Important Tips When Buying an Infrared Sauna For Your Home

Perhaps you’ve recently stayed in a luxury hotel that offered a fantastic spa and sauna to help you relax to the fullest during your vacation. Or maybe you’re a member of a nearby gym that offers access to a sauna. Now, just imagine having your very own home sauna to enjoy each evening after a hard day’s work! With today’s new technology and a reasonable investment based on the type of sauna you want, you can easily have a top quality infrared sauna of your own.

Finnish culture has promoted the idea of saunas for years. Relaxing in a sauna has become an important part of the Finns’ culture, and it’s an activity meant for the entire family to enjoy. In fact, their culture supports one sauna for every 2.6 people. That’s a lot of saunas! They realize that infrared saunas benefit everyone and help to wind down after a hard day’s labor.

Far infrared (FIR) saunas are not only for relaxation and enjoyment. They also offer various health benefits such as pain relief and muscle relaxation, heavy perspiration to release toxins from the body, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, weight loss, etc. So if you’re ready to take the next step and buy an infrared home sauna of your own, here are some important factors to consider.

Do You Want an Indoor or Outdoor Sauna?

If you have enough room inside your home, you can assemble the infrared sauna indoors. Maybe you have an extra bedroom that’s being used as a workout room with exercise equipment. An infrared sauna will make an excellent addition to your family gym. Maybe you have a very large bathroom with some extra space for a sauna. In or near a bath area would be a logical choice because you must rinse off in a shower after exiting the sauna. If you have no room indoors or prefer the outdoors, consider adding a small outdoor shower near the sauna to simplify sauna use. Keep in mind that outdoor saunas are treated and constructed in a different manner than indoor infrared saunas.

Pre-assembled Saunas

If you want an easy, affordable way to set up an infrared sauna at your home, opt for a pre-assembled sauna. This type of home sauna will arrive as a kit or in panel form with detailed instructions, so you can easily assemble it yourself. To install the sauna, you’ll simply piece the sides together using slots, install any windows or doors, and install the roof and bench. These saunas are manufactured in various sizes and shapes to fit your tastes and room size requirements. Some companies that manufacture carbon infrared saunas offer different types of wood for their saunas such as red cedar, hemlock, spruce, aspen or redwood. Red cedar wood is preferable because it is durable, resistant to decay, aromatic and can withstand harsh weather conditions (for outdoor saunas). Red cedar wood is also pleasing to the eye, providing added beauty for your home decor.

Carbon or Ceramic?

There are still more choices when buying a home sauna. You must choose whether to settle for a ceramic sauna or to opt for the higher end carbon infrared sauna. Though both types offer benefits, the carbon-based sauna usually offers better heat distribution, lower surface temperatures, more flexibility which helps minimize the potential for damage during shipping, and a solid wood construction. You should compare these two options in detail before making a decision. Keep in mind that carbon saunas offer more added features such as chromotherapy, or light therapy to bring balance and tranquility to your mind and body, tempered tinted glass, a thick tongue and groove, seamless design, and interior entertainment such as a CD player, radio or DVD player.

Features that may affect the cost of your sauna include luxury lighting packages, ceiling vents, adjustable timers and temperature, oxygen ionizer, soft touch control panels, how much seating room (2 person sauna or 3 or more people) you’ll need, and what type of warranty is offered by the manufacturer or retailer. Look for saunas that provide a lifetime warranty if possible. This gives you peace of mind knowing the company stands behind their products.

Start enjoying infrared sauna benefits today, and use these tips to buy a home sauna that will bring family enjoyment for years to come!

By Chris Roberton

Building a Home Sauna Room From a Kit

We have all heard about the wonders that staying for a few hours in a sauna can provide for the well-worn person. While there are many ways that you can enjoy these benefits of soaking the steam into your body the best way is to build sauna room units. You will be able to find different companies that will provide you with various sized pre-cut sauna rooms.

Some of these companies will also help you with the assembling of  the sauna room  that you need. You can also find various manuals and articles that will detail the process of how to build sauna rooms in your home. A few of these materials can be found on the internet and in other cases you can find books on building saunas at your local library and book shops.

The best way to build sauna rooms is to look for a good location for the sauna. The location of the sauna room is important for many reasons. One such reason is if it is outside, separate from the house, how likely is it that it will get used.
You can find the various items and materials that you need for the sauna from companies that supply water resistant wood. Often times you can find everything you need at your local Home Depot.

