How to choose the right stove for your home sauna

Aarti Tripathi Aarti Tripathi
Luxury sauna and steam room installed in Cambridge, Leisurequip Limited Leisurequip Limited Modern gym
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Home saunas are now growing in popularity mainly because they are easy to install in homes without the need for a professional carpenter. With modular installation kits available in the market, a sauna can be easily placed in and around the home. The most important part of a sauna is its heater or stove. The whole sauna experience depends upon the quality and type of the stove. When it comes to choosing the right stove for the home sauna, the decision can be difficult. There are a number of choices available with different pros and cons. A lot of things need to be considered when buying a sauna stove. Some of the most common types of sauna heaters are gas stoves, wood stoves and electric stoves.

Wooden Stove

Wooden stoves are one of the least expensive options for sauna lovers. They are also the oldest sauna stove styles, offering the most authentic experience. It is ideal for those who love the traditional wood burning stove for their saunas. It is also a cost effective option as it saves on energy bills. Besides, the initial cost of installing these being on the lower side, there are certain disadvantages of a wood burning stove. The first is that, it requires a larger room to install. It is also difficult to control the temperature with a wood burning stove. It requires some practice to gauge how much wood should be burned to achieve the desired temperature. Another problem with these heaters is that they consistently demand fuels, i.e., wood to keep working. For someone who has a lot of time to spare and enjoys heating up the stove, it might be a worth while investment.

Gas Stove

Gas stoves for saunas are one of the most popular type, especially in houses where there is already a gas heating system. They are also called propane stoves. These stoves have definite advantages over other types of sauna stoves. They are able to heat and reheat the water much faster than any other type of stoves. When it comes to long term efficiency, they are the most practical choice in comparison to the electric stoves. Another advantage of these stoves is that they have easy to control options. However, they do have a disadvantage. The initial cost to install them is much higher than electric and wood burning options. This is the reason many people do not like to invest in a gas stove. However, in houses which already have gas heating, they are easy to install and have lower costs of operation over a period of time.

Electric Stove

An electric stove for a home sauna is another popular choice today. There are a wide array of electric heaters for a home sauna available in the market. They can be either wall mounted or free standing. They provide easy temperature controls for optimal comfort. Since there are so many varieties available, people have a large range of price options to suit their budgets. Since their initial cost is much cheaper than the wood and gas stoves, they are highly sought after. However, one of the most important disadvantages of the electric stove is that it increases the utility bills over a period of time. It is always recommended to buy a high quality electric stove in order to ensure that it is safe to use, gives high performance and lasts much longer.

Thermal Power

Every type of sauna stove has different thermal capacity. The wooden stove gives a pure experience of a sauna. It emits soft heat which is unparalleled. The wood burning heater for saunas has been in use for thousands of years. The water in this heater quickly boils. However, it is difficult to control and maintain the temperature with a wood stove. Moreover, it is not permitted everywhere. Electrical stoves are much more versatile when it comes to thermal power. They have easy control panels for simply switching on or off the stove or setting up a timer and maintaining the temperature. Gas stoves also have easy temperature controls for optimal heating.

Dynamic Range

There is a dynamic range of sauna stoves in the market in terms of types, styles, designs and control features. They can be used in homes and commercial places like gyms, hotels and hospitals. Depending upon the space, the sizes of the stoves also vary. In places like hotels and gyms, where the space for the sauna is large, commercial stoves are preferable. When it comes to choosing different brands of stoves, there are a few things that need to be considered. Safety is one important factor when buying these stoves. Therefore, it is important to buy stoves made of high quality material. The energy performance is also an important factor. A high quality stove will ensure high fuel efficiency and therefore lesser energy expenses. Other important things to consider are strong warranty and good replacement guidelines.

Furnace Location and the Type of Fuel

Depending upon the size of the sauna and type of fuel used, the heater can be wall mounted or free standing. For larger saunas in gyms and hotels, free standing heaters are ideal. In smaller spaces, like apartments, a wall mounted heater is better as it frees up floor space. Users also have the option to have an inbuilt control panel or a wall mounted control panel. Depending upon the ease of use and user preferences, this can be chosen. It is important to keep a safe distance from the heater to ensure safety.

The Source of the Steam

Usually there are rocks that are heated up with the sauna heater. Water is then poured on these heated rocks to create steam for the sauna. Some saunas also have a large water chamber in the walls where the water is constantly heated to create the steam. Home sauna is a great way to detoxify the body through deep perspiration. With easy to install, prefabricated sauna kits available in the market, many people prefer to install a small sauna at home which they can enjoy in their personal space.

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