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Wet Sauna
Know the Difference between a Dry and a Wet Sauna
A sauna using a wood-burning stove or electric heater can be
run as either a dry or wet sauna; it all depends on the temperature
and ambient humidity inside the room. Wet home saunas
are sometimes called steam saunas, but a real steam bath has nothing much in
common with the dryness of a Finnish sauna. Sounds confusing? Let us look at
the different methods of producing heat and humidity (steam).
A dry heat sauna can be heated to a temperature of up to 200 degrees F and
the heat is still bearable because of the dryness and low humidity level of
5 – 10%. Bathers throw water over the rocks on top of the heater to increase
the relative humidity level to 20 - 30%, effectively making dry home saunas
steamier and wetter. The temperature inside the sauna will decrease slightly
during this process the Finnish call löyly, but the added humidity and
wetness will make the sauna feel even hotter.
A steam room is quite different from a wet or dry sauna in both its
construction and in the way the steam is produced. First of all, the steam
room enclosure must be of a non-porous material such as acrylic, tile or
marble. A steam generator supplies steam into the room until the humidity
reaches 100%. The temperature is much lower than in home saunas.
There are numerous health benefits associated with saunas and steam baths. A
combination sauna steam room bath
and shower is available in an all-in-one unit listed in our
sauna buying guide that lets you
experience the dryness of an electrically heated home sauna and the wetness
of a steam bath with the added convenience of an attached shower.
Return from Wet Sauna to
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