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Home & Garden Articles
Sauna Heaters - The Choices are Many
Thu 07 Feb 2008 - 15:55
Sauna Heaters - The Choices are Many
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Urban]Kevin Urban
When incorporating a private sauna into your home, the type of sauna heater you plan to implement will influence several other crucial decisions you'll need to make before the building process begins:
Will your sauna be located indoors or outdoors?
Will you need a portable sauna that can be moved to a new location if necessary, or will this be a permanent fixture?
Do you have the necessary space for a dedicated room or separate enclosure for your sauna?
What are your must-haves for the design of the sauna? For instance, will you need a built-in shower or changing area?
The type of heat source you choose for your home sauna will determine the options you'll have for many aspects of the unit, including location, size, materials, and layout. Sauna heaters are designed to produce heat and steam for enjoyable sauna sessions. Often, rocks are placed on the heater to retain the heat; when water is poured over these stones, it adds to the production of humidity and steam. Some of the more commonly used sauna rocks are olivine and peridotite, both of which can be purchased at your local sauna supply store or online.
In general, there are four main types of heaters that are used for a majority of today's home saunas. Among these varieties, you'll find a wide range of pricing and performance. Each has its own unique advantages and disadvantages.
Wood-Burning Sauna Heaters
Inspired by the original heat sources used by the first Finnish saunas, wood-burning heaters are still preferred by many purists today. This sauna heat source can be a convenient option for outdoor saunas with a separate entrance away from the main home, since the sauna can be positioned near the wood pile. The resulting ashes are also much easier to clean up if the sauna is outdoors. One potential drawback of wood heaters is that they require quite a bit of maintenance and attention. Also, if you don't have the time or resources to cut wood to fuel the fire, you'll need to make special trips to regularly purchase kindling. One other shortcoming is that sauna wood heaters don't allow fixed control over their temperature.
Gas-Burning Sauna Heaters
A popular alternative for the budget-conscious sauna user, gas heaters are powered by either natural gas or propane. Natural gas is far more economical than standard electricity, although one potential disadvantage is that not all areas have natural gas available. Propane gas provides a more portable option, requiring no hard-wiring from the sauna to an electrical outlet. One benefit of sauna gas heaters is that they warm up very quickly. Note that you will need to enlist the services of a certified plumber to run any necessary natural gas lines to the sauna stove.
Electric Heaters
First emerging in the 1950s, electric heaters are now the most common sauna power sources in the United States today. Some of their most appealing features are their cost-efficiency and ease of operation. Most electric heaters for saunas are equipped with built-in thermostats and digital timers, making it easy to set and maintain specific temperature settings.
Infrared Sauna Heaters
Growing in popularity in recent years, the sauna infrared heater uses cutting-edge technology to directly penetrate the body with far infrared heat, rather than warming the surrounding air as other types of heaters do. As a result, infrared sauna users enjoy a more immediate and direct therapeutic benefit from infrared's radiant heat. Infrared saunas use a much lower temperature than other types of saunas, while still achieving the same levels of warmth and relaxation. Some other advantages of infrared sauna heaters are that they warm up quickly and are easy to install and operate. You will, however, need to hire a certified electrician to make sure your infrared sauna is wired according to the local building code.
About the Author:
Kevin Urban is the editor for [http://www.sauna-talk.com/ ]http://www.sauna-talk.com, the web's premier informational site on home saunas. Visit the site for our
recommended list of [http://www.sauna-talk.com/sauna-books.html ]sauna
books and a great selection of [http://www.sauna-talk.com/sauna-accessories.html ]sauna accessories.
Copyright 2008 Sauna-Talk.com
Permission is granted to publish this article on your site providing all links are included and clickable
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Urban http://EzineArticles.com/?Sauna-Heaters---The-Choices-are-Many&id=970954
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