Home Saunas buying guide

Tired of riding around whenever you want a relaxing session in the sauna? Opt for home saunas and enjoy the relaxing session whenever you want.

The session allows you to relax your body and mind from the stress and flushes out the harmful toxins. It also re-energizes your body for the leftover day.

When it comes to home saunas, you have to consider some points before purchasing them. You have to look into the size, shape, type of wood, and other additional properties to buy the best option.

Gathering all the information by looking into different sources can take up a lot of your valuable time. Moreover, you may end by collecting the wrong facts and details.

A comprehensive buying guide presents all the information in an organized way under one roof. You can quickly analyze them with your requirements and choose the best option.

So, let us have a brief introduction of the product and then start the tour of this extensive guide.

What do you mean by Home Saunas? Why do you need them?

Adding a sauna to your home would be a great choice to achieve several health benefits without going to the gym or spa. It helps you to feel relaxed at your home conveniently.

By having a home sauna, you can easily sweat off without forfeiting your privacy. These saunas are designed in a way that you can keep them wherever you want, and they will not need much space to accommodate.

If you have an infrared sauna, it will help you in the best possible way to get relief from stress, and thus you can relax with maximum comfort. Steam showers also offer the same health benefits.

Moreover, a home sauna will help to reduce joint pains, boost blood circulation, release toxins from the body, and improve your skin as well. So, it will be an excellent decision to have a sauna in your home.

Types of Home Saunas

1. Traditional Saunas

If you want to relax with a higher temperature in your room, you should go for the conventional saunas, which are also known as Finish saunas.

A significant number of hot rocks are piled inside the wood-lined room, and an electric heater is used to warm the stones.

You need to drop water on the heated rocks to create steam, which helps to produce more sweat than the infrared sauna.

A traditional sauna can withstand 150 to 195-degree temperatures, but it will require more electricity than the infrared saunas. It will take up to 35 minutes to warm the rocks.

But the best thing about this traditional sauna is that you are able to control both humidity and temperature according to your needs.

2. Infrared Saunas

Infrared saunas are also designed with the wood-lined room, but what makes the difference is the heating technique. Infrared technology is used to heat the room instead of a heater filled with rocks.

The infrared waves can heat up your body very quickly so that you can sweat profusely, and the temperature can reach up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

Infrared saunas work in a different manner in the domain of heating. Infrared waves directly warm up your body rather than the air and thus increase your core body temperature.

So, you will not need to wait much to reach the required temperature, and you can start the sauna bathing in less time. But, you may need a more extended session because the temperature is not as high as traditional saunas.

Things to deem about while selecting an appropriate Home Saunas

Types of Wood

1. Canadian Hemlock

It can be one of the best choices for home saunas because they come with fine grains, and they do not release toxins when the temperature is high.

Hemlock is also popular for the softer feel it provides. Besides, it offers more durability and strength. Hemlock is also less aromatic and extremely decay-resistant.

2. Canadian Red Cedar

The first thing to mention about Cedar is its aroma, which has a therapeutic impact on the sauna bathers. Cedarwood is also very useful for respiratory problems, menstrual pain, arthritis, etc.

It is long-lasting and resistant to mildew. But, many manufacturers are likely to avoid Cedar because they are more expensive than other woods.

3. Aspen

Aspen is ideal for indoor saunas because it is not durable and resistant to decay. It does not have any odor, so people who are prone to allergy can choose this wood easily. Saunas made of aspen also look very attractive.

4. Domestic Spruce And Pine

Both the domestic spruce and spine are white in color. But their quality differs from the Nordic White Spruce. Domestic spruce have larger knots, but they are not tighter, which means they can fall with time.

5. Nordic White Spruce

With Nordic White Spruce, you will have a better finish of the saunas. These woods have fine grains and tighter knots. However, the white toned-wood may get a little darker with time. They are also as expensive as the Cedar.

Size

When you are going to buy a home sauna, the first and foremost thing you should consider is its size. It is better to choose the size depending on the space you have in your room.

You will find some saunas which are like a shower cubicle where some others have a bigger size, so they require more space to accommodate.

Therefore, you should measure the space where you want to place the sauna. You can quickly find the right place once you have an idea about the space.

There will be no point in looking for the most significant size if it does not fit in your room correctly.

You will not have any hassles to take your home sauna in place and assemble them in the right way. Also, you should check other factors like the amount of steam produced, the sound, etc. before choosing an area to place it.

Quality

You will spend a hefty amount of money to buy a home sauna, so naturally, you expect a high-quality product in return. The quality of the home saunas depends on the material as well as the design and construction.

Usually, hemlock wood is used to build these saunas because they are strong and durable enough to deal with the heat generated by a traditional sauna. You can also install them without any extra effort.

