Pool swim season in Valley, AL
Valley, AL: how long the pool season really is
An unheated pool in Valley reaches 78°F in Jul to Sep, about 3 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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Heater options for a Valley pool, side by side
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 3 | Jul to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $236 | $786 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $492 | $917 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at AL prices of 16.5¢/kWh electricity and $18/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Valley
Solar panels + cover: 6 of 7 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 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: W Pt, 5.3 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Valley 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 | 56° | 44° | 2.8 | 45° | 51° | – | – |
| Feb | 60° | 47° | 3.4 | 46° | 52° | – | – |
| Mar | 67° | 54° | 4.5 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
| Apr | 75° | 61° | 5.7 | 60° | 66° | $139 | $282 |
| May | 82° | 69° | 6.3 | 69° | 75° | $50 | $112 |
| Jun | 88° | 76° | 6.2 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jul | 90° | 80° | 6.1 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Aug | 89° | 79° | 5.5 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Sep | 84° | 74° | 4.9 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Oct | 75° | 63° | 4.1 | 69° | 75° | $47 | $98 |
| Nov | 66° | 53° | 3.2 | 58° | 64° | – | – |
| Dec | 58° | 46° | 2.5 | 49° | 55° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $139 with a heat pump, $282 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 45.5 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Valley compares with nearby cities
Valley ranks 52 of 66 Alabama cities for unheated swim months; Phenix City nearby gets a longer season without a heater.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opelika, AL | 15 mi | 2 | 7 | $228 |
| LaGrange, GA | 17 mi | 3 | 7 | $194 |
| Auburn, AL | 23 mi | 3 | 7 | $181 |
| Phenix City, AL | 26 mi | 4 | 8 | $268 |
| Columbus, GA | 27 mi | 3 | 7 | $167 |
| Alexander City, AL | 45 mi | 3 | 7 | $209 |