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Can any stone materials serve as sauna heater stones?
Sauna heater stones should be of a material that is as heavy as possible, dark in colour,
and large in size for them to be able to store as much heat energy as possible. Sauna heater
dealers sell stones that are purposely intended for use as sauna heater stones and which come
from well-known suppliers, and whose composition and suitability are guaranteed. Stone material
that is well-known and suitable for use in heaters includes: peridotite, olivine and
olivine-dolerite. Sauna heater stones must be arranged loosely to ensure there is good air
circulation.
What factors should be taken into consideration when choosing the power of a sauna heater for a sauna room?
The walls and ceiling of the sauna room should have good heat insulation, especially if
the room is to be heated by means of an electric heater. The wall materials of the sauna,
such as concrete, logs, glass, tiles, brick, glass bricks, etc., require a relatively powerful
heater and quite a long time to heat up. The larger the sauna is in terms of capacity, the greater
the sauna heater power should be to heat up the room sufficiently well to take a sauna bath. When
approaching a sauna heater dealer you should know beforehand what the wall materials are in your
sauna and the capacity/inside area of the sauna. Air-exchange in the sauna room must be arranged
in such a way that it does not cause the heat produced by the heater to be wasted. Much research
has been done on the proper air-exchange system for saunas, and for many years this has been
applied at the planning and implementation stages of sauna ventilation in any new construction.
The manufacturers product brochure, available from the heater dealer, gives further detailed
instructions relating to choice of heater power.
How often should the sauna heater stones be changed in a family sauna?
How often they are changed by and large depends on how much the sauna heater is used. If it is an
average of twice a week, the stones should be changed once a year. It is a good idea to rearrange
the stones occasionally, as they tend to crumble with use, making the area more compact and therefore
obstructing the free circulation of air. Good air circulation will ensure that the sauna heater works
properly and the elements will last a long time owing to lower temperatures at their surface.
What is meant by safe distances from sauna heaters?
Safe distances are minimum distances from combustible materials that must be observed to prevent
the danger of fire. The manufacturer gives the relevant safety distances based on studies and safety
regulations, and they must not be reduced as that might create a fire hazard!
Can an electric sauna heater give you an electric shock?
Electric sauna heaters are safe to use when installed correctly. The Safety Technology Authority
(Turvatekniikan keskus) monitors the electrical safety standards of sauna heaters and gives manufacturers
and sauna heaters a certificate of safety. In Finland approved heaters are marked FI. Heaters may carry
certificate labels from other countries (ULC in North America). Sauna heaters are connected to the mains
supply in such a way that their touching metallic parts are earthed. Live components are prevented from
coming into contact with one another as part of the design.
Can the sauna heaters electrical circuit be fitted with a fault current protector to eliminate the danger of electric shock?
A fault current protector is a device that monitors the currents in the equipments phase and zero conductors.
The sum of the currents must be zero and if that is not the case the device will switch the heater off. This
device can be fitted to the heaters electrical circuit, but it is not necessary as the heater is earthed and
therefore sufficiently protected, and live components cannot come into contact with one another. A fault
current protector might cause needless power cuts as, in the humid conditions of the sauna, the insulating
material of the elements might cause the current to leak into the sauna heaters earthed metal components
with the result that there would be no danger of electric shock if they came into contact with one another.
What is the correct temperature of a sauna?
The temperature of the sauna must be one in which the user sweats while seated on the sauna bench and feels
comfortable. There is no right or wrong sauna temperature as everyone has a different sensation of what suits
him/her best, taking into account age and state of health. If the sauna temperature is high (80 - 100oC), the
body will not sweat easily, even if you try to make the air humid by throwing water on the stones. With a low
sauna temperature (50 - 60oC) it does not feel dry as you can use plenty of water to humidify the air. Bathers
can bear to stay in the sauna and it feels comfortable and pleasant! With traditional basic heaters it takes a
fairly long time to get the heater stones sufficiently hot and the sauna temperature can easily get too high.
To keep the sauna at a suitably low enough temperature you must choose a heater such as the Harvia Symphony
(Ever-ready) electrical sauna heater, which can regulate the sauna temperature as required by means of its air
circulation valve.
Can I use my electric sauna heater if one/some of its elements are not working?
If an element is not working, it should be changed immediately, as the ones that are still intact have to burn
longer under the control of the thermostat, and a while later one of the remaining elements still working may
also break.
Can anyone install a sauna heater, and who has authorization to change a broken element?
All electrical appliances that are fitted with protective housing that is attached by screws to prevent dangerous
live components from coming into contact with one another, must be installed and serviced, in compliance with the
regulations in place, by a professional, authorized electrician or any such other knowledgeable person.
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