Saunas mean relaxation. Warmth, comfort, and fitness. Saunas have been used as a luxury pampering routine in many cultures for ages. To this day, many people seek out a sauna heating experience when they need to wind down and let go of stress.

With time there have been significant strides of changes in the sauna industry. People now have better and more efficient ways of space heating. There are many different varieties of heating your sauna.

In this article, we will discuss the different kinds of sauna heaters, their ups, and downs, and help you decide which one is right for you.

Types of Saunas: There are different types of Saunas and different kinds of sauna heaters according to their location, size, needs, etc. But the sauna heaters can mostly be divided into three major categories. Convection, Radiation, and Steam heaters

Let’s look into them in detail.

Convection

Convection heaters use convection current and airflow to heat the air in a room. The heating circulates the air as the warm air rises and the cold air is brought down close to the convection heater. This way the cycle continues until the whole area is heated and kept warm.

Electric Sauna Heaters

Electric heaters are very very common. They are mostly used for industrial purposes. But they can very well be used for small saunas as well. The key feature in electric sauna heaters is the convenience.

Electric sauna heaters are easy, clean, and ready to be used within minutes. The US limit for electric sauna heaters comes at 194° F. This might look like a big number to reach but many electric saunas can do that effortlessly.

The perks of electric saunas are that they are very customizable and come with interesting feature sets. You can easily pre-program the sauna heater to heat up to a comfortable temperature of your liking before hopping in.

They also heat up the room faster than most other methods of heating. And, they are easy to install. You don’t need supreme levels of skill to get the hang of it.

However, a downside to electric sauna heaters is that they are expensive and often have a higher price increase in different models compared to other heating circuits.

If you are willing to invest the cash for ease of use and convenience, this one might just be the one for you.

Gas-Burning Sauna Heaters

As the name suggests, gas sauna heaters burn on gas and keep the circulating air warm and toasty. They can run on both natural gas, LPG, and even sometimes propane.

The key feature is that they are quick to heat up and much more affordable than an electric heater. But there is also a small risk of fire with gas heaters.

Gas leakages can be a concern as well. However, this is a more eco-friendly option to consider. Gas burning sauna heaters emit fewer greenhouse gases and let the environment thrive. If your sauna is in an outdoor setting with lots of trees around this might be a special perk to consider.

But, to keep the sauna up and going, you have to invest in a few other additional things. Such as a gas filter, a chimney, etc. although the initial cost of a gas-burning heater is much lower, the additional charges can add up.

Wood-Burning Sauna Heaters

This one is the most traditional and authentic way of space heating. The nostalgic element of wood-burning sauna heaters is something many clients seek. This can elevate the ambiance and environment and set your sauna apart in terms of user experience.

These sauna heaters are also priced much cheaper than an electric or gas heater. But it needs a bulk amount of wood to run. So you have to think of your fuel costs as well. Wood can be expensive depending on where you are located.

Wood heaters are also manual. This means it is hard to control the room’s temperature. You have to get used to the hassle. And it needs very frequent cleaning as well.

Wood heaters take much longer to heat up a room from a cold start. And, despite being very easy to install and attractive to users, they can be a fire hazard if used unwisely.

Radiation

This is a comparatively newer and more modern technology in the sauna industry. But radiation heating has gained a lot of popularity very quickly. The one that stands out is Far Infrared heating. Let’s look more into it.

Far Infrared Heaters

The motive of far infrared heaters is heating the object directly rather than heating up the whole room. The person in the sauna needs to heat up their body from the front and the back with radiation.

This takes a lot less energy than heating up a whole room and having to control the temperatures. With far-infrared heating, you get a cold crisp inner sauna environment while your body is directly warmed up.

A lot of people like this experience over traditional saunas because of its novelty and difference in the environment and will actively seek out saunas with FIR heating.

Far infrared heating can be a smart way of saving both time and money as it doesn’t have much additional expense. And with proper maintenance, an FIR heater can retain functionality over a long course of time.

Conclusion

If you have read this far, thank you so much for coming along. If you read in detail, this article can help you understand the slight differences and changes in different kinds of sauna heating solutions and help you pick the best one for your needs.