Installation of a metal stove in a bath. Fire safety standards in baths Do-it-yourself fencing of the stove in the bath

Stove heating is considered fire hazardous, and therefore, according to SNiP 41-01-2003, it is allowed only in one-story baths with the number of seats (people) no more than 25. The stove is dangerous primarily because firewood is burning in it. In case of negligent operation of the stove, it is possible to dump burning logs, release sparks and flames from the door of the firebox, release fire in case of emergency destruction of the walls of the stove.

The formation of cracks in brick and metal ovens, although related to emergencies, is a common occurrence in everyday life. These cracks are especially dangerous in places inaccessible to everyday visual inspection, for example, in areas adjacent to wooden walls and ceilings. Even small cracks with a thickness of only 2-3 mm can be dangerous, moreover, in brick ovens due to the fact that fluffy soot can accumulate in them: either resinous at the beginning of the flue in the chimneys, or dry in the chimney. Dry soot is more dangerous, but fresh. A layer of soot with a thickness of more than 2-3 mm is already capable of igniting from sparks in flue gases. An even dull hum suddenly appears in the chimneys, an even, flashing yellow glow appears in the slots of the cleaning holes and valves, a wide blurred plume of smoke emerges from the chimney on the roof with the possible appearance of sparks and even flames. Burning of soot occurs in a smoldering mode in much the same way as cigarette paper smolders - a slow front that freely penetrates into all the nooks and crannies of the smoke system, including emergency cracks, burnouts and technological holes (doors, valves), which are also usually clogged with soot.

The heated surfaces of the ovens can also pose a hazard. In accordance with SNiP 41-01-2003, the maximum temperature of the furnace surface "should not exceed 120 ° C on the furnace area no more than 5% of the total furnace surface area" (and on areas more than 5%, it can exceed 120 ° C ?!). This indistinctness has been living in SNiPs since 1975! In rooms with temporary stay of people, when installing protective screens, it is allowed to use ovens with a surface temperature above 120 ° C. Such norms are very vague and are perceived by summer residents simply as measures to prevent burns when touched. In particular, it is not explained what a screen is, what screen designs are acceptable and whether ovens with wall temperatures above 120 ° C are allowed in rooms where there are no people at all. At the same time, SNiP 41-01-2003 does not limit the temperature of the cast iron flooring, doors and other furnace appliances.

The state standard GOST 9817-95 is more specific, without any reservations it is established that the temperature of the outer surfaces of the apparatus (household, operating on solid fuel) should not exceed 120 ° C on the front and rear walls and 80 ° C on the side walls, and the temperature of the floor under apparatus should not be more than 50 ° C. At the same time, the standard, providing for the presence of a hob, does not specify the temperature requirements for it.

The fire safety standards NPB 252-98, also recognizing the temperature of 120 ° C as the maximum temperature for the outer surfaces of the furnaces, nevertheless allow the temperature of the outer surfaces of the furnaces up to 320 ° C in rooms with a temporary stay of people (up to 2 hours a day). The temperature of the cast-iron flooring and similar parts of the apparatus is not limited. The temperature of the firebox door should be no more than 320 ° C. The temperature of the contact points of the heated elements of the furnaces with combustible materials should be no more than 50 ° C.

The typical temperature of spontaneous combustion (self-ignition) of wood, the main source of fire hazard in baths, is 330-470 ° C. Therefore, the above regulatory requirements are an attempt to ensure, allegedly, the fire safety of the stove during its normal operation, although everyone understands perfectly well that there are no fireproof stoves at all, especially if there is a danger of ignition on hot cast-iron (cooking, heating, technological) floors.

Fire safety is a multi-level concept. The first level is, of course, the safety noted above during normal operation. As a second level, you can take a safety net against possible emergencies, moreover, fire hazardous ones. For example, if the firebox of a metal stove burns out, then the metal outer casing (protective screen) of the stove must ensure safety. And if the brickwork of the stove collapses and bricks begin to fall out of the walls of the firebox, then the metal cover (case) of the stove must be saved before repair. And such cases have long since the 17th century been widely used in Western Europe, and then in the city estates of Russia. Under Soviet conditions, it was forbidden to switch to gas stoves, laid out in a quarter of a brick, without a metal cover. If burning wood or embers fall out of the firebox, then a metal sheet on the floor can save a fire from the fire, although it, most likely, should be attributed to the next third level of safety - to prevent a fire in the room during the development of a possible fire-hazardous stove accident, as well as in case of careless or inept operation of the furnace, including faulty or improperly mounted. Fire prevention is achieved by protecting the enclosing structures of the room (floors, walls, ceilings) with non-combustible, low-heat-conducting and heat-resistant materials (fireproof). The fourth level is to ensure the possibility of evacuating and rescuing people in case of fire, limiting material damage. Finally, the last, fifth level - ensuring the ability to effectively extinguish a fire and preserve the building. The indicated gradation is conditional. Each summer resident has the right to prioritize the list of requirements of SNiP 21-01-97 "Fire safety of buildings and structures" in his own way in relation to his bath. In any case, in the actions of the summer resident, there should be a meaningfulness of the normative rules, since they are so declaratively drawn up.

It is clear that the concept of fire resistance of structures considered in the previous section refers primarily to the fourth and fifth levels of fire safety. As for the first three safety levels, they seem to be the most difficult for engineering analysis and should first of all be provided by the designer (manufacturer) of the furnace in accordance with state regulatory requirements, and the norms allow the developer of factory products to establish their own rules for installing the furnace in the room in accordance with the technical product quality. However, the reality of rural and dacha life is such that the bulk of the stoves were built independently, often by their own understanding, and sometimes they are in such a depressing state that the main concern is the very integrity of the stove and chimney. Under these conditions, the remoteness of the furnace from the combustible walls seems to be a priority. Therefore, it is quite natural that in methodological terms SNiP 41-01-2003 focuses on the third safety level - on the prevention of a fire in case of emergency destruction of the furnace. This is solved with the help of stove cuts and cuts, as well as fire protection of the walls.

The retreat (indent, gap, air gap) from fire to extraneous combustible objects is the oldest method of protecting the habitat from the flammable action of bonfires. It is possible to normalize the amount of indentation for fires only very conditionally, since everything depends on the type of fuel, its amount in the fire, the presence of wind, etc. fathoms = 2 arshins = 2.13 m), it is quite enough in the conditions of smoking baths, otherwise the fire should be “planted” in a hole in the ground or in a depression in a pile of cobblestones. In warehousing, the relatively safe distance between piles of sawn timber is 12 meters. In forest areas, in order to prevent the spread of fires, the width of glades is increased to 20 meters or more.

The greatest fire hazard of all sauna stoves is represented by unshielded metal stoves ("potbelly stoves"), which can glow "red hot", or even "white" (to white heat). The US National Fire Protection Association standard NFPA # 211-1984 provides for the retreat of unshielded solid fuel furnaces from combustible surfaces in the amount of 1 yard = 0.91 m. Actual measurements of temperatures developed on the surface of a wooden wall facing an unshielded metal furnace give such typical values: at a distance of 100 cm from a red-hot oven 80 ° С, at a distance of 50 cm - 110 ° С, and at a distance of 25 cm - 150 ° С (SI Taubkin. Fires and explosions, features of their expertise, Moscow: VNIIPO, 1999 G.). In the manual on military engineering in the USSR (1966), an instruction was given: for the purpose of fire safety, stoves and chimneys (service ones or made from scrap materials, including metal ones) should be placed no closer than 25 cm from flammable parts of dugouts or other field residential or outbuildings. In summer cottages, the deviation of 25 cm is too small (although such a recommendation, unfortunately without explanation, is found in popular literature). In accordance with SNiP III-B.3-55, the deviation from metal furnaces (without lining) to adjoining (this unsuccessful, but preserved in SNiP 41-01-2003 term means “adjacent”) combustion structures was determined equal to 100 cm to the walls , not protected from fire, and equal to 70 cm to the walls, protected from fire (Fig. 165). For metal pipes, the indentation was determined to be 50 cm from combustible walls protected from fire and 70 cm from unprotected combustible walls (recall that the terms "combustible" and "combustible" were subsequently replaced in SNiP 21-01-97 with the terms "flammable" and "combustible").

In subsequent revisions of the standards for the design of furnace heating (SNiP II-33-75, SNiP 2.04.05-86, SNiP 2.04.05-91 and SNiP 41-01-2003), the above requirements for the size of the indentation disappeared without a trace, apparently on the basis of that SNiP II-33-75 determined that only such furnaces should be provided for furnace heating, the surface temperature of which should not exceed 120 ° C (except for cast-iron flooring, doors and other furnace appliances). This means that unshielded furnaces have become prohibited for design, but the trouble is that at the same time, absolutely all metal furnaces have remained without design standards to this day. The only thing that SNiP 41-01-2003 normalizes for metal furnaces is the distance between the top of a metal furnace with a non-insulated ceiling (stove, hob) and an unprotected ceiling of 1200 mm (earlier in SNiP II-33-75 this distance was 1000 mm). To clarify the situation, in SNiP 2.04.05-91 and SNiP 41-01-2003 it is determined that the deviation values ​​should be set by the manufacturer of metal furnaces. However, it is clear that in the conditions of market relations, rarely does any plant want to take responsibility and the costs of defining its own norms (especially in conditions when the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation and Fire Supervision have withdrawn themselves from rationing). Therefore, as a rule, in the technical factory documentation, they are limited by requirements such as that "the furnace must be installed at a distance of at least 500 mm to combustible structures in accordance with GOST 9817-95 in compliance with the current fire safety standards NPB 252-98" (although GOST 9817-95 applies only to devices with a water circuit, and the fire safety standards of NPB 252-98 do not contain any requirements for deviations). Under these conditions, individual metal furnace manufacturers have essentially the only legally flawless option for mounting any furnace — flush against a fire-resistant wall (see above). Unfortunately, in most cases, the summer resident does not have such fire-resistant walls in the bath, and the deviation of the stove from non-combustible fire-safe (but not fire-resistant) walls is also not defined by norms. So, the summer resident has to rely not at all on official norms and rules, but on engineering considerations.