Additionally, you should also check the quality of the glass used in the sauna. The glass should be capable enough to deal with high temperatures. A home sauna designed with the standard quality glass can be an excellent option to improve its longevity.

The best way to confirm the quality of your sauna is to go through the customer reviews in advance. You will get to know the experience of the people who have already used the sauna before.

You will get a fair idea of the overall quality of the product you are choosing to buy.

Moreover, you can look for a warranty. You should always go for a product that comes up with a more extended warranty so that you can make sure that it is durable enough to last long.

Number of people

It is also very crucial to determine the number of people going to use the sauna before you make your purchase. Without considering the number, you can not choose the right size of the sauna that can serve your purpose appropriately.

Also, the amount of required energy to heat up the sauna is affected by how many bathers will be using the sauna.

If you have a small family, including two or three members, you will need a home sauna that can fit one person at a time. Not all your family members are going to use the sauna at the same time.

However, you can choose a bigger size for more comfort if you have enough space in your house.

You should not rely on the given descriptions blindly. A sauna can claim to hold two people, but two medium-sized people may feel uncomfortable while sitting inside it.

Indoor vs. Outdoor: Location to keep the sauna

1. Indoor

You can keep the indoor sauna in your bathroom so that you can get better accessibility to the water. Indoor saunas are very easy to install because you need a well-ventilated area and proper draining system without any foundation or insulation.

2. Outdoor

As the name suggests, outdoor saunas are specially designed to be kept outside of your house. You can install them in the garden or beside the pool. Remember, you will require adequate power and water supply and a strong ground foundation for outdoor saunas.

It is up to your personal choice where you want to install the home saunas. The product releases steam and becomes extremely hot sometimes.

So, you should keep the sauna on the hard tiled ground to avoid the uncontrolled breeding of mold.

Heaters and Controls

1. Electric

Electric sauna heaters are used in traditional saunas where rocks are heated to reach the required temperature. Large electric heaters are freestanding, where the small ones can be mounted on the wall.

You should select the correct size that will be suitable for your sauna's space. You are also allowed to control the temperature and moisture by pouring more or less water over the rocks.

2. Carbon FAR Infrared

Carbon fibers are able to spread the infrared heat evenly. It just takes 10 minutes to reach up to 140 degrees. Moreover, you need less electricity to operate this heater, so it is very easy to maintain.

3. Ceramic Infrared

The heat created by these saunas lasts for a long time. You can achieve high temperatures in no time. These heaters are a little expensive than the carbon heaters but have lower maintenance costs than the electric ones.

Installation

It is better to find a home sauna that can be installed hassle-free. If your priority is to get a home sauna offering easy installation, you should search for a portable model.

Nevertheless, you can easily install the home saunas without any difficulties if you follow the given instructions carefully.Most of the infrared saunas available in the market are easier to install.

You may look for the tongue and groove set up so that you can assemble the pieces with less effort.

Otherwise, you can seek professional help to install the sauna properly if you are not confident enough to complete p the task on your own.

Insurance of Product

You should never buy any home sauna that has no product liability insurance. Most of the leading manufacturers come up with this insurance for their products.

Generally, home saunas are expensive, so this insurance will ensure that you will get the proper coverage if you experience any problem while using the saunas.

This insurance provides maximum security to the buyers, which means you will not need to worry about the sauna malfunction.

There are some companies, online stores, and auctions that do not offer this insurance. But, you must check it thoroughly whether the company you have chosen carries this insurance or not.

Safety

You should make sure that you are capable enough to put away with the heat created by the sauna. You are suggested to avoid using saunas in case you have any heart disease.

Furthermore, people having diabetes, hypertension, thyroid, kidney issues, multiple sclerosis, or auto-immune disease must consult their physician before using the sauna.

Obese people and pregnant women should also take proper guidance if they are planning for sauna bathing.

If you have high blood pressure, you should never take a cool shower right after coming out of the sauna. It will increase your blood pressure.

Another very essential thing that you must maintain before and after your sauna bathing is drinking plenty of water. Otherwise, there will be a high chance that you will become dehydrated and feel weak.

You should eat a lot of green vegetables and fruits to cover up the mineral loss caused by sauna bathing.

Comfort

Another vital buying factor is the comfort that you should not overlook while searching for the home saunas.

The first thing you should look for comfort is the ergonomic design of the sauna. A product that is well-manufactured will always provide you with the maximum comfort that you intend for.

You should select some woods which do not have any knots or resins. But, the wood-lined structure should be capable enough to withstand extreme humidity and temperature fluctuation in an effective manner.

Typically, there are two wood types, including Abachi and Poplar, that can serve all these purposes efficiently.

