|
Home ::
Sauna Heaters
Basic and Advanced Sauna Heaters
Basic Heaters
The most basic sauna heaters can be wall mounted or floor mounted. In the case
of a wall mounted electric heater, the thermostat is usually located toward the bottom of
the heater itself so it does not measure air temperature within the sauna with a
great deal of accuracy. A floor mounted heater is a bit more accurate since the
heater is located on the floor of the sauna and the thermostat is located on a
wall about one foot (30 cm) from the ceiling.
While basic heaters bring a sauna up to temperature fairly quickly, they
struggle a bit to keep the air and the stones at the correct temperature in some
circumstances. For instance, if the room is left unoccupied for an extended
length of time the air might stay hot but the stones themselves may cool down
enough to where they can’t provide enough steam for the room. Other problems
with maintaining proper heating can occur if the room suddenly fills with a
large number of bathers after being left empty for a long time, or if traffic in
and out of the sauna is so frequent that the heater has trouble keeping the room
up to temperature.
Advanced Heaters
More advanced sauna room heaters have multiple phases of heating control to
better control the sauna temperature. Some have two sets of heating elements,
one of which stays on continuously and the other of which kicks on when extra
heat is needed. Other heaters have separate temperature controls for the stones
and the air within the sauna, so that both stay heated properly. There are even
heaters that have special lids and fans to help adjust and control heating for a
variety of common usage situations.
Infrared heaters have gained popularity in the last decade or so as they provide
a different type of sauna experience that many people prefer. Infrared heating
radiates warmth directly to your skin, much like the sun does but without the
sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Infrared heat penetrates beneath the skin up to
one to two inches, which can be particularly enjoyable and helpful to arthritis
sufferers and others with joint and muscle pain.
Many sauna traditionalists discount the use of infrared heaters as not fully
providing a true sauna experience, but other sauna lovers find
infrared saunas to be
just as or even more beneficial than a traditional set-up. The best way to find
out which type of heater you prefer is to use both kinds, several times if
possible. This will help you decide which experience you prefer so that when you
go to install your own sauna you can select the heating unit that will best meet
your needs.
Back < The Evolution of
the Sauna Heater
About the Author:
Julie-Ann Amos is a freelance writer for Home-Saunas-N-Kits.com, a consumer
guide providing information on
how to
build a sauna. She enjoys the health benefits of
home saunas and has helped
friends build their own using
precut sauna
kits.
|
|