: 1 - unshielded firebox wall, 2 - shielded firebox wall, 3 - combustible wall, 4 - wall or ceiling protection (steel sheet 0.55 mm over a 10 mm layer of asbestos cardboard), 5 - combustible ceiling, 6 - metal sheet cutting without protection of the end of the ceiling opening, 7 - metal sheet cutting with protection of the end of the ceiling opening according to the method of pos. 4, 8 - the lower part of the welded steel groove, 9 - the upper part of the welded steel groove, 10 - insulation. Dimensions without stars correspond to the current SNiP 41-01-2003 standards. Dimensions with asterisks correspond to the canceled norms of SNiP III-B. 3-55 and SNiP II-33-75.

: 1 - shielded stove, 2 - unshielded chimney, turning into shielded and insulated chimney at the ceiling, 3 - steel stove screens, 4 - combustible wall, 5 - steel wall screens, 6 - combustible ceiling, 7 - pipe screen, 8 - heat insulation a layer of basalt wool, 9 - a non-combustible sealant (insulation), 10 - a technological air gap, playing the role of a heater gap (retreats), 11 - ventilation holes (undesirable for steam baths).

As an example, we will give the recommendations of Finnish companies for the installation of shielded metal furnaces (Fig. 166). The essence of the solution is that in order to reduce the temperature of the furnace surface and thereby reduce the flux of radiant heat, the furnace is shielded in the usual way using metal or brick screens. These screens also play the role of fire-stopping surfaces, preventing the creation of fire-hazardous situations in case of emergency destruction (burnout, cracking) of the firebox. Installation of these screens allows you to reduce the size of the offset from 1000 mm to 500 mm (even according to Russian standards). Further, to prevent a fire (ignition of a combustible wall in the event of a fire hazard situation when the firebox and screens are destroyed), the surface of the combustible wall is shielded with steel sheets, and one screen, spaced at a distance of at least 30 mm from the wall, reduces the size of the setback to 250 mm and two screen - up to 125 mm. This size of retreat is already unprecedented for Russian conditions: even factory metal gas boilers with cold water-cooled walls are usually located according to the factory technical documentation at a distance of no closer than 100 mm from non-combustible walls (but not fire-resistant). To explain their norms, the Finns argue that the screen protection of the walls does not allow them to heat up above 50 ° C under normal operating conditions. But the concept of normal operation in Russian conditions is very vague: due to careless installation and negligent handling, the sheets of screen protection can be deformed, shifted, etc. in metal, supposedly completely cold, dry gaps, firewood, chips, paper), and the screens themselves can be used to dry linen or clothes. Narrow (hard-to-reach for the brush) gaps, moreover, in themselves can become a source of fire hazard due to the natural accumulation of dust, wood flour, sawdust. Therefore, the Finns, moving in a generally very promising direction of screen protection, are quite reasonably introducing factory specialized hollow air-blown metal double panels ("protective casings of light insulation") resistant to temperature fluctuations, mechanical compressive loads and protected from excessive penetration of combustible aerosuspensions. It is clear that in terms of thermal protection (but not in terms of thermal insulation), such hollow panels are more effective than the usual sandwich panels filled with heat-resistant basalt wool. At the same time, the "sandwich" principle is indispensable for insulation 8 (namely insulation, not protection against overheating) of chimneys 2, although the principle of a hollow panel is sometimes covertly present in Finnish shielded chimneys in the form of an air gap 10, maybe even blown 11 (fig. 166).

The current Russian norms SNiP 41-01-2003 do not yet use the principle of screen protection of walls from fires. To protect combustible walls, it is prescribed to use plaster 25 mm thick on a metal mesh or a metal sheet on asbestos cardboard with a thickness of 8-10 mm (earlier SNiP II-33-75 allowed, in addition, to use construction (natural woolen) felt in one, and on the ceiling in two layers, impregnated with clay mortar, followed by plastering on a metal mesh). Protection against asbestos with a metal sheet is mechanically very reliable even in Russian conditions, however, the fire-retardant efficiency is not so high: the thermal conductivity of asbestos is at the level of the thermal conductivity of wood, and the fire resistance of plaster and steel for asbestos does not exceed EI15. An increase in the effectiveness of metal-asbestos protection can be achieved by the device of an additional metal screen spaced from the metal sheet pressing the asbestos to the wall at a distance of 20-50 mm. Corrugated roofing sheets or corrugated board that goes well with the clapboard look very good as a screen in the baths. Note also that reducing the indentation to less than 250 mm in baths is inconvenient; it is also undesirable to close these indentations even from one side. It is advisable to insulate the floor in indentations, even open ones, at least with a metal sheet. Note in this regard that at all times in closed (fenced off from the ends) indentations, the floor was always protected with steel or brick, and according to current standards, a non-combustible floor in a closed indentation should be located 70 mm above the floor of the room.

In addition to the walls in the stove unit, it is necessary to protect not only the walls, but also the floors and ceilings. Moreover, in the baths, a particular danger is posed by the high temperature of the ceiling, which is quite high even in normal operation. In the case of powerful metal furnaces, the retreat of the unprotected ceiling from the top of the furnace by 1200 mm, provided for in SNiP 41-01-2003, seems insufficient. The ceiling above the metal furnace must always be protected, including with metal screens, which on the ceiling can have a variety of shapes that provide both protection from radiant currents and deflect hot air currents to the sides (pos. 11 in Fig. 165).

As for the floor, it is always directly adjacent to the stove, and it would seem that fire regulations should categorize floors according to the degree of fire resistance. However, SNiP 41-01-2003 does not impose any restrictions on the construction of the floors and only provides for a retreat from the fire in the stove (in the firebox, in the ash pan, in the smoke circulation, in the smoke channel) from the floor (Fig. 167):

The minimum distance from floor level made of combustible materials to the bottom of the ash pan is 140 mm, to the bottom of the gas circulation - 210 mm,

In the case of frame furnaces, including those with legs, the floor made of combustible materials should be protected from ignition by sheet steel on 10 mm thick asbestos cardboard, while the distance from the bottom of the furnace to the floor should be at least 100 mm,

With the construction of a ceiling or floor made of non-combustible material, the bottom of the ash pan and gas circulation can be located at floor level,

The floor made of combustible materials in front of the furnace under the furnace door should be protected with a metal sheet 700x500 mm in size, located with the long side along the furnace, and the floor around the furnace "at a distance not less than 150 mm exceeding the furnace dimensions" (as amended by SNiP 41-01-2003 ), protected with a steel sheet on asbestos cardboard 8 mm thick.

Thus, it is possible to focus on two dimensions of the retreat from fire to a combustible floor: 210 mm of air or brick in the absence of floor protection and 100 mm in the presence of protection. Often, the floor under the metal stove is protected with brickwork, however, in low-heat baths, it is advisable to use low-thermal and low-heat materials such as foam concrete, expanded clay concrete, rigid basalt wool slabs and even Finnish hollow air-blown metal panels 10 instead of concrete slabs 9 (Fig. 167). We note in passing that the air-blown gaps 11, which increase the heat-shielding properties of the plates, are permissible only in dry high-temperature saunas, where condensation of vapors between the plate and the floor is not observed.

: a - a layer of non-combustible material A from the floor (or combustible structure) to the bottom of the ash pan (firebox, gas circulation); b - for frame (including metal) furnaces with an air gap B while protecting the floor with sheet steel on asbestos cardboard 10 mm thick; c - a concrete slab with a gap under it (Finnish recommendation); d - light pallet of two parallel metal sheets with a gap between the pallet and the floor (Finnish recommendation). 1 - stove firebox, 2 - outer screen (casing) of the stove, 3 - combustible floor, 4 - steel sheet along the entire floor of the stove unit, 5 - brickwork in two layers along the subfloor to the level of the clean floor, then the continuation of the laying of another layer on a metal sheet inside the furnace to form a dead bottom (hearth) of the firebox, 6 - metal sheet over a layer of asbestos cardboard, 7 - a layer of asbestos cardboard 8 mm thick for walls and 10 mm for a floor, 8 - metal screen, 9 - concrete slab, 10 - light pallet of two parallel steel sheets welded around the perimeter, 11 - air gap between the plate or pallet and the combustible floor. Standardized dimensions, not less: A = 210 mm, B = 100 mm (SNiP 41.01-2003), C = 60 mm, D = 300 mm (recommendation of Finnish companies for their furnaces).

As for brick ovens, the rules for their installation in SNiP 41-01-2003 are developed in more detail. In terms of methodology, the safe characteristic size of the deflection from fire (in a brick oven) to unprotected combustible walls is at least 500 mm, and of protected ones - 380 mm. The same dimensions are adopted for cutting at stoves and chimneys. The grooves were born historically as local thickening of the chimney walls at the passages through the ceilings. Then, when the furnace business developed so much that the furnaces began to be placed in the openings of the walls, then the gaps between the furnace and the walls to the entire height of the furnace and higher began to be laid with bricks, and this brickwork, which was not necessarily tied with the furnace, also began to be called cutting. Furnace splitting is a non-combustible part of the furnace that increases the thickness of the furnace wall at the point of contact with the combustible walls. We can say that cutting is a bricked-up retreat. Since the modern size of the groove is very large 500 mm, then part of the groove can be done by expanding the pipe with a brick, and part with metal, and so that possible seasonal "festivities" do not lead to its damage. The summer resident should, in addition, provide for the draft of the log (squared) structure and make the thickness of the pipe cut more than the thickness of the floor (or the thickness of the wall that can move).

