Pool swim season in Wichita, KS
Swim season in Wichita without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Wichita 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 Wichita 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 | $168 | $718 |
| Gas heater + cover | 6 | May to Oct | $315 | $740 |
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 Wichita
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: Wichita Wx, 5.9 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Wichita 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° | 33° | 2.6 | 34° | 40° | – | – |
| Feb | 49° | 37° | 3.3 | 35° | 41° | – | – |
| Mar | 59° | 47° | 4.4 | 44° | 50° | – | – |
| Apr | 68° | 56° | 5.4 | 54° | 60° | – | – |
| May | 77° | 66° | 6.0 | 64° | 70° | $85 | $168 |
| Jun | 88° | 76° | 6.9 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Jul | 92° | 81° | 6.8 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Aug | 91° | 79° | 6.0 | 83° | 89° | – | – |
| Sep | 83° | 71° | 5.0 | 77° | 83° | – | – |
| Oct | 70° | 58° | 3.8 | 65° | 71° | $83 | $147 |
| Nov | 57° | 46° | 2.8 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
| Dec | 45° | 35° | 2.2 | 40° | 46° | – | – |
Heating costs most in May (about $85 with a heat pump, $168 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.9 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 25.2 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Wichita compares with nearby cities
Wichita ranks 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bel Aire, KS | 8 mi | 2 | 6 | $169 |
| Haysville, KS | 9 mi | 2 | 6 | $173 |
| Derby, KS | 10 mi | 2 | 6 | $173 |
| Andover, KS | 12 mi | 2 | 6 | $169 |
| Newton, KS | 24 mi | 2 | 5 | $94 |
| El Dorado, KS | 28 mi | 2 | 6 | $178 |