Industry News
Silver and Copper’s Surge May Soon Show Up In Pool Related Price Increases
Rising silver and copper prices are no longer background noise and are quietly reshaping costs across the pool industry
If it feels like everyone is suddenly talking about silver, you’re not imagining it.
Silver has gone from a niche commodity many ignored to something that’s been dominating market headlines. Copper, meanwhile, has joined right in, breaking records of its own. Together, these two metals are rewriting price expectations across multiple industries—and the pool industry is no exception.
You don’t need to be immersed in the market for this story to matter. If you install, service, or sell pool equipment, silver and copper are already a big part of your world—embedded inside the circuit boards, control boards, motors, wiring, and internal electronics that make modern pool equipment function.
Precious & Industrial Metals
For years, silver and copper were present in nearly every piece of pool equipment, yet they were rarely part of the greater conversation. Their availability and cost were largely taken for granted, baked into products without much second thought.
Today, both metals have become variables instead of constants, and that shift is now working its way through pricing and the broader pool equipment supply chain.
Silver prices have climbed dramatically since 2020, breaking records most people thought were impossible just a few years ago. Copper has followed its own historic trajectory, driven by demand that mining supply simply hasn’t been able to keep up with. These aren’t speculative spikes built on hype alone. They’re rooted in structural changes to how the modern world consumes materials in 2026 and beyond.
Those shifts don’t just affect electric cars and solar farms — they flow downstream into the pumps, heaters, and smart controls pool pros install and service every day.
Why Silver and Copper Prices Exploded
There’s no single reason behind the surge. It’s a convergence of forces that all started accelerating around the same time.
First, industrial demand has surged. It’s become essential in electronics, solar panels, medical equipment, and data centers. Copper runs neck and neck—used in wiring, motors, transformers, control boards, and virtually every electrified system built today.
Second, supply has not kept pace with demand. New mines take years—sometimes decades—to permit and bring online. Environmental restrictions, geopolitical uncertainty, and aging infrastructure have all hindered production growth. That imbalance matters when demand keeps rising regardless of price.
Third, macroeconomic uncertainty has pushed investors back toward hard assets. Inflation concerns, geopolitical tensions, and shifting interest-rate expectations have all increased appetite for precious and industrial metals. When investment demand stacks on top of already-tight industrial demand, prices don’t move gently.
The result is what we’re seeing now: silver and copper trading in ranges that would have sounded absolutely absurd back in 2019.
The Pool Industry’s Exposure to Rising Prices
Many pool products are directly tied to silver and copper pricing, not indirectly, not theoretically—directly.
Silver plays a critical role inside the circuit boards and control electronics used throughout modern pool equipment. It’s commonly found in solder, high-performance electrical contacts, and relay surfaces where reliable conductivity and corrosion resistance matter most. As equipment becomes more automated and electronics-heavy, silver’s role inside pumps, heaters, automation panels, and smart controllers has quietly expanded alongside copper.
Copper is virtually everywhere inside pool equipment. Pump motors rely on copper windings. Automation systems use copper traces running throughout circuit boards and control boards. Heaters, power supplies, relays, transformers, and wiring harnesses all depend on copper for conductivity and heat management.
| Metal | 2020 price | 2026 price today | % increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | $20.56 / oz | $80.00 / oz | +289% |
| Gold | $1,895.10 / oz | $4,477 / oz | +136% |
| Copper | $2.80 / lb | $6 / lb | +114% |
Precious Metals Inside Electronics
Silver and copper aren’t the only metals quietly shaping costs. Gold plays a big role too, even if it’s measured in fractions of grams.
Gold is commonly used in electrical contacts and connectors because it resists corrosion and maintains reliable conductivity over time.
Ultimately, all of these precious metals are essential for reliability—especially in outdoor environments where moisture, heat, and chemicals are constant threats.
As equipment becomes smarter and more connected, the amount of electronics per product increases. That doesn’t mean prices rise dollar-for-dollar with metal markets, but it does mean manufacturers have less wiggle room to absorb volatility without adjusting pricing upward.
Which Pool Product Categories Are Likely To Be Most Impacted
Not all pool products are equally exposed to metal pricing. The biggest pressure shows up in a few key areas.
Mineral sanitizers and ionization systems feel the impact first, because silver and copper are both core consumable ingredients. Automation systems and control panels follow closely, driven by copper-heavy circuit boards, wiring, and connectors. Pumps and motors are heavily influenced by silver and copper pricing, particularly as energy-efficient designs require more refined materials. Heaters, sensors, and smart equipment combine electronics, wiring, and control components that all rely on these metals.