To build sauna rooms, the best type of wood that you can purchase and place within the sauna is that of Cedar wood. This wood is water repellent by nature and it is also stain resistant. You will also be able to clean the sauna once you have finished using it without any problems arising due to the wood not withstanding the clean.

Additionally you will need to locate stones that have the ability to withstand the constant heating and cooling that is needed in a sauna. Hence when you are purchasing these sauna stones to you should purchase good caliber Finnish stones. Finnish stone have a great reputation to withstand the heating elements.

The roof of the sauna should be high enough so that the heat will not press too much on you. You can make this roof level, which is about seven to eight feet, above the ground of the sauna. You will have to ensure that when you are about to build sauna shed that any metallic pieces are not showing or jutting outside into the sauna itself.

For the assorted inhabitants of the sauna you will need to provide long and wide benches. These benches should be connected to the walls in a way where you won’t have any problems with the benches moving aside.

The benches can be made to many different specs. There are benches that are long thin cuts with spaces in between each of them. They have solid flat benches. When it comes to the benches it is all a matter of preference. One thing I would suggest is to always have two benches at different levels. One of the main reasons is that the temperature level is different depending on what bench you are occupying.

Now, if all this sauna building seems to be to much you may feel less stress when you purchase a ready to assemble sauna. However, all the fun is in learning and building the sauna yourself.

By Bowe Packer

Choosing The Best Steam Generator for Your Home

The benefits and disadvantages of shower curtains or doors go beyond their outward appearance. While they contribute greatly to the overall look of your bathroom, they will also have an effect on the function. Some of the factors to take into consideration are your personal maintenance preferences, budget, and long term plans.

Shower curtains are affordable and easy to replace. They are available at almost all department stores and many other places. They come in a vast array of colors, textures, and styles. If you are looking to change the theme of your bathroom, the right curtain can definitely contribute to the look that you want. You can even custom make your own curtain to match the style of your bathroom fixtures.

If you want your bathroom to look neater when houseguests visit, the shower curtain can be closed to hide the bath tub or left open to show off the brilliantly gleaming porcelain. Unfortunately, curtains need to be thoroughly maintained in order to prevent mold and mildew from breeding on their surface.

When carelessly left outside of the bathtub, curtains can also drip on the floor and make a mess. They also aren’t considered to be as innovative or as fashionable in a modern bathroom as shower doors.

Studies also show that vinyl curtains that contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC) contain chemicals that are extremely detrimental towards human health and the environment. New vinyl curtains release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), DEHP (a suspected carcinogen), and organotins into the air. These toxins can cause headaches, nausea, respiratory problems, and damage to the kidneys, liver, and central nervous system. Developing young children are especially sensitive to these chemicals.

While many major retailers have completely discontinued selling PVC curtains, some still stock them alongside non PVC alternatives. It is best to check the label or ask an employee before purchasing a shower curtain from any store.

Non-PVC curtains can be made out of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) which is healthier, but still made out of polycarbonate based plastic and detrimental towards the environment. Fabric curtains are an even better material. They are machine washable, so maintenance is fairly easy. Hemp is an ideal material for fabric shower curtains, for it is naturally resistant to mold and mildew. Glass doors are also a good alternative to PVC curtains.

Though it is not often seen, glass doors can still be used on combination bathtub showers. There are many advantages associated with shower doors. They are usually made out of extremely sturdy glass and don’t need to be replaced for several years.

This makes up for the cost and tedium involved in replacing glass doors. They are also easy to clean and don’t attract as much mold as curtains. When they do get dirty, shower doors can be wiped down with some window cleaner and a rag. While doors aren’t as colorful or as versatile as curtains, there are still different types and style available depending on your needs and tastes.

It is strongly advised that you use a complete enclosure if you have a steam shower instead of an ordinary one, for the heat and moisture from a steam shower can ruin paint jobs and wallpaper.

By Allison Ryan

Shower Curtains VS Shower Doors

The benefits and disadvantages of shower curtains or doors go beyond their outward appearance. While they contribute greatly to the overall look of your bathroom, they will also have an effect on the function. Some of the factors to take into consideration are your personal maintenance preferences, budget, and long term plans.

