Sauna Kits Build Your Own Sauna
If you’ve always wanted to own your own sauna but always thought they were too expensive, then now you can build your own at a fraction of the price. However, there are some issues you’ll need to consider before making the decision to purchase one of the sauna kits on the market and construct your own private paradise on your property.
Kit Options
Generally, if you are interested in sauna kits you’ll find that they come in two varieties: Pre-Fab and DIY. There are some pros and cons for each of these types of kits.
The pre-fab kits are more expensive because they include everything you would need to build your own sauna. The walls, for example, are already constructed and only need to be set up. All of the electrical components are already built in as well. Overall, it would only take you a few hours during one afternoon to completely construct the sauna and to have it up and running for your personal use.
The DIY kits require a little bit more work. One of the advantages here is that you can customize your sauna’s design. With the pre-fab kit, you don’t have any say in what the finished product will look like. However, with these DIY kits you will need to do a lot more work. For example, you’ll have to build the frame, handle the insulation, put down the flooring, and bring in an electrician to deal with the wiring.
Other Considerations
When you’re putting together your own sauna, there are a few things you want to keep in mind, specifically the insulation, the heating systems, and building permits.
You need to make sure, regardless of which type of kit you choose, that your sauna is going to be properly insulated. That’s because the insulation serves two important purposes. For one, it holds the heat inside the sauna. You don’t want to waste any of the heat by letting it escape out into the world. That heat is what creates the wonderful feeling of the sauna. Even more importantly, however, the insulation prevents moisture from getting into the sauna. That moisture would increase the humidity in the sauna and that could make the heat unbearable.
Basically, when the sauna has a high level of humidity it makes it harder for the sweat to evaporate from your skin thus cooling down is nearly impossible and you can overheat easily.
The other important issue is the type of heating system you want to include in your system. There are two main heating systems used in today’s saunas. One is the traditional steam sauna. With this method, water is heated and released into the sauna. This heating causes the creation of steam and it’s the stream that causes your body temperature to increase.
The second type of heating system is the infrared sauna. With this method, a radiant infrared heating unit is used in the sauna. The unit produces heat in the same way that sunlight produces heat. However, the infrared light does not pose the same harmful effects to the body as sunlight so using this method is completely safe.
The biggest benefit of an infrared sauna is that the heating is more direct. In this type of sauna, your body will absorb more than 90% of the produced warmth. That results in a faster and more intense heating which will generate greater sweat production. Steam saunas, on the other hand, end up heating the air around you and this causes a more indirect method of warmth. Of course, steam saunas are more traditional but the alternative is quickly gaining in popularity.
Finally, you need to look into building permit requirements before you purchase any type of sauna kit. Remember you are adding a building to you property and even though it may not be a very large structure you do need to adhere to the guidelines in your community. It’s better to check with your local government now then find out after you’ve already invested the money that you cannot build the sauna anywhere on your property.
Health Benefits of Saunas
The best reason to consider any of these kits is that saunas do provide numerous health benefits. There is some evidence that they can inspire weight loss, especially when combined with other types of physical exertion. Additionally, the infrared heating sources have been shown to help with acne which can cause your skin to look more beautiful.
At the end of the day, putting a sauna on your property may require some work but the health benefits are well worth the effort.
Tags: infrared sauna | sauna kits | sauna