How to get healing steam and pleasant warmth: what is important to consider when choosing a wood-fired sauna stove?
In the minds of ordinary people, the concepts of a bathhouse and a sauna are complete synonyms; many people think that a sauna is Finnish name for sauna. This is a misconception. Concepts similar, but they have significant differences.
The sauna has its own distinctive features. The choice of the right stove is of great importance for its construction.
Content
Bathhouse and sauna are sisters
The bathhouse and sauna have the following differences:
- V layout and size steam room;
- V temperature and humidity conditions;
- in the system ventilation;
- V therapeutic effect;
- in the method of obtaining pair.
The steam room in the bathhouse is characterized by high humidity, high ceilings and shelves for bathers. The temperature rarely rises above 50-70 °C. The basis of the procedure is steaming with a broom.
The sauna has low ceiling, cross ventilation, dry air and high temperatureIn the sauna, people sit quietly and sweat for a long time.
To get such a steam room, you need to choose the right one stove. Stones simply placed on the stove to heat the air heat up weakly, and if you splash hot water on them, the steam will be heavy and coarse.
In a classic sauna the stones are covered damper, and the temperature is raised by the wall of the stove and if you splash water on them, steam is produced "impactful", hot and finely dispersed.
Wood fired sauna stove
The sauna came from the depths of time. To get rid of diseases, people tried to warm up. The principle of heating: stones heated by fire are brought into the room and give off heat.
It's dry and hot in the sauna - up to 90-110 degrees, heavy brick bake does not fitThe room is heated by the stones, so they must heat up strongly and quickly, which is helped by a metal stove.
The wall of the stove between the stones and the flame should be heat-conducting and relatively thin. The area of contact between the stones and the stove should be maximum, 2-3 stones won't be able to raise the temperature.
Photo 1. Wood-burning sauna stove model Barrel Vitra with open stone heater, manufacturer Termofor, Russia.
Open hot metal in the sauna - phenomenon unwanted. It dries the air, burns the dust, fries the bathers with infrared radiation. Therefore, the frame of the sauna stove is filled with stones completely, from the bottom to the first knee of the chimney.
The stove must be simple and not heavyA classic metal stove does not require a solid foundation, as it is lightweight. Boiler steel for walls it is not subject to corrosion and will burn out only after ten years.
What does it consist of?
The main elements of a sauna stove:
- firebox with door and ash pan;
- secondary combustion chamber;
- chimney;
- convector;
- basket for stones.
Characteristics of the components
In a good stove, all elements are well thought out and proportionate. Small firebox with a large filling of stones - bad decision (it will take a long time to heat up the sauna).
And if a powerful firebox “heats” the stones to red-hot, you can get burns to the skin and lungs.
The basket for stones should provide a large area of stone packing. The stones should be larger than the cells of the fence so that they do not fall out. The layer of stones varies depending on the location - from 15 cm near the firebox to 5 cm on the chimney.
Helping the air in the sauna heat up faster will allow convector - metal casing at a distance 1-3 cm from hot walls. Between the casing and the firebox, air constantly moves, heating up and drying out. The efficiency of stoves with such an element is higher, but overdried air can have a negative effect on the microclimate in the steam room.
A big plus for increasing efficiency is adjustable ash pan with cast iron grate, and also a system for afterburning pyrolysis gases in special secondary chambers. The combustion of firewood will be more complete, which means less firewood will be needed.
Cast Iron or Steel: Which Material is Better?
The best material for the stove is boiler steelIt is a durable alloy that has a low coefficient of thermal expansion and contains additives that resist corrosion.
Relatively recently, the industry began to produce cast iron sauna stoves. They evoke mixed feelings among steam room owners and construction masters.
Cast iron afraid of sudden changes in temperature, sharp and hot firings can cause internal stress in the crystalline structure of the metal and lead to cracks.
A stove that collapsed in a sauna with people in it may lead not only to the fire, but also to injuries. Manufacturers of such furnaces reassure users with assurances that the service life will be about 30 years.
Fire safety and layout
An important characteristic of sauna stoves is fire safety. The safest are considered to be stoves with a firebox in the steam room itself. This saves space significantly, and many families are happy to convert the bathrooms in their homes into real saunas. Traditional Finnish sauna consists of one room - actually, steam rooms. Such a stove will quickly heat the room, since the entire heated area is located inside.
Firewood leaves behind debris, and when kindled, back smoking is possible. That's why stoves were invented with remote firebox - the door opens into another room. This is much more convenient.
When building such a sauna, a brick wall is erected around the stove to prevent fire.
The remote firebox, as a rule, lined with firebrick, and heat exchange occurs not from the walls of the firebox, but around additional chambers.