Shower curtains are affordable and easy to replace. They are available at almost all department stores and many other places. They come in a vast array of colors, textures, and styles. If you are looking to change the theme of your bathroom, the right curtain can definitely contribute to the look that you want. You can even custom make your own curtain to match the style of your bathroom fixtures.

If you want your bathroom to look neater when houseguests visit, the shower curtain can be closed to hide the bath tub or left open to show off the brilliantly gleaming porcelain. Unfortunately, curtains need to be thoroughly maintained in order to prevent mold and mildew from breeding on their surface.

When carelessly left outside of the bathtub, curtains can also drip on the floor and make a mess. They also aren’t considered to be as innovative or as fashionable in a modern bathroom as shower doors.

Studies also show that vinyl curtains that contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC) contain chemicals that are extremely detrimental towards human health and the environment. New vinyl curtains release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), DEHP (a suspected carcinogen), and organotins into the air. These toxins can cause headaches, nausea, respiratory problems, and damage to the kidneys, liver, and central nervous system. Developing young children are especially sensitive to these chemicals.

While many major retailers have completely discontinued selling PVC curtains, some still stock them alongside non PVC alternatives. It is best to check the label or ask an employee before purchasing a shower curtain from any store.

Non-PVC curtains can be made out of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) which is healthier, but still made out of polycarbonate based plastic and detrimental towards the environment. Fabric curtains are an even better material. They are machine washable, so maintenance is fairly easy. Hemp is an ideal material for fabric shower curtains, for it is naturally resistant to mold and mildew. Glass doors are also a good alternative to PVC curtains.

Though it is not often seen, glass doors can still be used on combination bathtub showers. There are many advantages associated with shower doors. They are usually made out of extremely sturdy glass and don’t need to be replaced for several years.

This makes up for the cost and tedium involved in replacing glass doors. They are also easy to clean and don’t attract as much mold as curtains. When they do get dirty, shower doors can be wiped down with some window cleaner and a rag. While doors aren’t as colorful or as versatile as curtains, there are still different types and style available depending on your needs and tastes.

It is strongly advised that you use a complete enclosure if you have a steam shower instead of an ordinary one, for the heat and moisture from a steam shower can ruin paint jobs and wallpaper.

By Allison Ryan

Ideals for Remodeling Small Bathrooms

With more and more households adopting urban living, the luxury of space is becoming more and more appreciated, such that designs for small but efficient bathrooms are sought more than of expansive bathrooms. These small bathroom designs that are economical in space and money are fast getting peoples interest. Because even though the remarkably lack of space, these new age toilets makes more than enough in terms of accommodation and efficiency. Small bathrooms can become luxurious, too when you put extra ideas into place. Going around to stores that carry bathroom supplies, you will get the ideas for remodeling small bathrooms.

Approaches in small bathroom designs are quite popular to those households located on metropolitan areas. New York for instance, and the surrounding suburbs of Boston and Washington DC with its high density population, leads the pursuit for smaller yet highly posh and sophisticated accommodations.

Are you in the midst of remodeling your small bathroom? How would you fill your roughly 7 square feet of bathroom space? Check out these fantastic ideas for remodeling small bathrooms.

Yes, bathtubs are extremely space consuming, yet some models try to incorporate several features into one compact package. Like the Steam Shower and Whirlpool Combo WAS-2245 from Wasauna.com. This shower combination offers several fantastic features: shower nozzles at the ceiling to afford non concentrated showering and a hand held showerhead. 22 adjustable body massage jets and a foot massager will relax tired muscles with pinpoint accuracy. The 3 Kilowatt steam engine can generate enough steam and the temperature detection system will ensure that the temperate remains steady. All these come into one compact 59” x 59” x 86.6” package.

While ideas for remodeling small bathrooms are aimed more for convenience, some ideas are indeed aimed to be aesthetically pleasing while maintaining space-effectiveness. Like for instance the Wasauna Bathroom Vanity Table WAS-0003 also at wasauna.com. tabletop integration is not an oft used design, and this vanity, while sporting the tabletop design also features a tempered glass sink. This package also includes a mirror and a mini shelf.

Porcelain fixtures are still popular choices regarding ideas for remodeling small bathrooms. Cost effective and considerably sanitary looking, porcelain sinks and lavatories also have the uncanny knack of fitting to just any sort of ambiance or decoration.