Cutting, of course, is also done in metal pipes, but not from bricks, but from metal, a flexible material, and therefore more reliable in conditions of movement of the enclosing structures relative to the pipe. Cutting metal pipes is often done in the bathhouse as necessary, there are dozens of specific technical solutions. The simplest cut is a whole sheet of metal in the ceiling opening with a pipe hole in the middle. In this case, it is necessary to maintain a distance of 500 mm from the pipe to the structures to be combusted (most likely to the ceiling sheathing). From above, you can lay a fireproof heat-resistant backfill (insulation) on a sheet of metal, and on top of the upper surface of the floor, lay a second sheet of metal (you can cut it) with holes for the passage of the chimney. Such cutting 6 (Fig. 165) can be supplemented with protection of the overlap with metal 7. Welded cuts 8 and 9 are more convenient, forming a sealed passage (channel) for multiple rewiring of the pipe without affecting the insulation 10. Note that, according to Russian standards, shielding and insulation of metal pipes (fig. 166) do not give the right to reduce the size of the pipe groove less than 380 mm, while the Finnish recommendations give this opportunity for thin wooden floors with a thickness of less than 30 mm. Moreover, it was previously forbidden for chimneys to adjoin non-combustible metal load-bearing elements of a building, since the mechanical strength of the metal decreases at high temperatures. Indeed, in the event of a pipe burnout or an emergency blockage of the pipe head (for example, by a dead bird), flue gases will be forced to flow through emergency cracks in the masonry or pipe leaks with heating of adjacent structures (including sparks).

A summer resident who first installs a stove in his small, cramped bath may have a lot of questions about providing effective protection against possible fires. We emphasize once again that safety rules are not developed for the normal functioning of the facility, but specifically for cases of unforeseen accidents of buildings or apparatus. Therefore, in ordinary cases, it is better to simply play it safe and choose the size of the grooves and indentation to the maximum (even to the detriment of comfort) with reliable protection of the walls. Behind the annoying reticence of the official rules lies the traditional Russian negligence, which is even more vividly manifested in the real buildings of baths, replete with a myriad of violations: in almost any bath one can find facts of non-compliance with the standardized sizes of cuttings and deviations. The most dangerous (and, unfortunately, the most frequent) violations are observed when inserting metal furnaces into combustible walls, especially in terms of compliance with altitude standards. Therefore, it is quite clear that if Russian norms are liberalized in Finnish, then it is possible that summer residents will sometimes put metal shielded stoves close to wooden walls, at least on the simple basis that the outer walls of another shielded stove are completely cold (with a temperature of no higher than 50 ° C).

Installing a metal stove in a bath requires a preliminary selection of a suitable place, because you cannot simply install a bath in the center of the room without appropriate protection and the possibility of heating both rooms of the structure (bath and dressing room). It is necessary to be guided by the requirements of fire safety, as well as to take into account the dimensions of the bath and the materials of its manufacture.

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PPB requirements

For many years, certain restrictions have been imposed on the installation of a metal bath stove, expressed in several rules:

1. in the process of purchasing a factory-type furnace, it is imperative to obtain instructions for it and carry out the installation of the structure in strict accordance with how the manufacturer indicates it;
2. if the walls of the furnace do not have protection, then the distance from them to the walls of the room should be at least half a meter;
3. the thickness of the non-combustible wall passing through the fuel channel must exceed 13 cm;
4. if the ceiling has its own protection against fire using a metal mesh or similar method, then the distance from it to the top of the stove must exceed 0.8 m;
5. if the ceiling was not protected with fireproof materials, then the distance should be at least 1.2 m to the top of the structure;
6. the fire door, through which fuel is supplied inside the structure, should be at a distance of 125 cm from the opposite wall;
7. there must be at least 3 cm between the wall and the front wall of the oven.

Choosing a place for a conventional stove:

Optimal location of the stove with a remote firebox:

Installation Algorithm

Is it possible to do without a foundation?

• If the bath is originally a concrete floor, then the construction of a separate foundation is not required. For the convenience of cleaning, you can install tiles or porcelain stoneware on top, and only the base material of the floor can be left in the space directly under the stove.
• If the floor has a base made of wood and you need to put an iron stove on it in the bath, then before that it is imperative to provide a non-combustible surface for the structure. However, in this situation, the presence of a foundation is also optional.

For structures that weigh more than 700 kg, the installation of the foundation is mandatory, so you will have to calculate its dimensions based on the dimensions of the structure itself and add 10-15 cm on each side.

Foundation making

The future user of the stove structure has only 2 available options for the foundation on which it can be installed:

• Concrete. This is the most common option used in ovens. It should be borne in mind that it will take time for it to cool, and the greater the depth and size of the required foundation, the longer this time will be required.
• Fireclay brick. The installation of such a material allows you to quickly carry out all the installation processes and even use it on a visible surface under the oven as a decorative material.

Which option to choose should be determined according to your own needs, the size of the stove and its weight, so you can correctly install the iron stove in the bath with your own hands only after choosing a specific model.

Use the following scheme:

To correctly install a metal furnace, you must follow the selected algorithm, which consists of several sequential steps:

1. dismantling the floor in the selected area according to the size of the structure + 10-15 cm on each side;
2. deepening the resulting hole by 50 cm and its further backfilling with rubble;
3. laying a double layer of polyethylene film for waterproofing. This step is optional, but it is highly desirable to carry it out in order to get a high-quality final result of the work;
4. make a mesh frame in size that is 5 cm smaller on each side of the pit;
5. pour the structure with concrete and then level it with a vibrating screed;
6. check the level of evenness of the distribution of the mixture, if defects are found, they need to be corrected;
7. a two-layer roofing felt is installed on the hardened concrete, and its layer is sometimes made so as to raise the structure 5-10 cm above the floor;
8. after the final hardening of the concrete, the furnace should be installed as provided by its manufacturer and the outside of the pipe should be welded to the inside, if this is not provided for by the original plan of the instructions, because this is the final stage of work.

Preparing the walls

The preparation of the walls consists in the fact that it is necessary to put protective screens in the places of contact between the stove and the wall and another 1.5 m to each side of it. This will be the most reliable solution that will not require high costs from the owner of the bath.

For additional protection, you can treat the wood in this area with a special solution that prevents the occurrence of a fire.

Ceiling preparation

This process is a little more complicated than with walls, as it involves providing access for the pipe on the part of the ceiling that meets it. That is why it is also advisable to treat the ceiling with a special impregnation and close the hole for the pipe on the sides with a protective screen or a layer of metal in order to avoid the possibility of fire.

It is important to install a large metal plate at the junction of the pipe with the ceiling, so that there is 20-30 cm of metal in all directions from this point.

Furnace settings

There are many options for installation, so how to install a metal stove in a bath will depend only on which model of construction was chosen for installation. There are structures made of hardened metal, cast iron, as well as a number of alloys that have high thermal stability.

To get a high-quality finished result, one should be guided by the fire safety requirements, the general principles of installing furnace structures and the requirements of the manufacturer himself. Then the result will not be disappointing.

Installation of a hanging tank and heat exchanger

If these are constructions created independently, then it is imperative to adhere to the safety rules and principles of operation of the installations, because due to the difference in pressure, an explosion of the structure or deformation of the metal sheet from which it is produced can be provoked.

It is also worth considering the location of the structure. It can be installed both inside and outside the oven:

Chimney installation and outlet

First, select the desired chimney outlet scheme:

Next, you need to determine the installation location of the bath itself and make a hole in the ceiling at the place where the manufacturer indicates the presence of a chimney near the stove.

Further, the finished hole is protected from fire.

The following works are carried out in 3 stages: installation of a protective casing; installation of the pipe itself and ensuring its snug fit to the docking point; finishing of the docking point.

A more specific algorithm is developed on site and depends on the dimensions of the furnace, as well as the materials of the walls / ceiling.

Output

One of the main mistakes is the independent installation of the stove without referring to the instructions supplied by the manufacturer. Even if the stove was purchased without instructions, you can request it through the official website or by contacting the manufacturer using the contact information.

It is possible to install a metal stove in a bath with independent efforts. This process will require care and strict adherence to the manufacturer's instructions. It is important to ensure fire safety. Not only the comfort of using the bath rooms depends on it, but also the life of their visitors.

During melting or using the bath, the surface of the stove gets very hot, the temperature can reach 400 degrees and above. In this case, the stove itself will be a source of strong radiation of infrared rays, which quickly spread over the entire area of ​​the bath and heat all its walls, but especially those that are located near the stove.

Due to the very high temperature, the walls of the baths made of wood can begin to char, which will further lead to their fire. To insulate wooden walls and ceilings from fire, fire retardants or chemical fire protection agents are often used. Shielding using non-combustible materials is recognized as the most effective ways to protect the walls of a bathhouse, including wooden ones, from heat.

The distance between the stove and the adjacent wall must be safe, that is, it must be sufficient so that the infrared rays affect the surface less strongly, and there is no fire in the bath.

SNiP III-G.11-62. Heating stoves, smoke and ventilation ducts of residential and public buildings. Rules for the production and acceptance of works. Download file

The safe distance between the sauna stove and the walls is determined on the basis of the fire safety standards SNiP III-G.11-62 for the operation of stoves installed in rooms with walls or ceilings prone to burning:

SNiP 2.04.05-91. Heating. Ventilation and air conditioning. Download file

Based on SNIP 2.04.05-91, a safe distance from the top of the stove to the ceiling is established:

• with a ceiling protected by a steel sheet 10 mm thick, laid on asbestos cardboard or on plaster laid on a steel mesh and a furnace ceiling of 3 rows of bricks - not less than 250 mm,
• with a protected ceiling and a heat-insulated ceiling of the top of a metal furnace, not less than 800 mm,
• with an unprotected ceiling and a stove with an overlap of 2 rows of bricks - not less than 1 m.
• with an unprotected ceiling and non-insulated ceiling - not less than 1.2 m.

It is clear that a safe distance of 1 m between the stove and the wall can only be ensured in saunas with a large area. In private baths with a small area, every centimeter of usable area is saved, so the stoves are placed at a short distance from the walls, and a brick screen is built to protect against heat, or sheets of metal are used as cladding, as well as other non-combustible materials that significantly reduce the permissible safe distance.

Protective screens

Bath walls are usually protected from thermal infrared radiation by protective screens. As such screens, brickwork or metal shields, coupled with insulating materials, are used. The protection is installed on the side surfaces of the sauna stoves and / or on adjacent surfaces.

Protective screen made of metal

Most often, in private baths, to protect the interior partitions from high temperatures and fires, an ordinary fence is mounted, made of metal sheets, which are installed near the stove (a five-centimeter gap is left between the surfaces of the casing and the stove). Metal screens are generally side or frontal. A protective shield made of any metal significantly reduces the thermal effect of the furnace on the wall surface. Thanks to this metal protection, the temperature at the wall is reduced, which significantly reduces the safety distance.

