
| Dec | 47° | 40° | 1.7 | 43° | 49° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Oct (about $66 with a heat pump, $124 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 43.3 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Shively compares with nearby cities
Shively ranks 1 of 42 Kentucky cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Albany, IN | 8 mi | 2 | 6 | $165 |
| Clarksville, IN | 9 mi | 2 | 6 | $165 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY | 9 mi | 2 | 5 | $81 |
| St. Matthews, KY | 10 mi | 2 | 5 | $70 |
| Jeffersonville, IN | 11 mi | 2 | 6 | $165 |
| Lyndon, KY | 13 mi | 2 | 5 | $70 |