Sauna Stoves – The Most Essential Components of Saunas
Sauna stoves are essential components of all saunas. According to the
Finns, the overall feeling of wellness achieved through sauna bathing comes from
the effects of pouring water over the hot rocks on top of the stove, a process
which the Finns call löyly. The resulting beneficial steam increases the
humidity briefly, opening pores and detoxifying the body. It is relatively easy
to learn how to build a sauna heater using stones by studying the
traditional Finnish sauna methods.
There are two functions to a stove. It has to heat the room as well as create
the beneficial steam to raise the humidity. Unlike ancient Finnish smoke saunas,
modern stoves have a chimney to avoid the build up of smoke inside. In order to
learn how to build the stove for a Finnish sauna, have a look at some of the
stoves used in Finnish designs. The typical barrel stove lets you build a fire.
With this traditional heater, you can build a wood fire using birch and use it
to heat the stones. When you pour water over the stones you get the desired
steam effect.
Modern sauna heaters have reduced the need for knowing anything about how to
build a heater on your own. Electric
sauna room heaters are energy efficient and eliminate the chore of cutting
wood. The end effect is the same as with a wood burning stove: water is ladled
on top of the stones to produce the beneficial wafts of moist air.
Infrared sauna heaters are
another option builders should consider. These stoves are very energy efficient
and some experts claim infrared heat to be superior to the heat produced by
traditional methods.
When you learn how to build the sauna, you can
make the decision about the type of stove or heater you want to install. The
selection of the proper stove is ultimately determined by availability or access
to firewood, natural gas or electricity, as well as energy costs in your area.
Most modern electric stoves use a temperature control system that will cut off
the heat as the desired temperature has been attained. Turning a knob instead of
having to cut firewood translates into more frequent use of the sauna for most
users.
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