New DIY items
A new word in stove making - stoves with a rocket-type fireboxThey are popular in China for cooking, but are gaining popularity in Europe and the USA. Economical and easy to manufacture.
Attention! If you want to make such a miracle, you should remember - carbon monoxide leaks may lead to loss of life. Check the integrity of welded seams, do not skimp on the composition and thickness of the metal!
Home craftsmen are already picking up on this idea and equipping saunas with similar stoves of their own making. Unfortunately, the industry does not produce such stoves.
About fuel
The sauna is heated deciduous firewoodUsing these firewoods will help to quickly "heat up" the temperature.
The best in quality are considered to be oak and birch firewood. Coniferous ones are not very suitable - they give off little heat.
The main quality of firewood is humidity. Industrially dried firewood is ideal. If it is not possible to buy it, firewood that dried for two years under the canopy.
How to choose: do you need a wood stove with a remote firebox?
When building a sauna, the first thing to think about is choosing the right stove. What factors should be taken into account in this case?
- Availability remote firebox or placing the door in the sauna itself - this issue is decided at the planning stage. If the room allows, it is better to provide a remote horizontal firebox.
- The size of the firebox and its power. To calculate, you should take into account the area of the heated room, as well as the material of the walls and the level of insulation. For an insulated or log bathhouse, the approximate ratio of heat consumption is taken according to the formula 1 kilowatt = 1 cubic meter of air. The power is specified in the firebox passport. It is better not to take a large reserve - it is harmful for the stove to work in minimum modes. Choose a safety margin 2-3 kilowatts.
- When making a stove yourself, the approximate power can be calculated based on the size of the firebox. Half a liter the volume of the firebox produces 1 kW of energy. The firebox is sized 30 liters gives 14-16 kW of heat per hour.
- If the sauna is stationary, it is better to take a stove with thick walls. It will last longer.
- Read the manufacturer's recommendations carefully. In ovens with lined firebox The gases release heat only in the upper part of the device, so take into account the layout of the steam room.
- If the stove's task is to quickly heat the room for a short procedure, it will be convenient to use a stove with a convector and a small stone filling. It will quickly raise the temperature, but will also cool down quickly.
- If you are steaming with friends all evening, the stove should be with with a large stone filling and more power. Stones retain heat longer, which reduces the number of times the fire needs to be stoked.
Additional functions
To wash well, you need a lot of hot water. In the upper part of the stove you can provide small heat exchanger with tank, which will heat the water to the desired temperature. The volume should not be too large - the main energy of the heater is used to heat the room.
With a small tank, excess power will boil the water, which can lead to a rupture of the tank and burns. It is necessary to provide safety valve and thermometer, and drain hot water when needed. Average 15-25 liters.
Reference! A number of manufacturers equip their ovens steam generators — water is supplied not to the upper stones, but to a separate chamber in the center of the firebox. Such a stove turns the bathhouse into a Turkish hamam or a Russian steam room.
Panoramic glass will add coziness and beauty to the dressing room, will warm the room with radiant heat. And if there is a need to heat the guest room from one firebox, it is better to install additional air heat exchangers.
To make the heater more functional, they add electric heaters or gas burner. Firewood provides a quick and economical temperature increase, while maintaining a uniform heat for a long time is achieved electric heating elements.
Useful video
Check out the video reviewing the sauna stove from the manufacturer "Harvia".
Manufacturers
A decade and a half ago, the territory CIS sauna stoves were supplied Finnish manufacturers Harvia and Helo. This is a good, albeit expensive, choice.
Manufacturers from Russia have long been ahead of their Finnish competitors in terms of quality and functionality. They have organized high-quality production in Novosibirsk - stoves Thermofor sell well even in Finland.
Teplodar, Kronos, Dobrostal, Feringer, Izhkomtsentr They also produce decent products, but most often they are intended for use in steam baths, not saunas.
In every city there is an opportunity to purchase a factory certified stove. But folk craftsmen for the purpose of saving and self-realization often invent completely unique designs made of sheet steel, cylinders and pipes. None of them will not be able to provide a guarantee on your product - "cut" welds, thin, poor-quality or corroded metal can lead to carbon monoxide leaks. In this case, the sauna can become a real gas chamber.
Be careful when choosing a heating device, and remember - nothing lasts forever! After the time specified by the manufacturer, it is better replace or perform maintenance stoves to avoid accidents.
Comments
In the first year we tried to stock up on firewood ourselves, and realized that it was nonsense. Now we order firewood, which is thoroughly dried using a special technology. We try not to put any kind of wood chips, we only take birch, it burns out slowly, and the cast-iron stove holds the heat for a long time. We also put stones on top to create steam.