| When incorporating a private sauna into your | | | | resources to cut wood to fuel the fire, you'll need |
| home, the type of sauna heater you plan to | | | | to make special trips to regularly purchase kindling. |
| implement will influence several other crucial | | | | One other shortcoming is that sauna wood |
| decisions you'll need to make before the building | | | | heaters don't allow fixed control over their |
| process begins: | | | | temperature. |
| - Will your sauna be located indoors or outdoors? | | | | Gas-Burning Sauna Heaters |
| - Will you need a portable sauna that can be | | | | A popular alternative for the budget-conscious |
| moved to a new location if necessary, or will this | | | | sauna user, gas heaters are powered by either |
| be a permanent fixture? | | | | natural gas or propane. Natural gas is far more |
| - Do you have the necessary space for a | | | | economical than standard electricity, although one |
| dedicated room or separate enclosure for your | | | | potential disadvantage is that not all areas have |
| sauna? | | | | natural gas available. Propane gas provides a more |
| - What are your must-haves for the design of | | | | portable option, requiring no hard-wiring from the |
| the sauna? For instance, will you need a built-in | | | | sauna to an electrical outlet. One benefit of sauna |
| shower or changing area? | | | | gas heaters is that they warm up very quickly. |
| The type of heat source you choose for your | | | | Note that you will need to enlist the services of a |
| home sauna will determine the options you'll have | | | | certified plumber to run any necessary natural gas |
| for many aspects of the unit, including location, | | | | lines to the sauna stove. |
| size, materials, and layout. Sauna heaters are | | | | Electric Heaters |
| designed to produce heat and steam for | | | | First emerging in the 1950s, electric heaters are |
| enjoyable sauna sessions. Often, rocks are placed | | | | now the most common sauna power sources in |
| on the heater to retain the heat; when water is | | | | the United States today. Some of their most |
| poured over these stones, it adds to the | | | | appealing features are their cost-efficiency and |
| production of humidity and steam. Some of the | | | | ease of operation. Most electric heaters for |
| more commonly used sauna rocks are olivine and | | | | saunas are equipped with built-in thermostats and |
| peridotite, both of which can be purchased at | | | | digital timers, making it easy to set and maintain |
| your local sauna supply store or online. | | | | specific temperature settings. |
| In general, there are four main types of heaters | | | | Infrared Sauna Heaters |
| that are used for a majority of today's home | | | | Growing in popularity in recent years, the sauna |
| saunas. Among these varieties, you'll find a wide | | | | infrared heater uses cutting-edge technology to |
| range of pricing and performance. Each has its | | | | directly penetrate the body with far infrared heat, |
| own unique advantages and disadvantages. | | | | rather than warming the surrounding air as other |
| Wood-Burning Sauna Heaters | | | | types of heaters do. As a result, infrared sauna |
| Inspired by the original heat sources used by the | | | | users enjoy a more immediate and direct |
| first Finnish saunas, wood-burning heaters are still | | | | therapeutic benefit from infrared's radiant heat. |
| preferred by many purists today. This sauna heat | | | | Infrared saunas use a much lower temperature |
| source can be a convenient option for outdoor | | | | than other types of saunas, while still achieving |
| saunas with a separate entrance away from the | | | | the same levels of warmth and relaxation. Some |
| main home, since the sauna can be positioned | | | | other advantages of infrared sauna heaters are |
| near the wood pile. The resulting ashes are also | | | | that they warm up quickly and are easy to install |
| much easier to clean up if the sauna is outdoors. | | | | and operate. You will, however, need to hire a |
| One potential drawback of wood heaters is that | | | | certified electrician to make sure your infrared |
| they require quite a bit of maintenance and | | | | sauna is wired according to the local building code. |
| attention. Also, if you don't have the time or | | | | |