Sauna Thermometers and Hygrometers

A must-have accessory for your home sauna is a sauna thermometer and hygrometer. A thermometer determines the room's temperature, and a hygrometer regulates and measures humidity inside the sauna.

Both are necessary to create a safe environment in the sauna and avoid accidents. While the core body temperature is between 98 and 100ºF (37ºC), a rise of just a few degrees could cause hyperthermia (overheating), collapse, and coma. However, not just the temperature is essential; knowing the humidity of the sauna is equally crucial.

A sauna with high humidity shouldn't pass a 120ºF temperature (48ºC); while this is a lower temperature than recommended, the sauna will feel much warmer when there is high humidity.

High humidity in the sauna affects the efficiency of sweating. Your body will send hot blood to the skin surface, where the blood vessels will dilate in an attempt to cool down. This is why the skin appears red after a sauna session. When this happens, it's a sign your heart is pumping blood more quickly, trying to supply blood to the skin and muscles. However, if this continues for a prolonged period, the brain can be starved of blood and oxygen and be at risk of collapsing.

When buying a hygrometer, the first thing you should pay attention to is the body. The device should have an airtight body, be safe, and be capable of resisting high temperatures and humidity.

One of the best options you can find in the market is a wood hygrometer because the wood has a low thermal conductivity which helps prevent accidental combustion. All the glass should be heat-resistant.

It is also essential to consider the range of readings a sauna hygrometer should show from 0% to 100%. A thermometer should show a temperature that goes past 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

A sauna with high humidity shouldn't pass a 120ºF temperature (48ºC); while this is a lower temperature than recommended, the sauna will feel much warmer when there is high humidity.

What kind of thermometer do you use in a sauna?

For a dry sauna, you should use an essential temperature gauge thermometer; it can be digital or a dial format. For a wet or steam sauna, installing a hygrometer to measure the room's humidity is necessary.

Choosing the correct sauna thermometer will help everyone who uses the sauna be safe and comfortable. Most manufacturers package both measuring devices in a single frame so you can read both of them at a glance.

The thermometer and hygrometer work together to help keep the sauna environment at its healthiest. For choosing a thermometer, you should bear in mind the following characteristics:

Water resistance

The sauna thermometer you choose to install should be watertight. If it is not, the temperature gauge will fog upon exposure to humid air, and it will b e useless in your sauna.

Readability

The thermometer should come on a solid wood base with large enoughnumbers carved in it, with an exposed gauge needle to read it from a distance. It is recommended to install the thermometer 6 inches from your sauna's ceiling; you should be able to see the temperature while sitting on the bottom bench. It also should have moisture-proof glass faces with a large scale and a red needle with a danger zone marked; this will help you know immediately when the air temperature gets too high.

Heat Resistance

A good sauna thermometer should tolerate extreme heat conditions; after all, it is made to measure high temperatures.
When choosing a thermometer, we recommend avoiding acrylic covers or fiberglass; they can pop loose from the frame.

Another thing to bear in mind is that if the cover gets too hot and you need to open the sauna in an emergency, it will most likely crack due to the exposure to colder air. A good choice is a wood thermometer.

Remember that your sauna thermometer doesn't control your sauna's heater. Always check and compare the thermostat on the sauna heater with the thermometer when warming your sauna. We recommend always using a sauna timer set for a minimum safe time inside the sauna.

You can find thermometers and hygrometers for sale at saunas.com with all these features.

Ideal Sauna temperature

The ideal sauna temperature depends entirely on your preferences; most sauna bathers have said to enjoy temperatures between 150 to 175ºF on traditional dry saunas, on infrared saunas temperatures from 120 to 130ºF. For pregnant women and people with health conditions like asthma, skin disease, high blood pressure, or heart disease, the ideal temperature should be below 158ºF.

How to calibrate a sauna thermometer

There are a few effortless ways to accurately re-adjust the calibration of your thermometer.

Step 1: Get an electronic laser scanning thermometer or meat thermometer as a reference thermometer.

Step 2: Place your sauna thermometer within 6" of the sauna ceiling and take a temperature measurement next to the sensor or thermometer.

Step 3: Once the indicators of both thermometers are stable, use a screwdriver to adjust the slot on the backside of the thermometer

so that the pointer will indicate the same temperature as the reference thermometer.

Step 4: Allow your sauna thermometer at least 10 minutes to stabilize in the sauna, then protect your hands with heavy gloves (the thermometer will be very hot).

Step 5: The thermometer is now calibrated and will indicate different temperatures at its characteristic accuracy.

What is sauna Hygrometer?

A sauna hygrometer measures and regulates the humidity inside the sauna. It is an instrument used to measure the amount of water vapor in the air inside the sauna.

Ideal sauna humidity

Using sauna wood oil is safe to use. It helps keep sauna wood looking clean by not allowing excess moisture to soak into wood fibers.

The oil should be 100% organic with non-toxic aromatic oils and no chemical additives. This is also for your health; the oil should be 100% clear petroleum-based oil.

Never paint, stain or varnish your sauna with products not made specifically for it, when heated they can be toxic and will release toxins into the air.