In many cases, metal prices aren’t the sole reason costs increase—but they’re a meaningful contributor layered on top of labor, logistics, and other material increases.
What Pool Pros Should Take Away From Booming Prices
For pool pros, right now it’s about understanding the forces at work so conversations with customers stay grounded in reality.
Pool manufacturers rarely publish line-item breakdowns explaining exactly why individual components cost more. But the connection is straightforward. Modern pool equipment relies heavily on circuit boards and electronic controls, and those boards are built using copper, silver, and other metals that have seen dramatic price increases since 2020. As electronics suppliers adjust pricing to reflect higher material costs, pool manufacturers absorb those increases upstream — and over time, they work their way into equipment pricing across the industry
When a homeowner asks why some components cost more than they did a few years ago, there’s a real answer to that question. When prices creep up on these products, there’s plenty of context behind it.
For builders and service companies, it also reinforces the importance of knowing which products are commodity-sensitive. Plenty of SKUs will remain relatively stable. Others will continue to track global metals markets more closely than most people realize.
The Net Net
To be clear, the surge in precious-metal prices is only part of the story. Freight, labor, energy, plastics, and other raw materials have all risen significantly since 2020, acting as force multipliers that are pushing prices higher across the board.
Silver, copper, and gold are global commodities. When their prices rise, any industry that relies on them eventually feels the impact. For the pool industry, what’s happening in metal markets is no longer abstract—it’s a real pricing pressure that will continue working its way through the supply chain in 2026.
For an industry that spends a great deal of time talking about how pools are built, operated and maintained, Pool Horizons is advancing a different conversation: why swimming pools matter in the first place.
Launched in 2023, Pool Horizons is a global initiative bringing together leaders from the swimming pool industry and broader aquatic community to examine and communicate the role pools play in society. Its work focuses on areas including health and wellbeing, community development, water safety and sustainability, with an emphasis on giving the industry research and real-world examples that demonstrate the value of aquatic spaces beyond recreation.
Over the next several months, Pool Horizons will continue that conversation at major industry gatherings in the United States and Europe, with appearances scheduled in Phoenix, Lyon and Atlantic City.
Pool Horizons Heads to the MasterMind Summit
The first stop will be the PHTA & GENESIS MasterMind Summit, taking place September 16–18 at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, Arizona.
Pool Horizons will host a two-hour session on Friday, September 18, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., connecting the cultural and social history of swimming pools with the data-backed narrative the industry is working to develop.
Author and historian Jeff Wiltse will explore the history of swimming pools and their enduring social, cultural and economic importance. Attendees will then hear about the latest Pool Horizons initiatives and how that work applies to the U.S. market.
The session will conclude with industry leaders discussing how different stakeholders can work together to better communicate the value of pools and create new opportunities for the industry.
Taking the Conversation to France
The initiative will head overseas in November for Piscine Global 2026 in Lyon, France.
On November 18 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Pool Horizons will present preliminary findings from the Global Aquatic Social Impact Framework (GASIF) pilot study. The project is aimed at developing a more data-driven understanding of the social impact created by swimming pools and aquatic facilities.
Representatives from participating industry associations in France, Spain and the United States will take part, followed by a roundtable examining the challenges and future of the swimming pool industry. Leaders from CF Group, Fluidra, Hayward and Pentair are scheduled to participate in the discussion.
Pool Horizons will make a second appearance in Lyon during Aqualie on November 19 from 4:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. That session will introduce Pool Horizons and showcase a French public swimming pool Best-in-Class project, providing a real-world example of the role aquatic facilities can play within their communities.
Returning to Connect With The Industry in Atlantic City in 2027
The schedule continues into the new year with the Pool Horizons Summit in Atlantic City on January 25, 2027, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Following its 2026 gathering, Pool Horizons will return with a program that includes a keynote presentation, a new Best-in-Class project and contributions from leading figures throughout the swimming pool industry.
Together, the upcoming events provide Pool Horizons with an opportunity to continue building the conversation on both sides of the pond.
Industry News
Skimmer Expands Into Pool Construction Software With Acquisitions of Pool Builder Geek and Poologics
The two software platforms form the foundation of a unified offering for pool professionals; Pool Builder Geek founder Tommy Reynolds joins Skimmer to lead construction strategy.
AUSTIN, TX, August 24, 2026 — Skimmer, the leading operating system for pool service and maintenance professionals, today announced the acquisitions of Pool Builder Geek and Poologics, two software platforms purpose-built for pool construction businesses.
The acquisitions mark Skimmer’s expansion into pool construction and establish the foundation for a unified platform serving pool professionals from construction through ongoing service and maintenance.
