Choosing an Outdoor Sauna - Everything You Need to Know

An outdoor sauna is a terrific addition to any backyard, whether it's a house or a cottage. Whether your sauna is poolside or lakeside, you will be able to escape to your paradise from the comfort of your own home to rest and unwind. Including a sauna in your custom home design can significantly improve your quality of life. Saunas offer various health benefits in addition to providing a relaxing and rejuvenating environment. Sauna treatments can relieve muscle aches, stress, and tension while also making you feel clear-headed and invigorated. Many individuals believe saunas can help with everything from anxiety and sadness to arthritis and skin problems.

Due to decreased cost and easier installation, the home sauna, which was once a rare luxury, is gaining popularity. Outdoor saunas are especially popular since they are cheaper than indoor saunas and are easier to integrate into existing locations.

If you're in the market, you'll see many different constructions, sizes, and heating types to pick from, which might be complicated if you don't know precisely what you want. Here are some pointers to help you choose the best outdoor sauna for your specific goals and needs, whether you're looking for a single-seater or a party-ready sauna, a permanent or portable sauna, a classic Finnish sauna, or an infrared sauna. 

The first and most critical piece of advice is to make sure you're authorized to put one in. You can get your necessary help from plumberspot.com.

Select a Location

Measure the area where the sauna will be installed. Is there a suitable electrical outlet around? What are the dimensions of the allowed space? Even though infrared saunas use significantly less space and electricity than steam rooms, there are a few things to consider before settling on a location and type. Accessibility, impact on existing location utility, and the view from within are all essential considerations.

Choose the Right Sauna Dimensions

Will, it simply be you in the sauna, or will there be others? Infrared saunas can only hold one person at a time. These styles may be ideal for a solitary retreat, but they can be restrictive when used in a family or community situation. A sauna can turn a good sweat into a splendid party, and there are outdoor variants that can easily hold eight, ten, or even twelve people. Sadly, the party sauna may not be able to fit in that unused yard corner.

You might be tempted to go as big as you can afford, but a sauna that takes up all of your outside areas would severely limit your options for future extensions. It may turn off potential house buyers if you ever want to sell and will most likely appear strange.

Going with a giant sauna, you can afford among the ones that will fit readily in the available area is a wise strategy. A multi-person sauna can be built in any size yard; a 5x7-foot structure may easily accommodate three or four bathers. All you have to do now is narrow down your guest list.

Examine the Different Heating Options

Traditional Finnish saunas, with their wood stoves and rocks, are still popular, and many people are unwilling to give up the rustic sauna experience. However, wood-burning is only one form of sauna heating, and more modern technologies are used widely nowadays.

Aside from the woodstove, your main options are: 

Electrified - This is one of the less expensive solutions; it is similar to a heavy-duty space heater. Due to the presence of electricity and water in the environment, additional safety precautions may be required.

Gas — This is the strategy utilized in natural-gas home heating, and it's also a cost-effective choice. Fluctuating gas prices can have a long-term impact on costs.

Infrared — A whole new technique to the sauna, infrared light waves heat the bodies in the room directly rather than heating the air. This is a more expensive option.

There is no right or wrong answer here. The heat source is a question of personal preference and logistical considerations. However, keep in mind that a gas heater necessitates installing a gas connection to the sauna, resulting in a substantial increase in your expenses. Finally, don't underestimate the value of controls.

Understand the Heating System - Ceramic, Carbon, or a Combination of the Two

Ceramic heaters have been the earliest infrared sauna heaters and have existed for an extended period. They may generate far more heat than just a carbon heater but take much longer to get up to the desired temperature. They also struggle to maintain a consistent room temperature and frequently create hot or cold zones. These heaters' surface areas can get pretty hot, and they produce a short infrared wavelength. Thus they won't provide as much benefit as a carbon-based heater.

Carbon heaters are light, thin, and deliver an even, safe surface temperature with a 50-year lifespan! A carbon heater's capacity to disperse heat evenly across the sauna is one of its most distinctive properties. It heats up quickly (in about 10 minutes), resulting in a lower energy bill; however, it is not as hot to the touch as a ceramic heater. Carbon heaters provide a lengthier infrared wave which is more in harmony with the human body.

Choose the Best Sauna Wood

Different types of wood can be used to construct infrared saunas. Premium sauna wood alternatives include spruce or cedar, which should be favored above the plywood. Cedar is incredibly resistant to splitting and shrinkage. This is something to think about when choosing a sauna for sweating and detoxification.

Examine the Controls

Saunas have evolved in many ways, not the least of which is their heating systems. We've come a long way from fanning fires and dumping water on rock piles.

Sauna settings can be set to start the heating process (which requires at least 30 minutes) on a timer, allowing you to enter into a perfectly heated chamber. Some contain energy-saving options and presets to store different users' temperature preferences. Auxiliary inputs can be used for music and lighting technology you already have, and remote control can avoid the need to leave the bench. Steam can be mechanized, aromatherapy smells can be injected, and auxiliary inputs can be used for music and lighting equipment you already possess. 

However, auto-off is one function that must be included in the controls you choose. This is required so that a user who falls asleep in a sauna doesn't get wounded; the heat source must be set to turn off after a predetermined time. Even a traditional-style sauna may be fitted with modern safety measures, which is good news for purists. Heatstroke was undoubtedly unappealing to the Finns.

These are just a few helpful home sauna design ideas to get you thinking about your own. Discussing your goals, alternatives, and concerns with your custom home builder will help you find the best solutions for your needs.