Technical characteristics of Teplodar screens and installation diagram

Metal screens can be installed on legs using anchor bolts to secure the structure to the floor. Commercially available metal reflective screens are already equipped with mounting frames for vertical fixing.

Installed protective screen - photo

Oven with a metal protective screen - photo

Red kiln brick protective shield

Brick fences often cover the side surfaces of the stove, making the outer skin like a casing. Thus, the separation of combustible surfaces and a red-hot heater is carried out.

Protective brick screen - diagram and photo

From time immemorial, a tradition has developed to build stoves from brick or stone. Such a structure heated up for a long time, but at the same time it emitted soft heat, and subsequently cooled down for a long time. Modern metal ovens heat up quickly, emit hard infrared radiation, and hot oven walls burn oxygen in the bath. In addition, a metal stove is more fire hazardous. In view of these aspects, it can be concluded that it is advisable to combine masonry or brickwork with steel structures.

Brick screen for a metal furnace - photo

A solid fireclay brick is well suited for the construction of a protective casing. A mixture of cement or mixed with refractory clay will serve as a good bond for it. The masonry-screen made of fireclay bricks, according to the value of the safe distance, is made about 12 cm thick (0.5 bricks) or 6.5 cm (0.25, respectively). However, expensive chamotte bricks are very rarely used in private baths to protect wooden walls, most often the red stove is preferred.

Before finishing (facing) the metal stove with red stove bricks, the base is first built.

It is imperative to take into account: if the stove is located near the load-bearing wall, then there must be a distance of at least 5 cm between the stove foundation and the building foundation.To ensure that these two foundations are not connected to each other, and the heat from the steam room is not lost, insulating material is laid between them ...

The surface of the foundation should be 15-20 cm below the level of the finished floor of the bath. After installing the foundation (it needs to be allowed to dry for 30 days), a moisture-insulating material is laid on it in 2 layers - roofing felt or roofing material. Then, a brick is placed on the clay-cement mortar in 2 rows, shifting the bricks together in such a way that the seams of the masonry are covered with a brick lying on top.

This completes the work on the arrangement of the base.

On top of the foundation, a heat-proof base should be made, consisting of:

• a sheet of metal fixed on top of a layer of heat-insulating material;
• two rows of bricks laid on a wooden floor;
• heat-resistant ceramic tiles.

Before you impose a brick on the iron stove, you need to prepare the necessary mortar for masonry. The best option for brickwork around a metal kiln would be a simple clay mortar (raw materials should be mined at a depth of more than two meters) with sand. The kneading process is not complicated. The clay is first soaked, then, already soaked, is carefully rubbed through a sieve. The sand is sieved and mixed with soaked clay. The viscosity and plasticity of the mortar should be such that it does not squeeze out of the seams during laying. You can add 5-10% cement to the solution for strength.

The foundation of the protective screen can be made in a quarter of a brick, making sure to leave small holes in its bottom and in the middle part - special windows that create air circulation between the brick screen and the installed stove (sometimes they are equipped with fire doors). In this case, the bath will heat up very quickly.

It is best to cover the stove with half a brick. If the screen is made into a brick, then it will take a very long time to warm up.

Attention! It is very important to take into account the fire safety requirement - the distance between the walls of the metal furnace and the brickwork should be 3 - 10 cm.In order for the brick screen to be more durable, a reinforcing mesh must be laid through a row, or perhaps in each row. The verticality of the corners should be checked with a plumb line, and the laying of the rows with a building level should be checked for horizontalness.

You can lay out a brick screen up to the ceiling. The main condition is that its height should be at least 20 cm higher than the height of the stove.

For a more reliable protection of wooden walls from high temperatures, a permissible distance between the wall and the constructed brick screen has been established. It should be less than 15 cm, but more than 5 cm, while the distance from the stove to any of the walls can be 20 - 40 cm.

Protective screens prices

oven shield

Non-combustible sheathing

To protect the walls from a hot stove, sheathing is often used, consisting of various special thermal insulation materials.

Reflective stainless sheathing

Special non-combustible thermal insulation or protective sheathing is made of stainless steel sheets that perfectly protect the wooden surface of the walls in private baths from fires. For the construction of such a simple screen, first a heat-insulating material is attached to the wall, and only then a stainless steel sheet is attached from above.

To increase the efficiency of the cladding, it is advisable to polish the stainless steel sheet well to a mirror shine. The mirrored surface of the stainless steel significantly improves the reflection of heat rays emanating from the stove, preventing heating of the wooden walls. In addition, by redirecting hard infrared rays back, the mirror stainless metal will turn them soft and safe for human perception.

Metal screens for a bath are easy to make with your own hands. The main thing is not to forget about using a heat insulator between the wall and the sheet of metal (minerite or asbestos cardboard will do)

Sheathing with cladding

The stainless steel mirror cladding looks beautiful and perfectly protects the walls from fire, however, in some cases it may not be appropriate in the bath and over time the mirror surface will become matte, will not be able to reflect the rays of high quality and will not look as beautiful as initially. To solve the design problem in a bathhouse for many years, heat-resistant cladding will help, for laying which heat-resistant glue is used on brick cladding.

For wall cladding located next to the stove, you can use the following heat-resistant materials:

Attention! Any tile that is used for wall cladding will not be able to provide complete thermal insulation, it is only one of the components in a protective structure, consisting of a refractory material and a small (2-3 cm) ventilation gap between this refractory material and the wall.

As a refractory material, you can also use a fire-resistant gypsum board, or fiberglass, which will not deform under the influence of heat, from a fire-resistant fiber cement board - minerite or from a special tile material - a glass-magnesium sheet.

Of course, the best option for cladding wooden walls is brick cladding. With such protection of the walls from high temperatures, the stove can be placed almost close to the wall. However, it is not always possible to use new smooth bricks for laying and lay beautiful masonry around the stove. Sometimes a previously used brick is chosen for the protective screen in order to further refine it with a beautiful material.

Prices for talcochlorite tiles

soapstone tiles

Facing a brick screen - step by step instructions

You can refine and make the appearance of any brickwork more aesthetic with the help of a refractory and durable natural material.

Terracotta tiles, also called terracotta tiles for short, are highly heat-resistant ceramic pieces made from kaolin clay that has been fired at around 1000 degrees. This wonderful material is absolutely non-flammable, it does not change its properties even from high (up to 1300 degrees) and low (up to -25 degrees) temperatures, does not change its beautiful appearance from the action of water or sunlight.

To finish the brick protective fence, you will need thermo-resistant materials “Terracotta”: glue, paste, as well as finishing grout, which will be used to fill the joints.

You will also need a sheet of drywall (choose GKL 9.5 mm) for spacers of the plates, which must first be cut into small squares.

Tools. We stock up on the following accessories:

In advance, you need to dilute in a bucket with water and mix with a mixer a convenient and very reliable in terms of fire safety reinforced adhesive mixture "Terracotta".

Initially, the bricks for the screen are laid around the stove in a classic dressing, carefully removing excess mortar.

Attention! After finishing the laying of the rough wall, it is imperative to wait 24 hours for the masonry to dry and gain initial strength.

Prices for glue Terracotta

terracotta

Terracotta flagstone "Classic" is an amazing stone in its unique beauty. It looks very rich and massive.

It can be easily sawn with a diamond wheel or split with a hammer and then, smeared with a thick layer of Terracotta mastic on it, glued to the brickwork. Terracotta flagstones are heavier than terracotta tiles, but significantly lighter than natural stone.

When facing with flagstone, cut plasterboard squares are used as an inter-tile distance and a tile movement lock. The rough chipped edge of the limestone will not allow for a 10mm gap everywhere, and this will further give the stone veneer a natural feel.

Having brought the process of stylizing the wall like a wild stone to perfection, you can proceed to tiling. It is necessary to lay rectangular terracotta tiles on the brick, starting with the masonry of the corner elements, thanks to which the decorative cladding will look like the classic stove masonry.

Corner elements must be glued from bottom to top, while the horizontal lines of the corners must be checked only in level.

Attention! For gluing and setting of Terracotta mastic it is necessary that at least 10 hours or more have passed.

After the mastic has dried, you need to remove the plasterboard squares inserted as fixators and proceed first to filling, and then to jointing the joints between the plates.

This work will require a heat-resistant wide-joint grout, which is a unique white compound designed to fill the joints between slabs of different decorative surfaces that may be strongly exposed to elevated temperatures.

The grout must be poured with water and stirred with a mixer to obtain a homogeneous solution, similar in consistency to thick sour cream.

Attention! The time to use the grout solution is about 1 hour.

It is necessary to fill the tile joints with a construction gun, the nozzle of which must be cut obliquely so that an oblong hole is formed.

The pistol tube is filled with the prepared grout solution using a narrow spatula.

Then, carefully, inserting the nozzle, it follows, smoothly and with low intensity, moving the construction gun along the length of the joints, squeeze out the grout and fill the joints so that the level of the filled grout is aligned with the level of the tile. It is possible to fill the joints between the slabs vertically or horizontally.

Attention! Special grout for joints should not get on the front surface of the finish. If it happened that the mixture still got on the decorative facing, then you should not immediately remove the composition, but you must wait at least 2 hours until it hardens a little and then you can easily remove the contaminating fragment. The dried mixture must not be removed tangentially from the boards or smeared.

After completing all the work on filling the joints, the grout will “mature”, acquiring molded pliability or slight crumbling after 2 hours. After this time, you can confidently proceed to the final part - the process of distributing the hardened grout and its alignment in the tile joints - decorative jointing, the purpose of which is to give the decorated surface an attractive look.

To begin with, from the seams, using a simple flat screwdriver, transversely deepened into the seam, it is necessary to remove the excess amount of grout slowly maintaining a constant depth. To remove excess grout mass, you can also use a small diameter metal ring, with which you can evenly remove the grout like shavings.

Distribution and leveling of the composition with a tool - grout

The remaining grout in the joint can be gently spread by light pressure with a gloved finger, giving the grout the appearance of a flat surface without indentations or roughness.