By Milos Pesic

Shower Stalls Are a Great Way to Protect Your Bathroom

Shower stalls are perfect for protecting your bathroom from unwanted damage. Open showers or simple curtains make it possible for water vapor to escape your shower and deposit itself on your walls or ceilings. This may not seem like a problem, but the truth is that long exposure can lead to mildew growth and this is harmful for your lungs and embeds itself in your wood. The water vapor can also seep into your wood, causing it to weaken or splinter which will eventually lead to you having to replace something or many things!

This is not the only pitfall to having an open shower. Water can also end up all over your floors, causing a big mess or getting under your tiles and floor causing damage that can be costly to fix. That is why shower stalls are a must have for your bathroom. The enclosure will trap the water inside and force the water down the drain. Shower enclosures also open up your shower to many other options that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

Having an enclosure gives your shower the possibility to expand its horizon. With an enclosure, you can also install a jetted shower panel or a rain simulator. The jetted water panels allow your entire body to be massaged while your body is blasted clean. You can even have jets that will massage your feet. You can also install a rain feature that will allow your shower to stimulate rainfall. Shower stalls also make it possible for you to have a steam shower. With a steam shower you are virtually turning your shower into your own personal spa. The steam can fill the enclosure, essentially becoming a sauna. Saunas not only help you lose weight but they also help you detoxify and clear your pores. Having a shower that can transform itself has so many benefits and can fit in the same space as your normal shower.

Now that you know the benefits of having a shower enclosure, hopefully you are inspired to invest in one and improve the conditions of your bathroom. The shower stalls of the past used to be unaffordable, but now they are so mainstream the cost has come down drastically. Finding the right shower for you and your home, and buying your new enclosure been any easier thanks to the internet!

By Jane Worthington

How to Elimate Bathroom Moisture

Did you know that excess moisture is the leading cause of decay in bathrooms? And even worse, most bathroom moisture issues will go undetected for years – until it’s too late and menacing mold develops or structural damage befalls. The following is a list of five steps you can take toward guaranteeing that moisture will not be a problem in your new bathroom.

1 Tubs and showers should be located on interior walls

The idea is to make certain that you are not running supply and drain lines in an exterior wall where they are subject to extreme temperature variations. These fluctuations can produce moisture in the wall around the areas where the plumbing is located and should be avoided if at all possible.

2 Proper ventilation is a must

If you are planning your dream bath with a whirlpool tub or a steam shower you must not forget that these luxury items can create enormous amounts of steam in the bathroom. You should look for a high capacity super quiet bath fan – and don’t be afraid to spend more for a high quality unit. Make certain that the new fan is ducted through an exterior wall by the shortest path possible. Most of all, run the fan. If you have luxury items such as a whirlpool or steam shower, turn the fan on while taking a bath or steam. Afterwards, close the door and leave the fan on for a minimum of 30 additional minutes.

3 Toilet sweat… don’t sweat it

Condensation on toilet tanks is common during the summer months when the water temperature inside the tank can be 20 to 30 degrees cooler than the air temperature. Air conditioning is the best way to eliminate this problem. Alternatively, you could consider using a toilet insulation kit or installing an anti-sweat valve which operates by adding just enough warm water to the tank to keep the temperature differential to a minimum.

4 Looks vs. leaks

If you are planning a large and costly master bath remodel it’s not likely that you will consider using anything other than tile for your shower. If your goals and means are more modest, then you might consider using a one piece shower unit. By design, these units are seamlessly constructed and when properly installed will provide the ultimate protection against leaking. Of course, tile applications look nicer, but each grout line is an opportunity for water to penetrate.

5 Design a dryer wall

On exterior walls the location of the vapor barrier can play a big roll in determining how much moisture is trapped in the bathroom. This issues is relatively simple to address in a bathroom remodel. The determining factor in proper vapor barrier placement is climate, as moisture typically moves in the direction from warmer areas to colder areas.

Your geographic location will determine proper vapor barrier placement. In Michigan we have a heating climate dictating that vapor barrier is placed on the interior of wood wall and ceiling framing while permeable exterior sheeting is used to allow for any vapor that does get into the wall to escape. In a cooling climate the opposite may be true. Check with a local building expert to design the best system for your location.

By applying these five tips when remodeling of your bathroom, you can help fight the effects of moisture and have a great looking and functioning bathroom for many years to come.

By Gerry Snapke