Saunas are a fantastic tool for relaxation and recovery and more and more UK homeowners are taking advantage of falling costs and having these luxury units installed in their own home.
If you are thinking about taking the plunge, maybe you recently visited your local spa and decided you fancy a bit of that on a more regular basis or saw an advert from a local Infrared Sauna Glasgow Company, you will need to decide if you would rather have a traditional sauna or steam room, or an infrared sauna.
Both help the user to relax, ease aching muscles, and improve blood circulation, but whilst traditional saunas do this by heating the room itself to a very warm temperature, infrared saunas send heat directly into the body of the user.
Each option has its own pros and cons and to help you make the most informed decision possible, we have compiled a list of ten of the biggest differences between the two.
1) Heating system
By far the biggest difference between traditional and infrared saunas is how they generate and use heat.
Traditional saunas are heated by an electric heater, or wood stove in the most traditional of set ups. This heater is sometimes filled with rocks that can be used to create steam by pouring water over them.
On the other hand, infrared saunas use infrared heaters to send waves of heat into your body as you sit in the sauna, providing a more intense heat experience at a lower room temperature.
2) Operating temperature
Infrared saunas work at a significantly lower temperature than traditional saunas. Traditional saunas work heat the room to somewhere in the 70-80 degree range, whilst infrared saunas work closer to 50 degrees.
This is because the heat in an infrared sauna is focussed on heating your body rather than the air around you.
3) Health advantages
All saunas offer a wide range of fantastic health benefits, including improved blood circulation, faster injury healing, muscle relaxation, reduced stress and much more besides.
There is some research suggesting that some of these effects are amplified in an infrared sauna due to the deeper penetrating heat, but both infrared and traditional saunas are a fantastic addition to a healthy lifestyle.
4) Price
There is no set price for either an infrared or traditional sauna and the installation cost will depend on several different factors.
These include the size of the unit, the materials used, whether or not the sauna is a custom fit or a standard shape, and any additional extras you want included such as Bluetooth speakers or aromatherapy.
In general, however, infrared saunas tend to be a significant amount cheaper than a traditional steam sauna. A standard entry level infrared unit will set you back somewhere in the region of £2,000-£3,000, whilst steam rooms can easily set you back upwards of £10,000 for a quality unit.
A part of the additional costs of opting for a steam sauna comes from the fact that they need to be plumbed in by a qualified installer, limiting the locations in which you can choose for your sauna to go, and increasing the cost of installation.
5) Running costs
Infrared saunas are not only cheaper to install than traditional saunas they are also much cheaper to run.
This is due to the fact they heat up much faster and operate at a much lower temperature.
6) Maintenance
Infrared saunas require very little maintenance whatsoever besides a quick wipe down every so often. Any problems that occur with the unit itself should be covered under the warranty as long as you did your research and chose a respected installer.
Traditional saunas require a bit more attention as the steam and wood clad walls can create a breeding ground for mould and mildew.
7) Design Choices
The look of your sauna will very much come down to personal preference. Infrared saunas come in almost unlimited design options including contemporary and vibrant colours. If you are looking for something more subtle, the wood clad traditional sauna is the perfect choice.
8) Ambience
One of the only areas in which traditional saunas do have an advantage over infrared saunas is that they offer a much more authentic sauna experience.
If you are looking to relax in a steam filled wood clad room like the Finnish people did all those centuries ago, a traditional sauna is probably the choice you want to go for.
9) Ease of installation
Infrared saunas come in all shapes and sizes and can be installed pretty much anywhere by infrared sauna Glasgow companies. Traditional saunas still have a huge amount of flexibility and customisation options, but do have a few more restrictions as they need sufficient plumbing, drainage, and electrical facilities.
10) Customisation options
Both traditional and infrared saunas are now available with a variety of different customisation options such as Bluetooth speakers, LED lighting, and aromatherapy to help you create your very own unique sauna experience.