As part of the acquisition, Pool Builder Geek founder Tommy Reynolds, who has extensive experience in the pool construction software space, will join Skimmer, leading the company’s construction strategy and continued investment in solutions for pool builders.
“Our vision is to build an end-to-end platform for the pool and spa industry,” said Jack Nelson, CEO of Skimmer. “Pool Builder Geek brings an AI-native platform designed to evolve quickly with the industry, while Poologics brings a proven product that builders have relied on for years. Together, they significantly accelerate our ability to serve pool construction businesses.”
Pool builders manage complex estimating, permitting, project management, subcontractor coordination, customer communication, and job costing processes. Many still rely on spreadsheets or generic construction tools that were not designed for their specific needs. Pool Builder Geek and Poologics address those challenges with purpose-built capabilities, including estimating, project management, permitting, job costing, and AI-powered visualization.
“Pool builders do not need generic contracting software with a pool label added to it,” said Reynolds. “We built Pool Builder Geek specifically around how pools are sold and built with AI at the core of the platform. Joining Skimmer gives us the resources and expertise to accelerate our product roadmap and deliver even more for the builders we serve. I’m excited about what we can build together and what this means for the future of the pool industry.”
“We built Poologics on the belief that pool construction deserves software designed specifically for the industry,” said Nate Pruitt, CEO of Poologics. “Skimmer has built its business on that same belief for pool service. Together, we can give builders more resources, stronger support, and a faster path to innovation.”
Service and maintenance remain a core focus of Skimmer. The expansion into construction advances the company’s long-term strategy to provide connected, purpose-built tools for pool professionals across the industry.
About Skimmer
Skimmer is one of America’s leading pool service platforms. The company is on a mission to modernize the pool and spa service and repair industry through easy-to-use software and best-in-class support. Over 35,000 pool service professionals servicing 1,000,000+ pools in North America use Skimmer to get organized, get paid faster, and grow their businesses. For more information, visit getskimmer.com.
About Poologics
Poologics is an all-in-one business management platform built specifically for swimming pool builders. It streamlines CRM, estimating, project management, and job costing, helping professionals run their businesses with greater efficiency, accuracy, and control. For more information, visit poologics.com.
About Pool Builder Geek
Pool Builder Geek is an AI-powered project management platform built exclusively for the swimming pool construction and renovation industry. Created by a team with deep experience building software for pool builders, it gives builders purpose-built tools for project tracking, scheduling, subcontractor coordination, budgeting, job costing, and AI-powered backyard visualization. For more information, visit poolbuildergeek.com.
Media contact
Travis Wingate
Skimmer, CMO, [email protected], 416-838-9161
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Landmark Aquatic, a national leader in commercial aquatic construction and renovation, is pleased to announce the promotion of Jason Hill to General Manager of its Kansas City, Missouri market. Hill brings nearly two decades of commercial aquatic experience to the role, having worked his way through the industry as a laborer, plumber, project superintendent and project manager. That hands-on path through the trades gives him a perspective few general managers share.
“I truly understand the jobs of everyone here,” explains Hill. “It’s not just how they’re supposed to perform, I actually understand their day-to-day struggles, their desire for growth, and their need to have the best tools at their disposal to do their job efficiently.”
As he begins his tenure, Hill said mentorship and workforce development will be a top priority, particularly given how few professionals nationwide specialize in commercial pools.
“The commercial pool industry is such an anomaly,” he said. “As we grow our team, we are not likely to find commercial pool people waiting in our market to be hired, rather I am going to have to make commercial pool people. Training and coaching them is a big part of making that happen.” Hill’s emphasis on training echoes the company culture that earned Landmark a Top Workplace award, given in part for its investment in employee career development.
Hill is already collaborating closely with Landmark’s marketing team to grow the company’s visibility across the Kansas City market, contributing fresh ideas that are helping generate excitement. “I’m excited to compete with our other markets and see how far we can climb,” he said, noting his hometown ties add extra motivation.
With his depth of field experience and people-first approach, Hill is positioned to grow Landmark Aquatic’s presence and reputation throughout the region.
Jason can be reached at [email protected].
About Landmark Aquatic:
Landmark Aquatic is a nationwide provider of commercial aquatic facility design, construction, and maintenance services, with more than six decades of industry experience. Serving clients across most of the U.S., Landmark delivers construction-led solutions and on-going support though its AquatiCare maintenance team, ensuring excellence “for the life of your pool.” Committed to the full lifecycle of every facility, Landmark prioritizes long-term partnerships while adapting to client needs through exceptional service, operational excellence, and forward-thinking solutions. For more about Landmark Aquatic visit www.landmarkaquatic.com.
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