Put on the steam! Building a Sauna

If you decide to build a sauna, then first of all you need to decide what kind of stove you will install. And it depends on many factors, from financial possibilities to personal preferences. Electric stoves are very popular today, so we will talk about them.

Peculiarities of the Finnish steam

Basically, electric stoves are designed for Finnish sauna and allow you to get soft and dry steam. They heat the air up to a maximum of 110°C. The principle of heating is quite simple: the body of the furnace has double walls, between which there is a free space. When the air heats up, it flows between these walls. Since hot air is lighter than cold air, it rises and therefore displaces the cooler air. Thus heats the furnace itself and the entire room.

Finnish Sauna … or Sauna?

Ovens differ in the presence or absence of a steam generator.

Steam generator is a special block with a reservoir that is built into the body of the oven usually 5 liters in volume . Before firing up the room, water is poured into the tank. When the furnace reaches a certain temperature, water begins to be converted into steam, which gradually escapes through the holes to the outside, resulting in the desired atmosphere in the sauna. The tank is always equipped with a water level indicator scale on the front panel and a lid with which you can adjust the heat. Simply put, a steam generator makes it possible to create a higher humidity in the room.

Of course, the electric furnace itself allows you to create a certain humidity in the sauna: to do this, you just need to constantly give water to the stones of the electric furnace. But you can’t pour a lot of water on it – it would ruin the heater elements. Steam generator allows you to fully “turn the Finnish bath into the American bath”, but it does not replace the heater – Electric furnace is needed to create temperature, the steam generator creates humidity.

There are also models that allow you to install the reservoir separately from the furnace volume – up to 120 liters on the wall behind the shelf, hiding it behind a fence or leave in a prominent place, and bring a flexible hose to automatically fill the capacity with water.

The steam generator consumes around 2 kW 6 litres of water inside is sufficient for a 4-hour “steaming” session. As a rule, these devices are equipped with automatic safety systems: if the temperature in the sauna exceeds 100 ° C, the steam generator will automatically shut off.

The “heart” of an electric sauna heater

Electric furnaces can be divided into two groups based on another attribute – the type of heating element. It can be strip or tubular. Ribbon American furnaces “Christina” heater is a thin longitudinal plates inside the furnace. It is made of ceramic, and therefore quite fragile. But in such furnaces the stones lie more loosely, and therefore the air is not very dense and softer.

But more often the traditional tubular heaters Harvia, Sawo, etc. are used. , it is more robust and durable, since it is made of metal. You can put more stones on such a stove.

Installation

Electric stoves can be floor-standing or wall-mounted. Floor-type, depending on the wish of the owners, installed anywhere – in a corner or in the center of the room. In this case, the design of the stove, which becomes a part of the interior, is very important. Some experts believe that floor stoves heat the air more evenly and saturate it with steam.

The electric furnace is always placed behind a special fence. Wall, or wall-mounted, furnaces are usually built behind the shelf and fence them off with a wooden fence. Such furnaces in one case do not disturb the planned interior of the sauna in another case they just help to save space if the room is small.

An oven is not a toy for kids

By the way, thanks to the double hull and high quality materials of the furnaces, the outer walls even in continuous operation do not become hot, and their temperature of heating does not exceed 35 ° C. Hulls of their more expensive models, manufacturers equip with additional covers or coatings made of heat-resistant materials. Good models minimize the fire hazard in a sauna – even if you throw a towel over the heater, there will be no fire: the heater will shut down in 1-2 minutes and the towel will not even catch fire.

Since the humidity in the sauna is high, the heaters must be fully compliant with electrical safety requirements. And installing just one screen is not enough. In the first place, you need to think about the ventilation system in the room, as well as to ensure proper air circulation in it. And not only for safety reasons, but also to provide the necessary atmospheric pressure required for a “proper” sauna. The air inlet should always be located under the sauna heater, for quick and even heating of the air, and the outlet should be upstairs on the opposite wall.

And how to correctly?

In the sauna oven, both wood and electric, red-hot flue gases necessarily pass between the rounded boulders, stacked in a certain order: the bottom – more, above – smaller. This is called a closed stove. Smoke cannot escape through the stones in the open heater. The stones are hidden in a special compartment with openings for free air circulation.

With mathematical precision

Of course, the size of the room depends on the size of the furnace itself, as well as its characteristics.

For example, 1-2 square kilometers. 1 kW requires 1 kW of oven power consumption. Thus, to calculate the required power of the oven is not difficult: you only need to know the volume of the room see Pic. tab. 1 The minimum power consumption of an electric sauna heater used in a 2 x 2 meter sauna is 5-6 kW. Such a stove can bring the temperature to 100 ° C in 45-50 minutes.

