Ceramic infrared heaters can be used to create a homemade sauna in nearly any type of enclosure, such as a shed, independent enclosure or in an unused room. Using an infrared heater, rather than a traditional sauna heat source, has several benefits. Infrared heat penetrates deeper than traditional sauna heat, which leads to increased sweating and detoxification, according to Dr. Lawrence Wilson, a nutrition and lifestyle consultant. Infrared heaters are also extremely efficient at converting electricity to infrared heat, nearly 100 percent efficient, according to alternative energy expert Chad Brosius of Alternative-Energy-Resources.net. Finally, saunas with infrared heaters are able to run at a lower temperature than traditional saunas, so people sensitive to heat can still enjoy it.
Step 1
Find a location to house the sauna. The enclosure can be made of wood, metal or glass. The exterior of the enclosure is not as important as the interior lining. The length and width of a typical two-person sauna enclosure should be about 4 feet by 4 feet in size; the height of the enclosure should be tall enough to stand inside.
Step 2
Install a wood liner along the entire interior surface of the enclosure. Tongue-and-groove planks work best, according to Infrared Internationale of North America, Ltd. Manufactured woods, such as particle board, should be avoided because they may release toxic fumes when heated. For an aromatic effect, some popular wood varieties include redwood, pine and cedar. For people sensitive to scents emitted by a heated sauna, you can alternatively use poplar to line the interior. Poplar tends to be less aromatic than other wood varieties.
Step 3
Install the correct number of ceramic infrared heaters to the interior of your new sauna enclosure, making sure to place a metal deflector behind each one. Use mounting arms to securely install heaters in the top corners of the room. In order to determine the number of infrared heaters to use in your sauna enclosure, Infrared Internationale of North America, Ltd. recommends 100 to 110 watts per square foot. For example, a 4 by 4 foot sauna would require 1,600 to 1,700 watts of power. In this example, you would use enough infrared heaters in your sauna to add up to 1,600 to 1,700 watts of power. You can choose to use one or two high-wattage infrared heaters or several smaller heaters.
Step 4
Install a temperature controller and/or a timer for automatically turning off the sauna in the event you fall asleep or forget to turn it off manually. Make sure to use a controller approved for use in a sauna, and one which is compatible with the amperage and voltage of the heaters being used in your setup. Installing a temperature controller requires some basic wiring skills.
Step 5
Turn on your heaters via the newly installed temperature controller/timer mechanism. Allow five minutes for the infrared heaters to power up and begin heating the sauna enclosure. As the infrared waves are emitted from each of the heaters, they travel through the air until they reach an object and proceed to heat it up. Since this type of heat source doesn't use steam or dry heat, you can use a lower overall temperature than a traditional sauna and still get the same health benefits. Dr. Lawrence Wilson recommends spending no more than 20 minutes per day in the sauna for the first few weeks, and increasing to 30 or 40 minutes after that point if no sensitivity to the heat is experienced.
Tips and Warnings
- Test out various wood varieties by obtaining samples of each type of wood and heating them up with an infrared heater to determine the aroma, or lack of there of, which best suits your taste. Mount the infrared heaters as various locations inside the sauna enclosure, rather than all in one spot, in order to heat the interior of the sauna more efficiently.
- Certain medical conditions and medications may have a negative interaction with a sauna, so consult your doctor before use. Stop using the sauna if you feel symptoms of heat stroke, such as feeling light headed or dizzy. Do not recess the heaters in the wall. Ceramic infrared heaters are not meant to be mounted this way because it can cause a fire hazard. Children should not use a sauna.
Things You'll Need
- Sauna enclosure
- Interior tongue-and-groove wood liner
- Circular saw
- Hammer and nails
- Ceramic infrared heater(s)
- Metal deflectors
- Heater mounting arm(s)
- Temperature control and/or timer
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