The work on facing the thermal shield of the brick walls has been completed.

The first heating of the stove in the bath can be started only 24 hours after all the necessary work has been done with grouting between the tiles.

Video - Heat-resistant screens for sauna stoves. Part 1

Video - Heat-resistant screens for sauna stoves. Part 2

Video - Installing a bath stove with a protective screen

Video - Protecting the walls of the bath with terracotta tiles

Video - Protecting wooden walls of a bath from heat

How to choose an electric sauna stove?

When choosing a stove for a sauna, firstly, you need to decide on the power of the stove (1 kW per 1 m3 of the sauna). Secondly, you need to decide whether you need a steam oven or an oven without a steam generator. The stove with a steam generator can operate in two modes - a Russian bath mode (humidity 60% and temperatures up to 80C) and a classic Finnish sauna mode (low humidity and temperatures up to 110C). It is also worth deciding which method of controlling the furnace is preferable for you - a furnace with a remote control panel or an oven with control on the body of the electric furnace itself. Next, you should decide on the manufacturer of the equipment, choose a stove with the design and price you like, and place an order. We work with such stove manufacturers as Harvia (Finnish electric sauna stoves), TYLO (Swedish electric sauna stoves), EOS (German electric sauna stoves).

Nowadays it is fashionable to put glass doors in the sauna. Does this affect heat loss?

Glass has good thermal conductivity, so additional heat loss through the glass door of the sauna is inevitable. When choosing the power of a sauna heater, they are guided by its volume and the “Volume-power” table, according to which the stove is selected. The table is compiled on the assumption of good thermal insulation of the walls and ceiling of the heated room (approximate thermal insulation scheme: lining 12/15 mm - air gap 20 mm - aluminum foil - insulation (50 mm - walls, 100 mm - ceiling). Each square meter of surface without thermal insulation ( brick or stone wall, glass door, etc.) serves as a source of heat loss equivalent to an increase in the volume of the sauna by 1.2-1.5 m3. , 6-2 m3.

Why can't you put any stones in the heater?

Stones taken anywhere can contain and release substances harmful to health (asbestos, sulfur, radionuclides, etc.) when heated. In addition, when heating some rocks, explosive destruction can occur, which can damage the stove, frighten or even cripple a person. Nowadays, many connoisseurs of saunas in Russia and abroad consider jadeite stones, a mineral similar to nephrite, but with a different composition, to be the best stones for a number of properties (ecological purity, high heat capacity, etc.). Jadeite is a sodium and aluminum silicate and is harder than jade. Has the same shades, but is less common.

Is it necessary to install forced ventilation in the bath or sauna?

The most authoritative sauna specialists - Finns - believe that the maximum effect of using a sauna is achieved if its ventilation provides six times replacement of the sauna air with fresh air within an hour. This rate of air exchange can be achieved with the help of both forced and, in some cases, natural ventilation (due to a certain location of the inlet and outlet openings in the sauna). The way ventilation is arranged in each sauna is determined by the specific conditions.

I want to build a sauna with a wood-burning stove in the basement. How is the chimney made in this case?

The basic techniques for arranging a chimney for a wood-burning stove for a bath or a sauna arranged in a basement do not differ from those for a stove installed, for example, on the first floor of a building. When placing a bath in the basement, there are features related to the organization of ventilation, but this is a separate topic for conversation.

Trying to create a scent, he sprayed oil on the walls of the bath. Now the smell does not disappear. How to deal with this?

Wood, especially when heated, absorbs oil very well, which can penetrate into the wood through the pores. This is well known to carpenters, almost all of whom are faced with the problem of removing oil stains from the surface of wood. Of the environmentally friendly methods, we can offer only one - mechanical. If the oil stains have a small area, are clearly localized, and the wood is dense and does not have cracks, then you can try to remove the layer of wood soaked in oil using a cycle (the appearance of the cladding will naturally suffer). In any other case, only replacing the skin or part of it will help.

What is the best height for the shelves?

When the average bather sits on a shelf, the distance from the shelf level to the top of the head is about 90 cm. To make a person feel comfortable, the upper shelf is arranged 110 cm below the ceiling level. The lower shelf is usually installed at half the height compared to the upper shelf (it is better to make it slide under the upper shelf - standing on the floor next to it, it is very convenient to "handle" a friend's broom, who is lying on the upper shelf).

How to select stones for a sauna stove and what solution should be used for a “tasty” steam?

The main requirements for stones for a stove are as follows: environmental friendliness: stones should not contain and emit, when heated, substances harmful to human health (radionuclides, sulfur, etc.) high heat capacity, which allows stones to accumulate a lot of energy and, as a result, produce a lot of steam resistance (mechanical) to temperature changes when water is supplied to the stones (the temperature of the stones in the electric heater is above 300 ° C, the temperature of the water for feeding is below 100 ° C, the temperature difference is more than 200 ° C). Serve with hot water, natural oils can be added to the water. It is preferable to use ready-made fragrances, which are aqueous solutions of these oils. It is always best to follow the recommendations of the stove manufacturer - many stove manufacturers offer solutions themselves.

Warming up the sauna is a rather long process. Are there any means for a quick warm-up?

If the capacity of the stove corresponds to the size of the sauna, then the sauna will warm up to the steaming temperature in less than an hour. This is not the time for the true sauna lover. The anticipation of the pleasure of the sauna is a pleasant thing, why deprive yourself of it? If you are ready to deviate from the canons of the classic sauna, we can offer the following. Leading manufacturers of electric heaters produce special thermos ovens, which are constantly turned on, and in standby mode they consume power comparable to the power of a conventional electric lamp. Due to good thermal insulation, this low power is sufficient to maintain a high temperature (over 300 ° C) of a large volume of stones (about 100 kg) loaded into the furnace. To start steaming, you don't have to wait for the sauna to warm up - just open the stove lid, switch it to the nominal power mode and start giving.

I want to put a sauna with windows in the house. What kind of glass is needed for this?

A heat-resistant tempered glass is required, which, firstly, would withstand the temperature of the sauna, and secondly, would not burst when water gets on it when you give it. To reduce heat loss, it is better to use double-glazed windows made of such glass. In saunas, tinted glass "bronze" is usually used.

They say that whipping a body with a broom in a bath is harmful. Is it true?

We have no information about the harm caused by the bath broom. On the contrary, there are many objective (source - doctors and scientists, specialists in the field of human physiology and hygiene from various countries) and subjective (source - simple bath lovers) information that this procedure has a beneficial effect on the body.

For some reason, the floor in my sauna is always cold, even when the temperature is above 110 ° C. What should be done to evenly warm up?

The temperature difference in height in the sauna is in full accordance with the laws of physics. The sauna must be well ventilated (ideally, replacing the air in the sauna for an hour), the inlet is located at the bottom, the heated air rises - there can be no other picture. With shelves on several levels, this temperature distribution allows any bather to choose a suitable temperature for him, lie on the shelves or climb onto it with his feet.

What is the difference between a steam generator and a heater in a sauna?

In a classic sauna, the humidity is increased by supplying water to the heated stones of the heater-stove, which is located directly in the steam room. Naturally, the amount of steam produced and its temperature strongly depend on the mass and temperature of the stones. This temperature can vary greatly, especially when the water is applied to the stones intensively. The performance of the steam generator (it is installed outside the steam room) does not depend on external factors - both the temperature and the amount of steam produced are constant over time and are determined only by the technical characteristics of the device. For a sauna, the most optimal is a combination of a heater-heater and a steam generator or the use of a combined device.

What is the weight limit for the sauna heater stones? What does it depend on?

The number of stones loaded into the sauna heater is determined only by the manufacturer. The determining factors are the full power of the heater, the number and power of the individual fuel and energy complex, the need to heat the sauna, corresponding to the power of the heater, for a given time. In some models, the manufacturer allows the user of the heater to vary this amount within a small range. It should be remembered: a lot of stones - more heating time and more steam, few stones - less heating time and less steam.

When is it necessary to make special thermal insulation between the wooden wall of the sauna and the electric heater?

Usually, special thermal insulation between the wooden wall of the sauna and the electric heater is not required, since for electric heaters of the world's leading manufacturers, the safe distances to the wooden elements of the sauna are quite small and amount to only a few centimeters. Moreover, an illiterately executed additional thermal insulation of a wooden sauna wall in some cases can cause a fire! Therefore, the recommendations of the manufacturers of electric heaters (and ours) are as follows: without any additional thermal insulation, simply observe the safety distances indicated by the manufacturer.

I want to make colored lights in my sauna. What colors are best for a steam room and why?

Experts have developed a color scheme with which you can enhance the positive effect of the sauna on human health. In the standard version, this range includes four colors: yellow, blue, red and green. Therefore, the most widely used sauna lamps today are those that provide these colors. Each of them has its own, characteristic only for this color, the effect, however, the narrow scope of the section of answers to the questions does not allow a detailed description of the effect of each color.

Is there a big difference in thermal insulation between a glass and wooden sauna door?

One square meter of the sauna surface without thermal insulation (glass, concrete, brick) in terms of heat loss is equivalent to an increase in the volume of the sauna by 1.2-1.5 m2. If you are installing an all-glass door in your sauna, for example, with a standard door size of 70 x 190 cm, then you should use a heater designed for a volume that is 1.6-2.0 m3 larger than your sauna. The use of a solid wooden door made in the form of a sandwich (lining-foil-insulation-lining) will avoid these losses.

By supplying water to the stones, it sometimes turns out that it flows under the electric heater to the floor. Are there any recommendations for the amount of water depending on the type of heater?

Heater manufacturers usually give recommendations on the amount of water to add (this is especially true for electric heaters). For electric heaters with tubular heating elements (heating elements), it is usually recommended to use about 2 dl (200 g) at a time. The frequency of giving depends on the amount loaded into the oven and on the personal preferences of the steamer.

We are planning to build a large sauna for 15-20 people. We'll have to put in several ovens. How best to arrange them - side by side or peddling?

