Pool swim season in Wake Forest, NC

Swim season in Wake Forest without a heater, and with one

An unheated pool in Wake Forest reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 6 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Sep).

1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D

What each heater buys you in Wake Forest

For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at NC prices of 14.9¢/kWh electricity and $16/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.

The cheapest way to the full season in Wake Forest

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: Falls Lake, 8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.

Wake Forest month by month: air, sun and pool water

Heating costs most in Apr (about $172 with a heat pump, $345 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.4 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 51.6 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.

How Wake Forest compares with nearby cities

Wake Forest ranks 80 of 91 North Carolina cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.