Swell Sport · Practical guide

Sauna glass damage: when to stop using the cabin

If you find a chip, crack, loose glass panel or glass contacting hardware unexpectedly, stop using the cabin and arrange assessment. Keep people away from the affected panel and avoid repeated door movement to demonstrate the problem. The immediate job is to prevent further contact and give the supplier a clear record.

Swell Cedar Cube 2 in a home setting.

Why a small-looking defect deserves attention

Pilkington’s technical bulletin explains that initial cracking in tempered glass can arise from hard impacts, glass-to-glass contact and deep scratches. It also describes stresses that can allow cracks to grow. Size in a photograph alone is not an appropriate basis for returning a damaged panel to service. ^[1]

The Cube 2 product specification describes a tempered full-glass door. Keep that product description with the damage report, then have the actual panel and fittings identified by the supplier or glazier. Do not use a general glass description to order an improvised substitute. ^[2]

Make the area unavailable for use

Tell everyone in the household that the sauna is out of use. Stop any planned session and prevent remote or scheduled starting using the normal controls, without opening electrical equipment. Put a clear notice away from the glass, and keep children, visitors and pets out of the immediate area.

If the door position makes access awkward, do not force it or lean against the panel to create a passage. Ask the supplier or glazier how to secure the area safely. For broken glass, keep people clear and arrange safe clean-up rather than asking a barefoot user to inspect the fragments.

Photograph without touching the damage

From a safe position, take a whole-doorway view and a closer image showing where the damage sits relative to an edge, hinge or handle. Photograph any label or marking that is visible without moving the panel. Keep the original image files.

Write down when the damage was first noticed, whether there was a known impact and whether the door had been rubbing or moving differently. Distinguish what you saw from what you infer. “Noticed after moving furniture nearby” is a useful observation; “the furniture caused it” needs more evidence.

Send one complete assessment request

Include model, order reference, installation date, location of damage, photographs and current door position. Ask who will inspect it, whether the entire glazing assembly needs review and how the area should remain secured meanwhile.

Request an exact replacement specification and an installation scope if replacement is required. Include hinges, handle connections and frame condition in the assessment request. The Cube 2 assembly instructions warn against overtightening the handle against the glass; leave any fitting adjustment to the authorised repair process. ^[3]

Example: a chip found beside the handle

An owner notices a chip near a handle fitting while wiping the cool door. They stop using the cabin, keep the door undisturbed and photograph the full panel from a safe position. Their message gives the discovery time and says whether any impact was witnessed.

They do not add glue, tape across the defect, drill, polish or heat the cabin to test the glass. They wait for an assessment and keep the cabin unavailable until the panel and fittings have been cleared or repaired. The final record includes the repair details and written return-to-use confirmation.