Building Your Own Sauna

By Thomas Oak

If you would enjoy owning your own home sauna but find the cost prohibitive, you may want to consider actually building your own sauna. If you are a decent handyman and can follow directions it will probably be pretty easy for you to get your own sauna built in no time. Before you start building you should consider any special needs for your sauna, whether you want a modular sauna or a pre-cut kit, and also be aware of any special warnings or precautions you need to be aware of.

Special Needs

Before you get started on your home sauna there are a few special needs that you need to be aware of. First of all, you will need to know what size you want your sauna and if you want to have it inside or outside of your home. If you only want a small sauna for two people, then you will only need to build it large enough to allow 2-3 feet of space on the bench for each person. You should also know, that while you will not need a water hookup for the home sauna, you will need to be sure that there is an available electrical circuit, which will be needed to operate the heater for your home sauna.

Constructing a Modular Sauna

One option that you will have for building your own home sauna is a modular sauna. This is a great choice for people who do not want to do as much work or who are not qualified enough to use a pre-cut kit. A modular sauna comes with most of the work already completed and your only job is to put it together. This is also a great choice for those who relocate often, since you are able to easily disassemble this type of a sauna so it can move with you. Usually everything you need for your sauna, including the heater, will come with your modular sauna kit.

Using a Pre-Cut Kit for Your Sauna

Those who have a bit more experience with building may want to choose a pre-cut kit for building their home sauna. While this will take a bit more time for you to construct, it will also save you a great deal of money as well. The great part about using a kit is that all the boards and necessary trimmings come with the kit, so you do not have to worry about going out and buying the right amount of materials. You will only want to use this type of a kit if you are proficient at building, or you may mess up on the project and it may be difficult to replace the materials.

Warnings

There are a few precautions and warnings that you should keep in mind when you are building your own home sauna. First of all, all the electrical components you use should be UL rated for your safety, and unless you are an electrician, you should leave the wiring to someone else who is an electrician. Also make sure that the door is easy to open and that no locks are used on this door to prevent someone from accidentally being locked in. It is also highly important that no paint or stain is used on the inside of the sauna or the steam may cause there to be very harmful fumes. Keep these warnings in mind as you build and you will be able to construct a great Finnish sauna for your relaxation and enjoyment.

Thomas Oak writes exclusively for http://www.hot-sauna.com

Follow the links for additional information from Jake Plumer about a   Finnish sauna or for a conventional  Home Sauna  for indoors or outside.

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The Life Expectancy of Home Appliances Is Going Down

I found this article in the Realestate.com pages very interesting. It states that recent homeowner surveys have revealed that the life expectancy of our homes major appliances has gone down since 1993. This means that we will be replacing our appliances earlier than we would have 14 years ago. This is a major consideration when you are purchasing a home that is 5-10 years young. How much will you have to invest in aging appliances? Now I have my theory on why this trend is occurring and I think it is very simple. I believe that homeowners today change their mind and their style more often than in years past. Remember the white kitchens of the late 80’s and early 90’s? That trend lasted maybe 8 years or so before people began changing back to stained kitchen cabinets and stone countertops with stainless steel appliances. This, coupled with the fact that we are a nation of re-locaters (frequent movers) who have to sell houses and sell them fast is what I believe is driving this trend. One of the best ways to update a house is to update the kitchen and thus increase the chances of a quick sell. I truly do not believe that appliances today are less reliable than they used to be, I think we just change our minds more!

Whistle While You Work

It is no secret that the federal government has slashed funding for the National Park System. All you have to do is visit any US national park and you will be able to tell that there isn’t enough financial support. Facilities may be deteriorating, staff may be scarce, and trails and maps may need restoration. I love visiting our national parks, I never letan opportunity to visit one slip by. So far I have been to Yellowstone, Yosemite, Denali, Shenandoah, Rocky Mountain, Grand Teton, Smoky Mountain, and Glacier. It pains me to see the number of visitors increasing while the funds to support and protect our parks from all of this traffic is dwindling. One solution to this problem is to rely more heavily on volunteers. The Sierra Club has organized several working vacations which allow participants to help maintain our national treasures. Service trips are a  great idea for families with teenagers.