Traditional or Far Infrared
This tends to be one of the most viewed pages on our website. Many people have tried one or the other type of sauna, but few have been able to try both. Likewise, Infrared Saunas are relatively new compared to traditional saunas, and many people are simply not familiar with them. Unfortunately, addressing these differences has proven problematic for a number of other infrared sauna companies. We would like to take this opportunity to clear up what misinformation we can.
TRADITIONAL SAUNAS
With a traditional Finnish (or hot rock) sauna, the sauna heating element (an incoloy rod) heats the surrounding air (not the body directly), resulting in a very hot environment, with air temperatures in the 180F to 220F range. The body then reacts to this negative environment, and begins to sweat in an attempt to cool the skin and thus the body. The sauna user can adjust the humidity within the unit to protect the body’s mucous membranes (lungs, skin, eyes, etc.) by splashing water on the heating element. This is why traditional Finnish saunas are often understood to be filled with steam.
FAR INFRARED SAUNAS
An infrared sauna does not heat the surrounding air to the same degree that a traditional sauna does. Instead, it heats the body directly with infrared heat waves, raising the body's core temperature instead of its surface temperature. The result is a dramatically lower ambient temperature, typically in the 100F to 130F range. It is subsequently not necessary to raise the humidity within the sauna, which means that an infrared sauna won't be filled with steam in the same way. Infrareds also require a significantly shorter warm-up time than traditional saunas, again because it isn't necessary to raise the air temperature as high in order to begin your sauna therapy session.
As a result of these lower temperatures, infrared saunas are better suited for those who find the extreme temperatures of traditional saunas to be claustrophobic or oppressively hot. Similarly, they may be more appropriate for those who suffer from chronic illnesses and who would be looking to take daily sessions, as they can be more effective at releasing toxins from the body.
Finally, these lower temperatures allow you to stay in the infrared sauna for longer periods of time. This in turn results in more sweating than you would by using a traditional sauna for, say, half the time. You would likely sweat similar amounts if you were to stay in either sauna for the same periods of time, but the infrared sauna just makes staying in the sauna longer much more feasible.
SWEAT ANALYSIS
There is, regrettably, too much misinformation out there related to the levels of toxins released by these two sauna types. As sauna veterans, we've heard people claim that 15% to 20% of your sweat will contain toxins. We believe this to be completely misleading and lacking any proof. Hundreds of different conditions in your body will affect how many toxins are released. Yes, we do subscribe to the belief that Infrared Saunas will lead to the release of more toxins than traditional saunas, but in no way do we offer up such unsubstantiated numbers.
One of the biggest differences is related to the duration of time that can be spent in the sauna itself. Many people argue that in terms of volume, both infrared saunas and traditional saunas will result in the same amount of sweat per minute spent inside the sauna. We don't deny this, but it's important to understand that traditional saunas are much hotter than infrared saunas. This means that most people are able to spend a great deal more time in an infrared sauna than a traditional sauna, simply because the heat is much more comfortable. These longer sessions mean that in practice, more sweating tends to occur in an infrared sauna than a traditional type.
INSTALLATION
Finnish saunas usually come as pre-cut units and you must build the sauna into an allotted space within your home. The installation of this unit can take weeks to complete. On the other hand, infrared saunas are modular, meaning that the unit has already been pre-built for you and will arrive ready for assembly. Even if you find a modular hot rock sauna, these typically take several times as long to assemble compared to an infrared sauna, and they often require electrical upgrades. You can also place an infrared sauna anywhere in your home, on virtually any surface. If you remodel, you can easily move the sauna, and if you move, you can bring the sauna with you! In short, infrared saunas tend to be much more portable and versatile than traditional Finnish saunas.
POWER REQUIREMENTS
Most Finnish saunas run at 240 Volts and between 12 and 30 Amps, thus generally requiring some rewiring work. While infrared saunas normally run on a 110v between 15 and 20 amps.
Manufacturers typically make the switch to 240Volts because units will run more efficiently; in other words, do not be dissuaded from buying a traditional hot rock sauna because you’ve been told it will cost you much more on your electric bill—while it will cost more that is simply another tactic used by other infrared sauna companies to attempt to convince you to go with infrared saunas above all else, and is very misleading.
PRICING DIFFERENCES
To many, the greatest advantage of an infrared sauna is the lower price. Since an infrared sauna will run at a much lower temperature, and lower moisture content, using cedar wood is simply not necessary. Cedar has been used in traditional saunas because it stands up very well to the moisture in the air. But cedar is also a much more expensive wood and needlessly raises manufacturing costs for infrared sauna companies. Also, infrared sauna heaters are typically guaranteed for life. Because you add water to the mix in Finnish saunas there tends to be a lot more wear and tear, often requiring replacement after 5 to 7 years. Furthermore, infrared saunas do not require vapor barriers to insulate the inside of the unit.
All of these differences result in the price of an infrared sauna being much lower than the typical cost of a traditional Finnish hot rock sauna. Traditional saunas can also have potential installation costs, since they are often not as easy to install as an infrared sauna. Although both types of saunas have their benefits, there is really no denying that infrared saunas tend to cost much less.
It is worth noting, however, that with similar sized units you shouldn’t notice a significant difference in the operating costs of either type of sauna. Yes, traditional saunas will take a longer time to heat up (from 30 to 45 minutes), but compared to, say, a hot tub (which must stay on 24/7), the difference is negligible. This is yet another area where many infrared sauna retailers bend the truth to potential customers, saying that traditional saunas will cost you double or more than infrared saunas; that statement is simply not true.
THANK YOU!
We hope that you've found this buyer's guide useful. If you didn't get a chance to read through all of the information yet, you can go to the beginning, and see what more there is to learn. If you still have questions or have comments about the information in this guide, please don't hesitate to contact us.