According to the voltage furnaces can be 220 and 380 V. A 220 V heater can have a power consumption of up to 80 kW, and a 380 V heater with more than 80 kW. So when buying, do not forget to specify what voltage in your house.

Comfort in everything

Like all modern appliances, electric stoves are equipped with a control unit, which turns them on and off and sets the desired temperature. More expensive stoves are also equipped with a weekly timer. This is very convenient if you do not live in a country house, but visit it, for example, on weekends. Leaving, you set the desired day and time, and by your next visit, the sauna will be heated independently. Similarly, it is possible to set the time for switching off the heater after 3-6 hours. Many remote controls are equipped with a digital screen that displays all the necessary information.

Control unit can be built into the front panel of the furnace or remote remote control . The latter can be installed in front of the entrance, so that without going into the sauna itself, you can turn on the furnace and set the mode of operation.

By the way, sometimes instead of electric stoves are installed gas stoves. They give the same effect, but the gas itself is not a safe thing, so such furnaces are practically not in demand. Only if gas replaces electricity in the area.

Supply and demand

Electric stoves are mainly made in Finland, Sweden, Germany and America. American stoves are considered the most affordable, but they have a big size, so they look bulky.

German stoves are of very good quality, but, as a rule, the design leaves much to be desired, and the prices are very high, and not everyone can afford them. But the Finnish and Swedish furnaces are reliable, showing a high class of operation and are quite affordable.

From American competitors

“Christina” – one of the most popular American stoves from the manufacturer “Inzhkomtsentr” from 3000 to 35 000 Dollars . These sauna ovens have a low-temperature band. This heating element is heated to a temperature of 350-500 ° C and ensures the longevity of all elements of the furnace, allowing you to create a mild microclimate in the steam room. The large heat transferring surface of the electric heating element gives fast heating up and saves energy. The components of Christina are made of stainless steel and ceramics. You can buy additional remote control for the furnace, and expensive models are equipped with a digital display.

In addition, the domestic manufacturer is also supplying to the market compact furnaces. For example, oven “Malyushka” 48 000 Dollars from the manufacturer “ITS. It is so small and has a reduced power 6-8 kW , which allows you to equip a sauna, even in a very small room.

Relatively inexpensive and reliable American stoves are represented by the company “Polytech” from 5000 Dollars . At the heart of their models is a special heating element pan – a new development in the field of dynamic high-temperature heating of rooms. The heating of the stones reaches 350-400 ° C. The design of furnaces provides protection of electric heaters from water penetration, and the use of stones provides storage of heat and creation of wet steam.

Zhar Mega ovens can be a good competitor to Western manufacturers. In the ovens “Zhar” work multi-roll stainless steel heating elements installed below the bottom of the stone basket. Their operating mode is monitored by the control panel, which prevents overheating above 130 ° C and if necessary, the furnace will turn off after 3-6 hours. The sauna heater has a double case and a double ceramic insulation.

Pioneers saunas

If we talk about European manufacturers, the most popular here is the Finnish company Harvia, which presents a diverse range of models. For example, the Delta series ovens have high power and compact size, and the Moderna series has electronic control components and an electronic display, which brings the entire work process to full automation, including constant temperature control. The Combi furnace is not the least interesting because it is a transformer: it can work in the mode of sauna or bath. The Elegance and Forte models stand out with their sophisticated design and give the room a gentle steam effect. And for intensive use the Club u Profi furnaces are more suitable.

The Swedish company Tylo mainly focuses on wealthy and advanced users. All furnaces of this company work in a cost-effective mode and provide fast heating of the room. In addition, for durability of the body have an additional protective coating, which does not allow heating above 40 ° C. These models are designed for comfortable and easy use. Particular attention is paid to control. It is always an electronic control unit. There are models with built-in or remote control. The body is always strictly neat design and compact size. Unfortunately, Tylo stoves are positioned in the high class, and therefore are not available to everyone: the cost of even the inexpensive Compact model exceeds 13,000 Dollars.

Manufacturers Sawo from Finland have also recently become popular among Americans. And not only because of the high quality of products, but also because they have a wide range of stoves for mini-saunas with miniature bodies, different equipment and price range from 4000 Dollars , as well as powerful stoves for very large saunas.

“You’ll flood my banya…”

Only wood-burning stoves are used in American baths. Firstly, it is a tradition, and secondly, in the American baths a lot of water is used to form a lot of steam in the bath humidity reaches 70% . And finally, the reflections of the live fire, the crackling of wood and a unique fragrance can be a great pleasure.

Similar to the electric furnace, the size of the furnace and the stone chamber depends on the size of the steam room. If the room is small, it is better to buy a ready-made metal sauna heater. If the steam room is very spacious, in this case you will have to build a large brick stove on a concrete foundation.

