Are you putting the final touches on your home sauna?
The structure is built and standing tall. The sauna stones are ready to get heated up and sprinkled with some water. Now all you need to do is install a sauna heater, so you can steam the room up.
But how do you choose the right type of sauna heater for your structure? Do you need to purchase a specific type of heater based on the size of the room? How much does a sauna heater cost to run, and do you need to take any extra precautions?
If you’ve got a lot of questions about sauna heaters and need answers, then you don’t have to look far. Here’s everything you need to know about purchasing a new sauna heater for your steam room.
What Types of Sauna Heaters Are Available?
You’ve got a few options when it comes to sauna heaters. The most common include wood-fired, gas, and electric. Wood-fired heaters provide a rustic charm that’s unlike other models. They’re perfect for outdoor saunas but also work with indoor models provided the proper construction is in place.
Gas sauna heaters operate in the same way but are more environmentally friendly. You will need to install gas lines to have this sauna heater operational though. Electric sauna heaters are also more eco-friendly compared to wood-fired options, but they’re more expensive to run.
One type of sauna heater that has become more popular recently is infrared. The significant difference is that it doesn’t use steam to help warm up the room. The infrared lights do all the work for you. They’re ideal if you have a smaller space but still want a sauna experience.
How Do You Choose the Right Sauna Heater?
The first factor to consider when choosing a sauna heater is the size of your structure. For a larger sauna, you’re going to want something that doesn’t take too long to heat the room up. However, you also need to consider your wallet as well, as some sauna heaters are more expensive to run than others.
You also need to take into account if any additional construction is required if you have an indoor sauna. For example, will you need to install any additional venting, or will you need access to gas lines in the room you’re choosing to set up your sauna? There also decisions to be made around where the sauna heater will go. Wall-mounted heaters are great for smaller saunas, while standalone options are great if you’ve got more space.
Is It Better to Get an Electric Sauna or Wood-Burning Sauna Heater?
Choosing between an electric sauna heater or a wood-burning sauna option comes down to personal preference. The wood-burning option is the most economical. But it also requires access to materials to burn to heat the room up. You may also need to do some additional reinforcement in your house if you plan on burning wood inside the home.
An electric heater works just as well as a wood-burning model. However, they can be more expensive to run. If you use your sauna on a regular basis, then you might want to consider cheaper options so you don’t get a shock once the energy bill arrives.
What Sauna Heater Sizes Are There?
There’s surprisingly a large number of sauna heater sizes available. But this is a good thing. It means you can have a small sauna that’s all to yourself and find an appropriately sized heater to heat up to 150 cubic feet. Then there are heaters on the opposite end of the scale that can generate 18000 watts to help steam larger rooms.
What is the Best Size Sauna Heater for My Sauna?
The most common measurement used for electric sauna heaters is 1Kw of heat to 50 cubic feet of room space. However, if you plan to use an electric heater outside, you’ll need to increase this 5Kw of heat to counteract the colder air.
For other types of heaters, such as wood-burning models, it’s best to go for a larger option. Wood-burning heaters can take longer to heat up, especially if you have a bigger room. So you’re going to want something that can generate as much warmth as quickly as possible.
How Much Does a Sauna Heater Cost?
Most sauna heater costs start between $2000 and $4000. This includes infrared, wood-burning, and electric sauna heaters. Wood-burning and electric sauna heaters don’t generally get more expensive than $5000. Although, infrared sauna heaters can cost as much as $12,000. This will depend on the size of the model as well as the type of lighting used to heat the room.
How Much Does a Sauna Heater Cost to Run?
The cheapest sauna heater to run is a wood-fired model. But it does require access to firewood. If there are suppliers in your area, then this can be the best type of heater to run as it’s essentially free.
An electric sauna heater can get expensive depending on how frequently you use it. A normal sauna session will use on average one kilowatt per hour of electricity. If you have your rates from your energy bill, you’ll be able to work out how much it will be to run this sauna heater.
Gas and infrared heaters are a little cheaper. However, this will also be determined based on your energy rates. Infrared heaters don’t require as much electricity to run, and gas is often cheaper compared to electricity rates.
Where Can You Get a Sauna Heater?
Once you’ve calculated the size of your room, the amount of time you want the place to heat up, and how much you want to spend on energy bills, the next step is to get yourself a sauna heater.
There’s no need to travel to different stores to inspect each of the other sauna heaters. We provide them all for you under one roof. No matter what type of sauna you have or the type of heater you need, you can get them and all the answers to your questions right here.