Manufacturers of electric heaters prohibit the simultaneous installation of several stoves in a sauna. There is only one way out - to install a stove corresponding to the size of the sauna. Note that there are models of electric heaters designed for large public saunas for 15-20 people.

The ceiling in a sauna is usually flat and horizontal. It is clear that it is cheaper. What is the ideal ceiling shape for better air circulation and steam delivery?

We do not know if there has ever been a study of the effect of the ceiling shape in a sauna on air circulation, but it is worth noting that today's sauna design (including a flat ceiling) is the embodiment of the centuries-old traditions of its development and improvement.

I prefer the "extreme" sauna - above 110 ° C. Now I decided to build my own. Which is the best stove to use - wood-burning or electric?

Both electric and wood-burning stoves are capable of providing an "extreme" temperature in the sauna, as you put it, around 110 ° C. The choice of this or that stove has, mainly, two aspects - objective (the technical possibility of connecting an electric heater of the required power or a chimney device for wood stove, the ability to maintain safe distances for different types of stoves) and subjective (personal and national traditions).

Which stones are better to load into the sauna stove - chipped or rounded?

When choosing stones for a stove, first of all, you should focus on the rock of which the stones are composed, on their size, and only then on the shape. It is generally accepted that the most suitable for a sauna are the main rocks (peridotite, gabbro-diabase, etc.), mined in quarries, where the corresponding rock is crushed and then sorted by size on special gratings. After crushing, stones have an irregular shape, and their sizes are in the range specified during sorting (for example, stones with a size of 4 × 8 cm are considered the most suitable for electric stones). Round stones (we are not considering expensive artificial ceramic stones) are, as a rule, the result of the work of either a glacier or water. In terms of consumer properties (heat capacity, resistance to temperature loads, etc.), they are significantly inferior to the aforementioned crushed stones.

In what mode should beginners (children, adults, elderly) be introduced to the sauna?

Sauna use modes are individual, even for different perfectly healthy people. Only a doctor can give the best and correct recommendations here. As for children and the elderly, in this case, consultations with a specialist are simply necessary - otherwise the sauna, instead of being beneficial, may harm health.

What combinations of wood species are good for a bath, and which should not be combined together?

The choice of wood for a sauna is a rather subjective thing, which can be influenced by both the whim of the designer and the personal preferences of the sauna owner. The practice of building and operating a sauna shows that it allows almost any combination of tree species traditionally used in baths and saunas. In this case, not necessarily only deciduous (aspen, linden, alder) or only coniferous (pine, spruce) species are used, but also various combinations of deciduous and coniferous wood.

Where is the best place to place the stove in the sauna - next to the door or in the opposite corner?

With the correct choice of oven power and proper thermal insulation of the walls, it does not matter where the oven will be located - next to the door or in the opposite corner. The stove in the sauna should be placed based on the convenient location of the shelves and the organization of ventilation. It is important that there is an air vent near the stove at the bottom of the wall and an air outlet (usually with a damper or valve) on the opposite wall.

When I pour water into the sauna heater, some of it flows downward. Isn't it harmful for heating elements?

If a little water flows (it drips onto the floor, not pours), then this is not harmful for stoves made by leading manufacturers - their heating elements are protected from moisture. Ideally, all water should boil on contact with stones and turn into steam, for the sake of which water is given to stones. If this does not happen, there may be several reasons: you are giving in too much water; it is better to give in smaller doses (100-200 ml for an electric heater with 20 kg of stones), but more often; the oven is not hot enough; you have too few stones or stones with low heat capacity. The best rocks are porphyrite or gabbro-diabase. The number of stones depends on the design of the heater. Approximately, you can recommend at least 20 kg for wall-mounted models of medium-power ovens (4-8 kW). The size of the stones should allow them to fill the space between the heating elements.

Is it possible to build a metal rim over the sauna heater to accommodate more stones?

If the stove is made by a renowned manufacturer, then the size of the stone space is optimal for the stove of a given power and design. You don't need to build on anything. It is important to use stones with a high heat capacity and a suitable size.

How do I make herbal water for steam?

There are many recipes for herbal infusions, but the general principle is one - dry or fresh herb is brewed with boiling water, then the infusion is filtered so that particles of the steamed grass do not fall on hot stones.

On the third day, resin effusions appeared on the ceiling and walls in my newly built sauna. What to do with them?

Lining of conifers growing in the north (latitude of Karelia and north) contains very little resin. In this case, a few drops of resin is a rather colorful interior detail. After a while, all the resin will melt out. Do not like tar drops - just scrape off. If the lining is made of trees that have grown in the middle lane, then the resin will stand out from each lath. In this case, the treatment can only be radical - change the trim!

How to set a strict temperature and humidity regime in a sauna with an electric heater (say, 80 ° C and 30%)?

To establish and maintain a strict temperature-humidity regime in a sauna, an electric heater with a steam generator (separate or built into the stove) and appropriate automation (control unit) is required to control these parameters and control the stove and steam generator. Advice: if you intend to maintain the mode for a long time, use a steam generator with a fixed connection to the water supply.

If the sauna is installed indoors, is it necessary to bring its ventilation to the open air?

It is believed that in a normally functioning sauna, the air should be replaced six times within one hour. If the room in which the sauna is installed is well ventilated, then such air exchange can be carried out due to the correct location of the supply and exhaust ventilation openings without additional ventilation of the sauna. If there are problems with the ventilation of the room, then you cannot do without forced ventilation, and what is better to ventilate - the sauna or the entire room - must be decided separately in each specific case.

A friend of mine claims that his steam in the electric heater is better when he removes some of the stones. It seems to me that you can quickly plant heating elements. Or not?

The quantity of stones with which the heater is to be used is determined by the manufacturer of the heater. Using a heater with fewer stones can make it impossible to operate correctly or even disable it altogether. The most frequent malfunctions in this case: activation of emergency protection against overheating and failure of heating elements.

What shade should the walls in the sauna be if colored light is installed there?

There are no special recommendations for choosing the tone of wood, here personal preferences play the main role. It seems to us that in a sauna with colored lighting it is better to use light-colored wood - it is better to demonstrate the play of color against a light background.

Can the sauna heater be chosen so that the temperature in the sauna does not rise above 70 ° C?

It is quite simple to do this - install the heater with a power corresponding to the lower power limit for your sauna (or slightly lower), and use the thermostat to set the desired temperature. Note that the temperature of 70-80 ° C is a very typical temperature for European and Scandinavian saunas. Our steam lovers solve a completely different problem - how to make sure that the temperature in the sauna does not drop below 100-110 ° C!

How much firewood does it take to heat a 2 * 3 m sauna on average? Do stoves differ greatly in this indicator?

Unfortunately, manufacturers of wood-burning sauna stoves indicate the heat output of the stove and the volume of the sauna for which the stove of such power is designed as a characteristic of the stove. The amount of wood that is spent on heating such a sauna depends very much on the thermal insulation of the steam room, the design of the chimney, the number of stones loaded into the stove and other objective factors. Statements of individual stove manufacturers that stoves of this design are better than others, since they consume less firewood, are subjective - no comparative tests have been carried out on wood stoves of various designs.

How to heat a sauna with a standard eighteen-kilowatt electric heater to 130 ° C? I only get a hundred.

If the power of the sauna heater corresponds to the volume of the steam room, and the thermal insulation of the steam room is made properly, then the stove should heat the room to the set temperature without any problems. The maximum temperature to which the steam room can be heated is limited: the oven control unit does not allow a temperature exceeding this limit to be set. The maximum temperature must be indicated in the documentation and is usually 110–120 ° C (these values ​​differ for different heaters manufacturers). The nature of this limitation is as follows - in the sensor of the control unit, along with a thermistor that serves directly to measure the temperature, a temperature fuse is built in, which melts in the event of an emergency increase in temperature. Typically fuses with a melting point of 120-140 ° C are used, and the maximum temperature allowed by the control unit is 10-20 ° C below this value. As a result, the heating of the sauna to a temperature exceeding the maximum is possible only if the rules for installing the electric heater and its control unit are violated, which we strongly advise against doing.

What is the best way to prepare aromatic steam? With a broom, a solution for giving on stones or vaporization in a steam room?

In fact, all the products you named are suitable for aromatizing the air in the steam room, as well as their various combinations with each other.

What should be done to put a sauna in the house in terms of fire safety?

From the point of view of fire safety, when arranging a sauna in a residential building, it is required to strictly maintain safe distances from the electric heater to flammable (in the case of a steam room, wooden) surfaces. The following minimum safety distances are usually regulated: back and to the sides - to the walls, forward - to the shelves (two distances - shelves below and above the upper edge of the stove), up - to the ceiling. These distances depend on the type and power of the stove and are given in the installation and operating instructions for the electric stove, and the leading stove manufacturers usually put this information directly on the stove body.

The area of ​​my steam room is 8 m2, the stove is 6 kW. Does not heat up more than 80 ° C. What needs to be done - change the oven or improve the thermal insulation?

The parameter that determines the power of the sauna heater is its volume, not the area. Putting the height of your sauna equal, for example, two meters, you get a volume equal to 16 m3. For such a steam room, you need a 12 kW heater, that is, twice as powerful as yours. The conclusions are clear.

When choosing ovens, if their power is the same, what parameters should be considered first?

The volume (weight) of stones is a very important parameter. The amount of steam that a heated stove can produce depends on it. If you like to give steam often and do not want to wait for the stones that are cooling down to heat up again, choose the heater with the largest volume of stones. Just keep in mind that the heating time of the steam room with such a heater will be correspondingly longer.

Does it make sense to cover the sauna walls with heat-reflecting foil?

Foil or foil paper is commonly used in saunas with a twofold purpose - as a reflective insulation and as a vapor barrier for the heater used to heat the steam room. In both cases, the foil is located behind the clapboard, which serves as the sheathing of the steam room. When using insulation, foil is simply necessary - the insulating properties of the insulation deteriorate sharply when moisture enters it. Even in the absence of insulation, using foil as reflective insulation will allow you to reduce heat loss in the sauna (do not forget about the air gap between the foil and the clapboard). By the way, the above applies not only to the walls, but also to the ceiling of the sauna.