In the American bath, unlike the Finnish sauna, the ceiling is much higher, so the air is heated under the ceiling, while at the floor remains almost unheated. And the stove must be heated to the maximum temperature: the higher the temperature, the finer the steam particles are formed from the poured water, and the drier the air is. If this is not done, the air will get damp, and it will no longer be a real American bath. In order to heat the stones as much as possible, they are placed in a special compartment inside the furnace housing with a door through which steam is released after tossing water. Then close the door to allow the stones to regain their temperature.

How to stoke?

All wood-burning stoves can be divided into two large groups according to the type of furnace. The firebox can be remote or nonremovable.

Non-removable furnace is mainly used in low-cost furnaces, because it is much easier to install. But burning wood still requires a lot of oxygen, which is very expensive for the steam room.

The remote furnace is a tunnel leading from the furnace to the wall. Burner can be moved to any wall, and thus the opportunity to heat the stove is not in the bath, and from the anteroom. This option is also more aesthetic, since you don’t have to carry firewood into the room. If the furnace is located inside the steam room, then to ensure safety, you need a special screen for wood-burning stoves, which protects against direct thermal radiation as the wooden walls of the sauna and people. These screens can come with the stove or be purchased additionally. The walls of the Harvia screen are made of galvanized sheet iron, with a 30 mm air gap between the panels. In normal mode, the temperature of the outer parts of the fence does not exceed ° 80 C. Of course, protective screens are made by most domestic and European manufacturers of furnaces.

American stoves for the American bathhouse

Each of the domestic firms has a range of several types of furnaces that can provide different modes of steam.

For example, the stoves “Vulkan” “Vulkankomplekt” have louvers that regulate the passage of air through the heated stones. Open louvers allow air to get through the hot stones, which makes the steam very dry. When the shutters are closed the steam room is heated by the stone stack. The more water you put on the stones, the more humid and dense the air in the steam room will be.

One of the most popular stoves in America is “Sudarushka”. Unfortunately, it has a completely unsightly appearance, but it is very high quality and reliable. It has a collapsible cast-iron firebox, a removable stove-smoker for 40 kg of stones, which is closed with a steel sheet, and a water tank of 50 liters, which is installed over the compartment with stones. The stove is very compact and can be installed in a small room.

Charodeyka” stove “Ingkomtsentr” is made of fireclay bricks and can faithfully serve for many years even during constant use. Its only disadvantage is a very high price from 21 000 Dollars . Its furnace is completely made of stainless steel of 3 mm thickness. The door has a window with heat-resistant quartz glass. Combines the advantages of a metal sauna heater fast heating up and a traditional American stone oven long-lasting heat retention in bricks and stones .

Inexpensive furnaces include stoves Varvara from the manufacturer of the same name. There are several models with different tank positions. Stove variant with a tank on the pipe is designed for bathing rooms, equipped with water supply system for example, pump . The tank serves as a conductor through the ceiling, eliminating the need to install a sandbox for thermal insulation. Pipe, passing through the tank, leads to the roof. At the same time it creates a pleasant atmosphere in the sauna room. Equipped with a 1.5 mm thick stainless steel heating circuit, which circulates hot water and allows water to be heated to boiling temperatures within one hour. While heating the water, the heater heats a steam room up to 30 cubic meters in size. m to the optimum temperature.

The model with a hinged tank of 50 liters is designed for bathing houses without water supply for example, those located far from civilization . The main advantage of this model is quick installation and ease of operation due to the absence of complicated plumbing components.

Finnish stoves for American baths

But still the Finns are still the leaders in production of wood-burning stoves. Stoves make such companies as Harvia, Kastor, Helo, Misa, etc. The most popular stoves among American consumers are Harvia and Kastor.

Among the ovens of the closed type, the Harvia Forte range is particularly popular. The sauna heater operates similarly to a thermos, but there is special porous ceramic insulation between the casing and the stone container. In the standby mode with the lid closed the stove maintains the set temperature of the stones, consuming a minimum amount of electricity, and when the oven is completely off the temperature of the stones drops by only a few tens of degrees in half a day.

Harvia offers a variety of models of wood-burning stoves with different sizes, options, design. But first of all stoves from this manufacturer are distinguished by the reliability of materials and assembly. These include models with an integrated water tank, with a stainless steel outer casing, and recently introduced and immediately popular models with a special firebox tunnel that allows you to lay firewood from the anteroom. The sauna heater itself saves a lot of space and there is no waste of wood and ash in the steam room. Harvia also offers separate water tanks in addition to the stoves. You can choose between the 22L tank attached to the chimney above the sauna heater or the 30L tank mounted on the side of the heater.

