Buying a Home Sauna

Deciding on what type of sauna room to choose can be complicated. There is a wealth of information on the Internet but most is marketing hype. A sauna room is an investment in your health and will increase the value of your home. I have put together some guidelines to follow to help you select a sauna room that is right for you.

Sizing the sauna room is important. how many people will be in the sauna at one time? If this is for therapy then you only need space for one or two persons. Be careful as bigger is not always better in a home sauna. Heating up un-used space can cost you. Smaller saunas will heat up much quicker and cost less to operate.

Do you want an indoor or outdoor sauna. If you decide on an outdoor sauna, be sure to check on the quality. The walls need to be thick to with stand the elements. Select a heater that is slightly larger than used on an indoor sauna room. You can also consider a wood fired sauna heater if you are building an outdoor sauna room.

Selecting a sauna door. Do you want privacy? If you bath naked then you may want a wooden door. If you want to maximize the space then glass doors give the illusion of a bigger sauna room. Insulation should be considered. A glass door is not as efficient at keeping the heat in as is an insulated wooden sauna door.

What type of heater is right for you? Infrared heaters are new to the market and receive lots of marketign hype. I suggest you try an infrared sauna before you jump on the band wagon. If you like steam and hotter temperatures then the tradional Finnish sauna is right for you. Also available are Hybrid or combo saunas that use both infrared and rock heaters.

Select a quality wood with no knots for your sauna room. Cedar is the most popular wood for home sauna construction however it is also the most expensive. I think it is worth the investment as cedar is naturally resistant to decay and can withstand high temperatures in a sauna. Cedar does not absorb heat like other woods can. I suggest you stay clear of cheap woods such as Hemlock as they can have a foul smell and will rot quickly. Avoid sauna built in Asia as they lack the quality of North American or Europe sauna rooms.

A Sauna room needs to breath. This means you need proper ventilation. cold fresh air should be drawn in and the hot moist air exhausted to the outside of your house. A home sauna should vent air similar to your dryer.

Sauna rooms come in two forms. One is a material kit that is framed into and existing room. These kits require some skills but if the right materials are used can be spectacular sauna. The other is a modular sauna that comes with pre-assembled walls. These are standalone sauna rooms that assemble quickly but have less flexibility.

There is lots to consider when building a sauna room. My advice is to look at quality as the number one factor. Investing in a quality sauna room will mean your sauna will last 25 or more years and will add to the value of your home.