Is it possible to warm up the log structure of the bathhouse with the help of an electric heater, or do you need additional thermal insulation?

To warm up a steam room made of logs without additional thermal insulation, an electric heater is required with a capacity of about one and a half times more than for heating a steam room of the same volume, but with thermal insulation. Often, it is the power of the electric furnace that is the limiting parameter that determines the type of thermal insulation.

Are there any restrictions on the combination of wood species inside the steam room?

There are no such restrictions. Recently, the combination of wood of various species, including deciduous with coniferous, has become widespread in the steam room of a sauna. For example, often in a sauna with aspen or linden sheathing, a fragment of the wall near which the stove is installed is made of cedar or juniper.

Colored lamps in the steam room - just for beauty or for wellness purposes?

Colored lighting in a sauna is believed to have a therapeutic effect. Such lighting systems are called color therapy systems. The four most commonly used colors are yellow, green, red and blue. There are also systems with six colors. Both individual base colors and their combination are applied. Often, such systems allow for programming of alternating and combining colors to enhance the therapeutic effect of colored lighting.

Do you need a special foundation to place the sauna in the house? What are the floor requirements for this room?

No special foundation is required to place the sauna in the house. The waterproofing of the floor is the same as in the bathroom.

What is the difference between sauna heaters with open and closed stone compartments?

In electric heaters with an open compartment, stones are heated by tubular heating elements (heating elements), which are located directly among the stones and directly transfer heat to them. In a closed compartment, tubular or tape heating elements heat the air, which in turn transfers heat to stones that are not in direct contact with heating elements.

What determines the size and height of ventilation openings in a sauna in the absence of forced ventilation?

In a properly designed sauna, the air must be completely renewed six times every hour. Even in the absence of forced ventilation, such air exchange can be ensured due to a certain location of the supply and exhaust openings. Usually the inlet is located at the bottom, near the floor under the stove, and the exhaust outlet is located between the shelves on the opposite wall. The supply inlet is usually closed with a decorative grill, and the exhaust outlet - with a valve, which is kept open during the use of the sauna. Sometimes an inlet is made above the stove or fresh air is supplied through a gap under the door. The diameter of the inlet is 5-10 cm (depending on the power of the furnace), the diameter of the exhaust is about twice as large.

What is wood pyrolysis? At what temperatures does it take place?

Pyrolysis (from the Greek pur - fire and lusis - decomposition) of wood - decomposition of complex organic compounds of wood into simpler ones under the influence of heat. In industrial plants (often designed to produce flammable hydrocarbon compounds used as fuel), pyrolysis is carried out without access to air, at a temperature of several hundred degrees. However, in the sauna at a temperature of several tens of degrees, the process of wood pyrolysis is also underway, although less intensively. Wood pyrolysis is one of the reasons why the sauna must be well ventilated during operation, and its wooden casing must be periodically changed.

Are there programmable steam heaters on sale?

Electric heaters, in which it is possible to program the process of giving water to the stones, are not known to us. However, there are programmable steam generators on the market that can be used in the sauna in combination with electric heaters.

What permits do I need to collect in order to install a sauna with an electric heater in a city apartment?

The installation of a sauna in a city apartment is considered as a serious redevelopment of an apartment with all the ensuing consequences. Therefore, you will not be able to limit yourself to obtaining a couple of permits. You will have to draw up and approve the whole project. To do this, it is better to turn to professionals, you yourself cannot do this kind of work. By the way, the bureaucratic delays accompanying the approval of the redevelopment project are one of the main reasons that, with a sufficiently large number of saunas in city apartments, only a few officially “exist”.

What is the fundamental difference between a metal wood-burning stove and a brick stove?

Usually heaters made of metal serve only to heat the steam room and stones. Brick heaters, in addition, are often used to heat adjacent rooms, such as a dressing room. Due to its large own mass, a brick stove works like a giant heat accumulator, it heats up longer, but also gives off heat longer, smoothing out temperature fluctuations in the steam room.

How and at what age should children be taught to use the steam room?

For answers to such questions, it is more correct to contact not the builders and sellers of sauna equipment, but to doctors - physiotherapists and pediatricians.

How is the ceiling insulated in a free-standing bath?

If the ceiling of the building in which the bathhouse will be located is made in accordance with the standards adopted for this climatic zone, then two layers (5 cm each) of URSA, ISOVER or the like will be sufficient to insulate the ceiling in the bathhouse. For the vapor barrier of the insulation, either aluminum foil or cheaper foil paper is used. In order for the foil to serve also for reflective thermal insulation, an air gap of 20-30 mm is arranged between the lining and the foil.

What needs to be done to quickly dry the air in the sauna for a new steam delivery?

The easiest way is to ventilate the sauna more intensively by opening the door, for example, and opening the exhaust vent in the ceiling. The presence of such a ceiling valve, along with the traditional exhaust opening under the benches, is highly desirable for a sauna where it is heavily flowing or where a steam generator is installed. The most common now are wooden poppet valves, but a conventional valve can also be used.

Which stones keep warm longer - large or small? Is there an optimal size?

The optimal size of stones for electric heaters is 4 * 8 cm. Stones of this size can be easily placed between the heating elements and, correctly laid, they do not interfere with normal air circulation through the heater. Stones for wood stoves can be larger. However, it should be noted that leading manufacturers of both electric and woodburning stoves offer stones of the same size for different types of stoves. With regard to heat transfer, the type of mineral used and the mass of stones are more important than their size.

Can I put a small electric heater in the bathroom?

If you are planning to completely re-equip this room for a sauna, please. A typical case - an apartment is equipped with several adjacent apartments, one of the bathrooms is equipped with a sauna. If you intend to use this room both as a sauna and as a bathroom, it is better to refuse this idea. The installation of a sauna heater in the bathroom is prohibited by current regulations. (According to the Electrical Installation Rules (PUE) in the bathroom, even a socket for a low-power electric shaver must be connected through an isolation transformer or an RCD.) The only possible option: if your bathroom is very large, you can install a ready-made prefabricated sauna in it.

Are wooden walls obligatory for a Russian bath in a summer cottage? Are there any alternative materials for such construction?

The material of the walls can be any, however, if the walls are not made of wood, they will definitely have to be additionally insulated, arranged a vapor barrier, sheathed with clapboard.

Can a large steam room (over 25 m) be heated with an electric heater (s) or should a special stove be built?

Typically, sauna heater manufacturers offer schemes for heating very large rooms in which several high-power stoves of the same type are used. Such projects are purely individual and are developed only for specific premises and only by oven manufacturers, since they alone can authorize such a "non-standard" use of their products. Making a single furnace for a large room is an unrealistic thing, since a serious manufacturer spends a lot of time and money on designing, manufacturing a prototype, testing and certifying it.

Why pour water on stones in a Finnish sauna? Isn't this a dry steam room?

A classic Finnish sauna with a wood-burning stove is no different from a Russian bath - in the sauna they also give water to the stones, use a broom, etc. The Finns are very fond of the smoke sauna (read "bathhouse"). In a sauna equipped with an electric heater, steam is also intensively supplied. Probably, the misconception about the "dry" Finnish sauna appeared after the widespread use of electric sauna heaters and the firmly assimilated position by our fellow citizens that electricity and water are incompatible.

What is abashi? And why is it better than domestic wood species for a sauna?

Triplochiton scleroxylon, or abashi (other local names - obche, samba, vava, ayus) is a deciduous breed that grows in the west of equatorial Africa. It is widely used in the manufacture of furniture and wood products, as well as for building decoration. A pleasant straw-yellow color, a peculiar surface texture, ease of processing, as well as the ability to produce large-size elements that have no defects, allow you to create entire interiors from abasha, including in the sauna. An important feature - the low thermal conductivity and heat capacity of abasha allow you to avoid burns when the body comes into contact with the details of the sauna, heated to 70-80 ° C. However, for the sake of fairness, we note that we do not recommend sitting without protection on an abasha shelf in a sauna heated to a temperature of 100 ° C and above - it will be hot!

How to protect the lower tier of the sauna walls from aging? Known to have more wet load?

Initially, the wall and ceiling cladding can be treated with a special compound designed for saunas, which will protect the wood from mold and rot. The most widely used product is Supi saunasuoja, produced by the Finnish company Tikkurila. And with further use, there is only one remedy - good ventilation and drying of the sauna after use.

At what height is it best to fix the thermometer in the steam room?

Usually the thermometer is fixed at the level of the head of the person sitting on the upper shelf.

How often should the set of stones in the sauna stove be changed?

Replace worn-out (cracked) stones with new ones as they break down. The intensity of the destruction of stones is directly related to the intensity of use of the heater. In home saunas, stones should be handled at least once a year, and more often in case of intensive use and in public saunas.

Which wood should not be used for the bathroom shelves?

There are no categorical prohibitions on the use of any wood species for the manufacture of shelves. Almost all available breeds can be used. In Russia, shelves are most often made from hardwood (aspen, linden, alder), in Scandinavia - from aspen and spruce. But all over the world, preference is given to the African abashi tree.

Does it make sense to put a powerful stove in a small sauna for quick warm-up?

The power of the stove must strictly correspond to the size of the sauna. the parameters of this conformity are determined by the heater manufacturer. It is pointless to use a stove with a lower power - the sauna will not warm up to the desired temperature. Using a furnace with a higher power is unsafe - the risk of fire increases significantly.

I want to collect new stones for the heater - right by the river. Which stones to choose?

We advise you to purchase stones specially designed for heaters. The most commonly used for these purposes are porphyrite and gabro-diabase. Such stones are environmentally friendly and have a high heat capacity, which allows you to get a large amount of soft steam. When using untested stones, selected in a random place - by the road, in the forest, on the river bank, etc. - a number of both environmental and technical problems can arise.

What wood is the most durable for the interior cladding of the steam room? Is there an optimal price-quality ratio here?

The service time of the inner lining of the steam room practically does not depend on the type of wood used and is largely determined by the temperature and humidity conditions. Proper maintenance is of great importance for the service life of the casing - even such a simple procedure as regular drying of the steam room after use can significantly extend the life of the casing. To a large extent, the choice of cladding material is determined by personal preferences and financial capabilities, but here, you see, the price-quality ratio is different for everyone.