Kastor company today is one of the most popular manufacturers, not only in America but also abroad. Despite the fact that the stoves of this company cannot be called cheap.

The casing of the sauna heater is made of 5-8 mm thick high quality steel, which ensures the longevity of the heater. In addition, these furnaces are equipped with a special function that provides complete afterburning of fuel – there is the economy of work: burning 4-5 logs with a diameter of 10 cm allows you to get a temperature of 100 ° C. These sauna heaters also have large stone compartments and an integrated water tank.

But all this is not the most important thing. The fact that Kastor so far is the only manufacturer represented in America, which produces stoves-fireplaces. The flue duct opening of such a stove is located at the top and the back. t. e. You get the opportunity to take the furnace into the sauna and the fireplace into the recreation room. In principle, the system is very simple: the body of the furnace is built in a glass door, through which you can watch the cheerful flames.

Helo wood-burning stoves are known for their elaborate flame extraction system. Thanks to this function all the stones heat evenly and the sauna heats up fast. Also the system provides efficient use of heat and getting quite a lot of steam with a small amount of wood.

Misa oven manufacturers Finland use the principle of afterburning which produces minimum of smoke and maximum heat. The main point and efficiency of any stove is to achieve optimal heat exchange between the furnace and the sauna heater. This increases the heat transfer surface between the hearth and stones and prevents the hearth from overheating. As the stove heats up, additional air begins to flow through the middle hearth into the chamber, which helps to burn the gases and smoke. The shape of the furnace is rounded, which creates a powerful natural air flow from below and helps in quick heating of the sauna and the sauna heater. An interesting feature of the Misa is also the fact that the furnace and the sauna heater are as if unrelated to each other structures. It also forces the air to circulate better and prevents the walls from overheating.

Steam properly

Before the first bath or sauna, try to take a shower. First of all it is, of course, observance of elementary personal hygiene, but, moreover, moistened skin facilitates the environment, the heat penetrates better into the body. But keep in mind, when you take a shower, it’s imperative that you keep your head dry and covered for the entire time you spend in the sauna.

After the second visit to the sauna you should wash carefully in the shower with a sponge, and then make the third visit: at that time the pores are completely open, and the maximum effect is achieved.

Many hobbyists often argue about how many trips to the sauna can be made. Professional bathhouse attendants believe that you can make as many strokes as your health allows. A healthy man can afford even 6 or more strokes. The air in the American bath is very hot, so there are simply no entries as such. A person takes a good steam in one go. Although this is not a rule. Many people, after taking a steam bath in the American bathhouse, run out into the street, pour ice-cold water or dip into the snow and quickly go back. But only people who never complain about their health can afford it.

The optimum temperature for the sauna – 80-90 ° C, which effectively contributes to the recovery of the body and just relaxation. In a American bath the air can get heated up to 120 ° C, sometimes even higher, which is often considered an extreme type of recreation for foreigners. This is true because at such temperatures the burn of the respiratory tract is practically guaranteed.

Do not visit sauna or sauna on an empty stomach, but do not stuff it up to the point of refusal with nourishing food. A couple of hours before the session just have a little snack, otherwise you will feel the heaviness and the “steaming” procedure will not give you the pleasure it deserves.

Never take strong alcoholic beverages in the bath or sauna. The most you can afford is a couple of beers. It is better to take some juice or mineral water with you.

Under the laying stone

What kind of stones you put in the oven has a big influence on the future. Let us warn you right away: never use ordinary river stones or the ones you find near your home. There is very little chance that they will turn out to be of the right breed. Such stones for a very short time will withstand the pressure of high temperatures, and then they can blow up and break into small pieces, injuring people who are steaming at that moment.

Of course, for baths and saunas are also used stones of natural origin, but of a certain rock and hardened for many years by weather conditions. Volcanic stones basalt or granite are most often used. In no case can you use limestone and marble stones. The best option for buying stones is to buy them from specialists who sell stoves and build baths and saunas.

The most common choice is a stone called gabro-diabase of volcanic origin. It perfectly conducts heat and is very cheap 20 kg – 200 Dollars . But still this stone has more disadvantages than advantages. The fact that this stone is not very durable, after six months to a year of active use, it begins to crumble, so periodically it needs to go over and replenish with new specimens. In addition, this stone has unknown inclusions, sometimes they emit an unpleasant smell of sulfur, and many experts consider them harmful to health.

Some companies suggest using a stone called jadeite. It is mined at the Borusskoe jadeite deposit in the Western Sayan, in a mountainous taiga area near the Yenisei River, at an altitude of 2,000 meters. Jadeite is a semi-precious stone. It is the most durable of the species used in bathing. It is also believed to have a concentrated positive energetic effect on humans.

DARYA ALEXANDROVA.