You can also look for an ergonomic sauna bench to increase your comfort inside the sauna.

Environment Friendly

It will be a crucial decision to search for an environment-friendly home sauna. There are some unique features that can make a sauna environment-friendly.

People with allergies should choose a material that is non-toxic and non-allergic. You should make sure that the wood used in your home sauna is collected from forests that are renewable.

Also, all the electric parts should be energy efficient so that they spend less electricity. This is how you will be able to save both energy and money.

There are some saunas available in the market which maintain the ROHS standards. It means the saunas do not release any kind of hazardous elements which can harm the users.

Accessories

1. Plug-in

Typically, the infrared saunas come up with 110V, and you can plug into any ordinary outlets. Therefore, they are straightforward to install without any help from the electrician.

2. Windows

Some people are likely to have their saunas with windows. The main benefit of having the window is you will not feel confined into small spaces. If you go for an energy-saving window, it will help to retain the heat, so you do not need to pay an extra electric bill every month.

3. Music Players

If you want to enjoy your favorite music while relaxing, a waterproof MP3 Player can be an excellent addition to your sauna. You can select a sauna equipped with an in-built speaker system. Also, you can buy a pair of waterproof headphones for an excellent relaxing sound.

4. Chromotherapy

Chromotherapy refers to therapeutic lights that can be used inside the sauna. It works in a relaxing way as music does. You can add some multi-colored LED lights to enhance your experience significantly during your sauna bathing.

5. Touchscreen control

While you are inside the sauna, you may need to adjust the temperature of the heater. You can get your job done effectively by using a compatible touchscreen.

6. Fitness Tracker

It will be beneficial to look for a waterproof Fitbit or fitness tracker to check your heart rate as your blood circulation will be improved during the sauna session. You can consider a waterproof watch to keep track of the time.

Cost

Home saunas are available with a wide range of prices, and the price varies depending on several factors, such as the size of the unit, wood quality, equipment quality, additional features, etc.

A two-person sauna can cost up to $1000. If you want to have a prefabricated design, the starting price will be $3000, and that can increase to $12000 and more than that.

While buying a home sauna, you should keep one thing in mind that the sauna does not serve its purpose for enjoyment. It increases the property value and reduces your health care costs in a significant way.

The electricity cost will vary according to the local charges per kilowatt-hour.

How to install home saunas

1. Your sauna can be fitted to any room. It does not matter whether your room is narrow or broad, square, or small; you can keep your sauna anywhere you want. Also, it can be installed correctly in the basement rooms as well as attics having sloping ceilings.

2. You need to follow the made-to-measure method to install your sauna in any room you want.

3. You can also customize the design of the sauna, including its shower area and relation area. You must discuss the structural condition of the sauna to a professional before installing it in your home.

4. A 2X2m floor area will be appropriate for accommodating four persons inside a sauna. So, you must pay much attention while choosing the layout. You should also consider the position of the sauna benches.

5. You can select a structure where the sauna heater is kept under the benches so it will save more space, and you can access the space for several reasons.

6. You must check whether the sauna ceilings and walls meet up the RAL standards. Otherwise, a massive amount of heat will come out of the sauna through the ceiling.

7. Furthermore, a proper ventilation system is needed to ensure that the fresh air can replace the stale air. You can choose the ventilation system according to the sauna size and the number of people going to use it.

8. You should pick up the right wood to maintain a proper sauna climate. It will help to hold the temperature and moisture in an effective way. Having the woods with the Blue Angel seal will certify that the wood is low-emission.

9. It is highly recommended to look for the state-of-the-art control panel to get the highest quality. Before installing your sauna, you should also check the casing around the sauna heaters to make sure that it will protect the sauna bathers from getting burnt.

10. Usually, sauna doors are set in such a way that they open outward. If you are choosing a glass door, have shatterproof glass to increase your safety.

FAQs

1. Where should I place my sauna in my house?

Deciding the area for your sauna is a crucial decision. As the sauna will get hot, you have to select an area that has a hard floor. Also, to avoid any growth of mold and other harmful bacteria, ensure that the area has an adequate ventilation system.

2. Are home saunas worth their value?

Yes, you will never regret the money you have invested in the product. The therapy session has a lot of benefits. You can relax your body and mind in the steam showers. Also, you will get relief from joint and muscle pains.

3. Should I opt for ceramic heaters?

Yes, they are highly durable and can achieve high temperatures in very little time.

Summing Up

Home saunas present a simple yet efficient way to experience a relaxing session anytime. All you need is to select the best option.

Here in this guide, we have laid all the critical pointers in such a way that you can quickly skim through them. Analyze all of them and make an informed decision.