Sauna and Steam Room FAQs

A Modular Sauna is a panelized sauna that comes as prebuilt, modular panels that interlock into a  freestanding sturdy sauna room. The ceiling panels are secured atop to enclose the room. The modular sauna option gives you the freedom to relocate at any time! Modular saunas can be installed inside or outside (with the addition of a roof kit option)

An Interior Pre-Cut Sauna is specifically designed for new construction or situations where you have a spare room that's already framed in and insulated. Your walls and ceiling will then need to covered in plywood. A Pre-Cut Kit will include vapor barrier, T&G (Tongue and Groove) panels, sauna benches, a sauna heater, door, and all necessary trim pieces. Interior Pre-Cut saunas are permanent and cannot be relocated.

Because heat rises. To keep the temperature optimal in your room the ceiling height in your room should not exceed 84". If the ceiling height is to high the heat well not reach you as intensely. Keep comfort in mind, especially if you are taller, you may want to have the ceiling height to compliment your height. The standard height is 72" and 84".

Outdoor saunas and structures that are 120 sq ft or less, do not require permits (in the U.S.). Some counties allow larger structures of up to 200 sq. ft. without permits. You may run into some problems if you put your sauna right on the property line you share with a neighbor, a parking strip or an access easement.While adding a residential circuit is fairly straight-forward for any electrician, it may not be a bad idea to get an electrical permit for your indoor sauna. You can call your county permitting department to easily check. Most sauna installations require 220/240v power with a hard wire connection to a separate 30 or 40 amp breaker in your electrical panel. In some instances, a small traditional style sauna can be wired to 110/120v circuit, if the circuit to the panel with a #12 gauge wire.You will definitely want an electrical permit for your commercial sauna.

Most Electric Sauna Heater installations will require a dedicated 240 volt 40 amp GFCI protected circuit. If you are adding your sauna to a spa, gym or any other commercial setting, you would definitely want an electrical permit for your sauna. Commercial saunas often have (2) 240v 40amp circuits. If you are remodeling the construction on your home it's typically a good idea to pay for an electrical permit. Then, when you sell your home you've covered your bases. Of course, many home owners simply declare on their Form 17 any work that was done without permits. Additionally, home saunas generally do NOT require a structural permit.

Yes, It is important to to have fresh air moving through the sauna for proper heater function. The best vent locations are near heater just off the floor & on a opposing wall or a gap under the sauna door. If a sauna is not vented correctly or at all issues can occur with the heater and the air inside. Always make sure to follow any installation guides so that you do not have to worry about replacing and components of your sauna in the future. VENTING IS IMPORTANT!

saunas do not necessarily require a floor drain. While some saunas may have floor drains for convenience and easy cleanup, they are not essential components. Many saunas utilize other methods for managing moisture, such as sloped floors, absorbent materials, or ventilation systems, to maintain a dry and comfortable environment without the need for a drain. However, the presence of a floor drain can be beneficial in certain situations, especially in commercial or high-traffic saunas, where it may help manage excess water and prevent slipping hazards. Ultimately, the necessity of a floor drain depends on the specific design and requirements of the sauna.

A sauna heats up fairly quickly and is only ON when in use. The average home sauna costs around $3-5 per month to operate, when used for one hour- 3 days a week. The operation costs may also vary depending on the type of heater or other sauna accessories you add. Gas heaters ran off of propane or a gas line from your home may be cheaper. There are also wood burning heaters that may require more work. 

A sauna is a room where the environment is very hot and dry. Water is ladled onto the sauna rocks to generate steam, so by definition, the infrared experience is not a sauna at all. Infrared penetrates the body with infrared rays and does not warm the actual room itself. Infrared panels achieve this at a low temperature and are helpful in relieving sore joints and muscles. The wet/dry effect from a traditional sauna is a total body experience, which ultimately provides joint and muscle relief, and a long list of other health benefits.

Gas Heaters: 

Pros - The Gas Heaters will provide a higher quality of heat that cannot be achieved by an electric heater.

Cons - Gas Heaters are more expensive and larger than most other heaters.

Electric Heaters:

Pros - The Electric Heaters are the most common heaters on the market. They offer a simplistic installation and a cheaper breakthrough cost.

Cons - Electric Heaters will add to your monthly electrical bill, depending on usage.

