Mini-sauna for the apartment: electric, portable, how to make your own hands

The sauna is loved by almost everyone, because it is not only pleasant, but also very useful for health( except for some contraindications) to be in a warm room filled with fragrant steam. Unfortunately, the city dweller manages to visit the sauna not often - in fact for this it is necessary to get out of the country and come to sessions in spa-salons or fitness centers. All this is associated with unnecessary expenditure - not only temporary, but also monetary.

Today, true connoisseurs of the sauna have the opportunity to receive health procedures at any convenient time right in their own apartment. You can buy a mini-sauna in three ways: buy a ready-made cabin, order a sauna on your sketch or build a sauna with your own hands. Which option to choose depends on you. In this article we will tell you about the existing varieties of home saunas and how to build a sauna in an apartment on your own.

Of all the variety of types of saunas that exist in the world, for fitting into an ordinary city apartment there are only two: a classic Finnish steam room and an infrared sauna. Let's consider the features of each of these types.

The Finnish sauna has won special popularity in our country, because its effect is very similar to the Russian bath. However, unlike the usual sauna, steam in a Finnish steam room is not wet, but dry. The air in the Finnish sauna usually heats up to a temperature of 100 to 120 degrees, so only long-term well-trained people can stay there for a long time. A large amount of hot steam is obtained by pouring hot stones on the oven.

The device in the apartment of the Finnish steam room requires the arrangement of waterproofing and a powerful ventilation system, in addition, it will be necessary to comply with fire safety requirements, which are many.

Other drawbacks of the Finnish sauna include a large list of contraindications and negative effects on the mucous membranes of a person.

Infrared sauna has recently gained more and more fans. This is due to the fact that the infrared rays are completely harmless to the body, so this type of steam room is suitable for those who are opposed to the traditional "hot" sauna( although the infrared sauna still has some limitations, so before you equip it in your apartment,read the list of contraindications).Infrared rays do not heat the air, and the body, therefore, warms into the deep layers of the muscle and bone tissue. The air temperature inside the cabin does not rise above 60 degrees, so it is quite comfortable in the infrared sauna. A significant advantage of an infrared sauna is the low power consumption.

If in your apartment it is impossible to allocate a place for the installation of a full-fledged stationary sauna, and you want to receive health-improving sessions after all, take a closer look at the portable models of the home sauna.

In the apartment conditions the following varieties are most convenient:

• Fiberglass - sauna sessions inside a wooden barrel often offer various wellness centers. The size of the barrel allows you to fit freely in it to an adult person. You can parry using infusions of medicinal herbs.
• The fabric sauna is also a kind of barrel, consisting of a dense fabric stretched over a metal frame. When folded, this mini sauna practically does not take up space, it can be hidden on the closet or under the bed. The downside of this device is a large consumption of electricity, since inside the structure there are powerful heaters.

Having decided to build a real steam room at home, you need to be prepared for claims from some instances. Therefore, before you start the equipment of a home sauna, you will get the consent of these organizations. The exact list of instances you will need to apply for a permit depends on your place of residence, since even within the same country the requirements may vary.

If you are in Russia, then, most likely, you will need consent:

• of the State Fire Service;
• of the State Housing Inspectorate;
• Associations of homeowners;
• Sanitary-Epidemiological Service;
• of Rospotrebnadzor;
• Inspections of state construction supervision.

Collecting all the documents will take you quite a lot of time and some money, but you probably will get permission.

The construction of a full-fledged sauna in a city apartment is a laborious process. To result in a beautiful, comfortable, and most importantly safe sauna, you need to take care of some important points:

• Electrical safety. All the electrical equipment that you will use when arranging the steam room must have an appropriate degree of protection against moisture. Wiring must be done in a hidden way. One cable must "answer" for lighting, and the other for the oven. Be sure to connect a residual current device and earthing elements to the wiring.
• Ventilation. Required for all types of sauna, except for infrared. The ventilation system must include a hood and through holes in the doors that provide airflow. The ventilation can be placed on the wall or on the ceiling, the main thing is that it is located in front of the oven.
• Wall and floor finishing. Since we are talking about a dry steam room, there is no need for water in the equipment. The floor can be laid out with ceramic tiles or wooden boards. For wall sheathing, a pine beam is usually used. The beam is fixed to the dowel-nails in at least five places, therefore, it is necessary to fix as many cross-pieces on the frame.
• Warming. To create a thermal barrier layer, only those materials that do not emit toxic substances on heating can be used. Most often for these purposes, choose mineral wool. On top of the first layer of thermal insulation is fixed foil( with the help of staples and foil tape).The foil is laid with a control bar and only the bar is attached to it.
• Oven. Traditionally, in home saunas, a so-called electric heater is used( with the exception of an infrared sauna - infrared heaters are installed in it).If an electric stove is installed in the apartment, there will be no problems with the connection of the electric stove - the power of the electrical equipment is enough to connect another stove. However, in the apartments connected to the gas pipeline, there are some difficulties. The problem can be solved in two ways: by connecting a stove with a small capacity( in this case the sauna will be warmed for at least a couple of hours) or by organizing a separate entrance to connect the heater to the network( here you will need the help of a professional electrician).
• Door. Doorway and, accordingly, the door itself should be as small as possible - so it will be better to retain heat. If the means permit, the door should be made from a solid wooden massif, like in real saunas. According to the safety requirements, a heat-resistant glass insert must be built into the door.
• Interior fittings. There must be a minimum amount of furniture inside the sauna. Enough seat, footrest and shelves for bath accessories. Experts recommend to make accessories for a sauna from a linden. The optimum height of the upper seat is 110 cm.

• Do not go to the sauna too often. The recommended frequency of visits depends on the state of health, so here everything is decided individually. One person can have sessions every day, while others need only one or two times a week.
• The best time to visit the sauna is early morning or evening, before going to bed. Before the sauna should take a shower to clear the pores from contamination. After the sauna, do not forget to wash, and spend some time alone.
• The sweat glands begin to be active no sooner than after 10 minutes of being in the sauna, so set a comfortable heating temperature so that you can sit in the cab for at least 15 minutes.
• The sauna should be walked with a clean towel. Firstly, it is hygienic, and secondly, the towel absorbs sweat, thus maintaining the purity of the seats.
• Do not forget to drink as much pure water as possible. During the session, you lose a lot of fluid, so the stock needs to be replenished.