Is DIY Sauna installation possible?
Home saunas are one of the fastest growing luxury markets in Scotland as more and more people take advantage of falling installation costs to enjoy a wonderful home relaxation experience that was once solely reserved for the richest in society.
In order to save some money on the initial installation of a sauna, some people choose to avoid professional installation and attempt to put together their very own DIY build.
Is this a good idea? Well, it depends. DIY sauna installation is certainly possible, but rarely advisable.
Unless you are a trained joiner, or electrician, the chances are that it will be cheaper in the long-run to have a home sauna installed by a professional.
The reasons for this are numerous but include safety, cost of repairs, lack of a warranty, poor energy efficiency, and more.
This guide will give you a better idea of whether DIY sauna installation is for you.
What are the benefits of a home sauna?
Whether you choose to install a home sauna on your own, or have a professional do it on your behalf, home saunas are a fantastic way to relax after a long day at work.
Either option isn’t exactly cheap, however, home saunas are still considered a luxury after all, so being aware of exactly what you are getting if essential to ensuring that you are happy with your investment.
Installing a home sauna provides you with a huge selection of health and lifestyle benefits for you and your loved ones to enjoy at your leisure.
Just some of the benefits of using a home sauna on a regular basis include:
- Aiding recovery by easing sore muscles
- Eliminating toxins from your body
- Aiding in weight loss
- Promoting better sleep
- Ensuring clearer and tighter skin
- Improving blood circulation
- Easing symptoms of arthritis and other stiff joint issues
REMEMBER: Highly trained joiners and DIY experts may well be able to competently install one of the above saunas but rookie installations will likely lead to range of expensive issues and may even compromise the safety of users.
Why use a professional?
If the cost of materials is cheaper than the professional sauna installation price surely, installing a DIY home sauna is the way forward?
Well, the truth is that this is very very rarely the case.
Only those with the relevant qualifications, skills, and experience, should ever consider installing their own home sauna.
For the vast majority of the population, it will be safer, more efficient, and often actually much cheaper to leave it to the professionals.
Here are just some of the reasons that professional home sauna installation is preferable to DIY:
Peace of Mind
Home saunas are one of the very best ways to relax at home. Their relaxation impact on your muscles and mind are second to none and if you are constantly finding yourself stressed out by day-to-day life, a home sauna is a great way to take the pressure off.
Once you have decided to invest in your own well-being and go ahead with sauna installation, the last thing you need is for the installation itself to give you headaches for months on end.
Give yourself peace of mind by leaving this to the professionals and ensure the highest standard of installation and quality control.
Guarantee
If you decide to DIY your own sauna you are fully responsible for all aspects, and if it doesn’t work for any reason, or breaks down later down the line, you will likely end up facing large repair bills, if you can even work out what the root cause is in the first place.
Any professional installation from a respectable sauna installation company, on the other hand will come with a warranty that covers you for repairs and servicing for several years after installation.
It is widely acknowledged that DIY installation is often slightly cheaper initially but will end up costing you more in the long term, and a lack of a guarantee is one of the biggest reasons why.
Energy Efficiency
Modern home saunas are incredibly energy efficient, especially if you opt for an infrared sauna.
How energy efficient a sauna depends on a couple of factors including the heating element used and how effective the sauna is at retaining heat.
The slightest gap in the wrong place that lets warm air escape could seriously compromise the energy efficiency of the entire unit by taking longer to heat and requiring more energy to keep the space at a suitable temperature.
Speed
If you have unlimited time on your hands, DIY sauna installation can be an exciting project, but getting this right is time consuming in the extreme for someone without experience.
Your time is valuable, and the slight difference in cost between DIY and professional installation is unlikely to cover the cost of this is you see installation as a job rather than a enjoyable project.