Wood Burning Heaters:

Pros - Wood Burning Heaters are the oldest types of sauna heaters which will provide you with the most authentic sauna experience.

Cons - Maintaining a certain temperature is much more difficult with a Wood Burning Heater.

A common practice is to use your sauna's cubic foot measurement. 99.9% of heaters will be based off of cubic foot measurements. 

There are 2 main ways to go about determining the heater you need.

First, take take your Length x Width x Height (in ft.), then divide that number by 50.

i.e. A 5' x 7' x 7" sauna is 245 cubic feet / 50 = 4.9. Then round that number up to the next best heater. So the minimum is 4.9 kW to heat this sauna. 

Another way is to take your Length x Width x Height (in ft.), and match that number to any of the heaters we have on the website. Their specifications for cubic feet maximums will be listed in the descriptions.

View some of our options below!

Electric Heaters

All heaters should ultimately be installed by a licensed electrician or HVAC professional. Your sauna heater should include an installation guide. Each heater will have specifics on how far the unit should be mounted off the floor as well as other pertinent information. If you have any questions, please contact the manufacturer.

Contactor Boxes are responsible for protecting the timers/controllers from any electrical surges. They prevent the units from receiving too much power. IF you do not have a contactor box there are a lot of things that can go wrong. If you need help make sure you reach out to an expert. 

We offer Product Manuals for the heaters that are available on Saunas.com. All the manuals are in PDF format and available for download. You may also receive heater manuals with your heater when it arrives. It is convenient to have both available.

No they do not. It is recommended that a licensed electrician hook up an electric sauna heater because it is hard wired. The Electric Sauna Heaters do not plug into standard outlets. 

All UL or ETL Listed sauna heaters have reset buttons in case the heater exceeds the allowed high limit (approximately 194F at ceiling level). This high limit switch is built into heaters for safety purposes. It is not uncommon for this switch to have to be reset similar to a tripped breaker on a circuit breaker panel of a home. You should consult your owner’s manual for specifics.

Most high limit reset buttons are located underneath the sauna heater for wall mounted units and in the back if it is a floor standing sauna heater. If you feel and/or hear a click when depressing the button, your sauna heater is reset. A springy button (no click) means that the high limit was not the issue and other troubleshooting may need to be done if the heater is not working.

Yes! The Scandia units will provide the highest level of humidity in the room while still giving you that dry sauna heat. You can do this by pouring water over the sauna rocks to increase the humidity levels. If your heaters does not have a solid rock try like the ones from Scandia, than be cautious as long-term use of dumping water can lead to parts needing to be replaced and potentially a whole new sauna heater. 

A traditional sauna generally takes between 30 and 45 minutes to fully heat up. While the sauna itself is heating up, the sauna rocks will be heating up as well! You want to make sure the heater you choose for your sauna is the right size and not to big or too small. We do have sizing guides and expert help at your disposal so we can help you out a long the way!

Yes, if for any reason the pilot lite goes out, it will automatically turn off the gas at the gas valve. This is a standard feature for the Scandia standing pilot version gas heaters. The Scandia Gas Sauna Heater, piezo-controlled, light the pilot electronically on-demand, which makes them impervious to wind conditions.

Yes, in rare occasions strong wind can blow out the pilot light, on the Scandia Gas Sauna Heater. This condition can be resolved easily by placing a small piece of screen on the inside of the intake cover. This screen will break the excessive wind but will not negatively affect the airflow of the heater.

In every sauna kit you will receive all the parts necessary to assemble your sauna, a sauna heater, sauna rocks, a door, and a bucket & ladle set. You will also receive some other small parts like a sauna light, trim, and a thermometer. A sauna kit is the perfect design for gyms or homes. 

Interior Pre-Cut Saunas are specifically designed for new construction or situations where you have a spare room already framed in. All of the walls and the ceiling will need to be insulated and covered with plywood. We will provide the Vapor Barrier, which needs to be attached to the plywood before attaching the T&G (Tongue and Groove) panels. Attach the sauna benches & finally add the sauna trim. Interior Pre-Cut saunas are permanent and cannot be relocated.

