Pool swim season in Winston-Salem, NC
Swim season in Winston-Salem without a heater, and with one
An unheated pool in Winston-Salem reaches 78°F in Jul to Aug, about 2 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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What each heater buys you in Winston-Salem
| 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 | 7 | Apr to Oct | $296 | $846 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $622 | $1,047 |
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 Winston-Salem
Heat pump + cover: 7 of 7 possible months for about $846 a year all-in, which works out near $169 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: Winston Salem Reynolds Airport, 2.9 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Winston-Salem 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 | 49° | 40° | 2.5 | 41° | 47° | – | – |
| Feb | 53° | 43° | 3.2 | 42° | 48° | – | – |
| Mar | 61° | 50° | 4.2 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
| Apr | 71° | 59° | 5.3 | 57° | 63° | $156 | $319 |
| May | 78° | 68° | 5.8 | 66° | 72° | $65 | $148 |
| Jun | 85° | 75° | 6.3 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Jul | 88° | 79° | 5.9 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Aug | 86° | 77° | 5.4 | 80° | 86° | – | – |
| Sep | 80° | 71° | 4.5 | 75° | 81° | – | – |
| Oct | 71° | 60° | 3.6 | 66° | 72° | $75 | $155 |
| Nov | 60° | 50° | 2.8 | 55° | 61° | – | – |
| Dec | 52° | 43° | 2.1 | 45° | 51° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $156 with a heat pump, $319 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.3 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 49.1 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Winston-Salem compares with nearby cities
Winston-Salem ranks 66 of 91 North Carolina cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clemmons, NC | 9 mi | 2 | 7 | $370 |
| Lewisville, NC | 9 mi | 2 | 7 | $370 |
| Kernersville, NC | 10 mi | 2 | 7 | $294 |
| High Point, NC | 17 mi | 2 | 7 | $236 |
| Thomasville, NC | 18 mi | 2 | 7 | $236 |
| Lexington, NC | 21 mi | 2 | 7 | $291 |