Modular Indoor Saunas are panelized saunas that comes as prebuilt, modular panels which  interlock into freestanding sturdy sauna room. Ceiling panels are set atop to enclose the room. The modular sauna option gives you the freedom to relocate at any time! Modular saunas can be installed inside or outside (with the addition of a roof kit option)

Modular Outdoor Saunas  are panelized saunas that comes as prebuilt, modular panels which  interlock into freestanding sturdy sauna room. Ceiling panels are set and a roof kit are set atop to enclose the room. The modular sauna option gives you the freedom to relocate at any time! 

Yes, all of our Sauna Kits are considered custom and will be tailored to whatever you specify. You are only bound by the space you are working with and the clearance needed for the heater.

We also offer a Sauna Builder Form! This helps you easily plug in all the information for the sauna of your dreams. Make sure to be in contact with us along the way so we can help you throughout your sauna journey. 

Yes, the Modular Sauna Kits can be assembled and re-assembled somewhere else. That is the beauty of these saunas. You can also place them outdoors if you cover them with a roof they are a very pretty outdoor or indoor sauna solution. 

The backrests keep your back off of the sauna wall boards to prevent sweat and oils to be absorbed into the wood, helping preserve them for many years. You can also use our scandia sauna wood oil to preserve and increase the life of your sauna. We recommend this with every sauna purchase. 

We offer a variety of Sauna Flooring options. Our most popular option is the Duck-Board.

Sauna flooring will be placed on top of your existing leveled concrete slab. Our common sauna flooring solutions are the tru-tile flooring pieces or the duckboard flooring pieces which are linked at the top. Explore all the flooring options we have to offer and pick what is best for you!

Both Commercial Boilers & Residential Generators should be within 25' but the size of the generator can be increased to compensate for condensation if a residential or commercial steam generator are between 25' to 100' from the steam room.

Mold, Mildew and Virus- free: Compared to traditional tile steam rooms, our Advanced Hybrid Steam Rooms are superiorly clean. Scandia's innovative Power Zone technology and the use of engineered materials ensures a sanitary unit. With just a push of a button, the Advanced Hybrid Steam Room is automatically sanitized and sterilized in less than an hour.

Cost Efficiency: These residential steam rooms are up to 50% more energy efficient than traditional tile rooms. This means smaller steam equipment is required and hundreds of dollars in energy savings each year.

We recommend sweeping or vacuuming your sauna for dirt, hair, and dust, in order to keep your sauna in tip-top shape. After you've done that, we recommend treating your sauna with Sauna Wood Oil. WE also recommend a light sanding every 6 months - 1 year. This will help with any cedar wood discoloration and help with long-term preservation of your sauna. Take these maintenance steps seriously as they do play a huge roll in helping your sauna investment. 

We recommend a regular application of Sauna wood oil. This wood oil will enhance your sauna experience through the restoration of the woods original aroma as well as extend the life of your sauna by increasing its resistance to pests and mildew.

Your sauna rocks can be removed from your heater and soaked in soapy water to remove any debris. (Make sure that the sauna rocks have had plenty of time to cool down before you handle them) After you've let your sauna rocks soak, make sure you let them dry before placing them back into your heater. Cleaning your sauna heater will be a lot easier when the rocks are removed. Most electric sauna heaters will not require much maintenance, but you can wipe them down with a rag. 

There are numerous benefits from Sauna Bathing:

A saunas' dry heat has profound effects on the body. The pulse rate jumps by 30% or more, allowing the heart to nearly double the amount of blood it pumps each minute. Most of the extra blood flow is directed to the skin; in fact, the circulation actually shunts blood away from the internal organs. Eases pain within the joints and muscles, due to the increased blood flow. Regular sauna use is shown to regulate the appetite, increase metabolism, and improve oxygen utilization, helping to fuel weight loss along with a reduction in body fat. Heat has been proven to positively impact your mitochondria, the ‘batteries’ powering your cells, helping your body naturally produce more energy and stay fit. 

If you sauna for just 10-15 minutes 4-7 times a week at the heat levels of 185-200 degrees, you can experience a decrease in your likelihood of cardiovascular issues. You can also decrease your likelihood of all causations of death when you make using a sauna apart of your daily routine. 

Remember to stay hydrated and consult with a doctor if you have any prior health conditions before you use a sauna more regularly. And if you are interested in adding a home sauna or commercial sauna make sure you reach out to us via email -> info@saunas.com or +1-888-503-8157

Check out our Blogs for more awesome sauna facts!