How should you store prepared brooms?

Sauna whisks should be stored in a cool dry place with good ventilation. Avoid exposure to sunlight and sudden changes in humidity in the room where they are stored.

Are there ways to quickly deodorize the air in the steam room (for example, after using aromatic additives)?

There is one way - intensive ventilation of the steam room. However, in the case of using concentrated fragrances, one-time ventilation may not be enough - the wood in the steam room absorbs odors very well. There are also known cases when bathers watered the walls of the steam room with fragrances (in particular, essential oils). Sometimes in such cases it was necessary to completely change the covering of the steam room.

Why is the abashi tree so famous? How is it different from traditional wood?

Abashi (abachi, apashi, etc. from abachi - English) is a deciduous breed that grows in the west of equatorial Africa. The Latin name is triplochiton scleroxylon, other local names are obche, samba, vava, ayus. The wood is well processed, there are practically no knots. The main feature - low thermal conductivity and heat capacity, which prevent burns when the body comes into contact with sauna parts heated to 70-80 ° C - makes this wood indispensable for the manufacture of benches in a sauna and other interior parts in contact with human skin.

I heard that there are “thermoses” electric heaters in which the stones are covered with an insulating cover. What are they needed for?

Such electric heaters, "thermoses", are intended for immediate use. Working at low power in standby mode with the lid closed, this stove keeps the temperature of a large mass of stones (about 100 kg) high enough to immediately start steaming, simply open the lid and turn on the stove at full power. It takes an ordinary heater about an hour to heat the sauna up to steaming temperature, but this one is always ready for use!

How to create a Russian bath in a prefabricated Finnish sauna with a wood-burning stove (medium temperature and humidity)?

A Finnish sauna with a wood-burning stove is no different from a Russian bath in terms of temperature and humidity conditions. Accordingly, these modes are maintained in the same way - we heat the stove and heat the sauna to the required temperature, after which we put it on the stones to achieve the required humidity.

There are so many new materials on the market now ... What is the best way to build a freestanding bathhouse?

The material from which a free-standing room intended for a bath is built does not actually matter for the bath - it is just a matter of your wealth. More important is the question of choosing materials for the direct arrangement of a bath or sauna in an already finished building. Scandinavians here prefer conifers - spruce and pine, here in Russia deciduous species - aspen, linden, alder - are used.

In what mode should a sauna with an electric heater be dried after prolonged use (within 6-8 hours)?

To dry out the sauna, in which water has been intensively applied to the stones, leave it with an open jersey and the included electric heater for about one hour. The "subtle" point - such a sauna should be equipped with an additional ventilation opening in the ceiling or in the upper part of the wall, on which the main exhaust ventilation opening is located. This additional opening is only opened when the sauna is drying, it must be closed the rest of the time.

What is the most durable wood for sauna interiors?

Experience shows that the durability of the interior lining of a sauna is not determined by the type of wood, but by the thickness and profile of the lining. The most suitable for a sauna is a lining with a thickness of 15-16 mm, which has compensation grooves on the back side, preventing its cracking with a significant change in temperature and humidity. Also, the lifespan of the cladding increases the air gap between the clapboard and the vapor barrier.

I heard that dry steam is bad for women's skin. What are the best temperature and humidity parameters in a Finnish sauna for women?

The optimal combination of temperature and humidity and the duration of a sauna visit are very individual parameters that are determined not only by gender, but also by age, health status and many other individual characteristics of the body. There is only one recommendation here - consult your doctor.

Do I need to specially prepare the floor in the room where the sauna is to be installed?

The floor of the room where the sauna will be installed does not require special preparation. From the point of view of hygiene and ease of maintenance, tiles covered with a wooden grill or a plastic mat are best suited for the sauna floor. If everything is clear with the wooden lattice, then it is better to take special plastic rugs designed specifically for wet rooms (for example, Soft Step rugs of the Finnish company Plast-Terf).

Are there differences in the requirements for installing a sauna at home and in a public place?

The requirements for the installation of saunas in residential and public buildings are approximately the same, but it should be borne in mind that compliance with the requirements of the relevant regulatory documents when installing saunas in public buildings is much more strictly controlled.

What are the minimum dimensions for a home sauna and which stove to choose for it?

The minimum power of the sauna heater is 2 kW. This capacity corresponds to a minimum volume of approximately 1.2 m3. Such a sauna has dimensions of 0.8x0.8x1.9 m.

I have an old log house in the village. The stove almost collapsed there. Which is better - fold a new one or put in an electric one?

This choice you have to make yourself, it depends entirely on your personal preferences and existing restrictions. in the village, it is usually difficult to provide sufficient electrical power for an electric heater (for baths and saunas of a small size, an average of 1 m2 of the volume of a steam room requires 1 kW of electric heater power), therefore wood-burning stoves are more often used there. By the way, it is not at all necessary to put the stove on your own - there are ready-made prefabricated wooden stoves-stoves, designed for a steam room up to 50 m ?.

Do I need to leave a gap between the log wall of the bath and the finishing clapboard? If so, which one?

In the absence of additional heat and vapor insulation, the presence of such a gap does not play a significant role. If aluminum foil or foil paper is used as a vapor barrier, then the gap between the foil and the clapboard significantly improves the thermal insulation of the steam room - in this case, the foil also works as reflective thermal insulation.

Does the choice of stove depend on the size of the steam room?

The power of the sauna heater corresponds to a certain volume of the steam room, provided that the thermal insulation is correctly observed. During the construction of a sauna, foil is used, which is placed between the clapboard and the insulation, returning steam to the steam room and ensuring rapid heating of the sauna.

Is it better to build your own sauna or visit a public one?

It all depends on your preferences and capabilities. Of course, it's great when you have your own sauna. You can use it at any time convenient for you.

Which saunas have a longer service life?

The term of use of the sauna depends on the skills and abilities of the specialists in the construction of the sauna. The work must be done professionally and reliably in accordance with all regulatory requirements. When decorating a sauna with clapboard, you need to pay special attention to the thickness and quality of its processing. Between the clapboard and the foil, it is better to leave a distance that will allow the heat to return to the steam room. This will protect the wood from moisture. All this will allow you to use the sauna for a long period of time.

Leave the oven on for 20-30 minutes.

Is it possible to go to the sauna before or after fitness?

Depending on how you feel.

Is it possible to create conditions of temperature and humidity in a sauna as in a Russian bath?

Stoves with built-in steam generators allow you to do this.

Are any stones used for the sauna?

Better gabro-diabase, talcochlorite, jadeite.

Can a synthetic headdress be worn in the steam room?

It is better to use natural materials, cotton, felt, wool, etc.

Can I use different woods in the finishing work of the steam room?

Can plastic products be placed near the floor in the sauna?

You can, because the temperature is low in the sauna near the floor.

What is the best finish for sauna walls?

It depends on the preference of the customer and the budget that he is willing to spend on it. The best is Canadian cedar. Natural antiseptic with a pronounced aroma, on which traces of water are least noticeable.

Is it worth combining a sauna and an infrared cabin in one project?

Good solution for space constraints and real cost savings.

What products does he use to clean the sauna heater?

The electric heater does not require any special maintenance. From the outside, it can be wiped clean with a damp cloth.

Is there a time limit for staying in a Finnish sauna and steam bath?

Individual human tolerance of temperature and humidity.

How much water can be poured onto a hot electric heater?

The main thing is that the water does not spill on the floor. The presence of water on the floor indicates that you are overflowing.

Depends on your wishes and financial capabilities. Decorative lighting - fiber optic. Hrvia Color dreahs color therapy. New LED lamps of the Finnish company Savnia are coming soon.

Where is the best place to put the stove in the steam room in the sauna?

Depends on the size of the steam room, it is desirable not to interfere with the passage. Consider the ventilation in your steam room.

Are there specific guidelines for choosing wood for sauna floors?

Better to put tiles for hygiene reasons; or a tree less prone to decay, such as larch.

Is it obligatory to leave a place for ventilation during the construction of the sauna?

Ventilation is required both supply and exhaust.

What is the difference between a Finnish sauna and a Russian bath?

In the ratio of temperature and humidity balance: Finnish sauna -10-30% humidity, temperature 110C. Russian bath - 60-70% humidity, temperature 60-70C.

What are the first things to look for when choosing a sauna?

First of all, on the overall dimensions and power consumption.

Describe the procedures for taking infrared and Finnish saunas in different situations in life?

An infrared sauna is preferable for people with excess pressure and those who, for other reasons, cannot tolerate high temperatures. Good for people with sprains, sprains, or simply needing to warm up their muscles.

Why is it better to be in a horizontal position in the steam room?

There is no temperature difference in this position.

How often can you use the infrared sauna (if there are no contraindications), and should you take breaks from the courses?

Do I need to use a hat in an infrared sauna?

You do not need to wear a hat, because The infrared sauna generates dry, long-wave heat.

Is it difficult to assemble an infrared sauna?

Two people can assemble within 1 hour.

How often can you go to the sauna?

There are no fundamental restrictions, it all depends on your desire.

What is better to wear in the sauna?

Be sure to have a hat. Everything else depends on who you go with.

What are the basic rules for visiting a sauna?

It is advisable to visit the sauna on an empty stomach or 2-3 hours after eating. It is advisable to refrain from smoking and alcoholic beverages before visiting the sauna. The optimal time to visit the sauna is in the morning from 8-11 am or in the evening from 4 pm to 8 pm. the metal heats up and can burn the skin. When entering the steam room, it is recommended to cover your head by wearing a special hat.

The stove is the pride of any bathhouse attendant. A correctly installed heater is the subject of unremitting admiration for the craftsman's skills and the straightness of his hands. The place for the stove must be prepared from the very laying of the walls and at each subsequent stage, make the appropriate changes, so let's take a closer look at the process.

What will we bet on

Proper preparation of the place for installing the stove, or more precisely, the base on the floor, is of key importance. The metal furnace itself has a weight of the order of a centner, add to this a bookmark of 200-300 kg of stones, sometimes the weight is additionally increased due to the water heating tank.

Due to the significant weight, the oven should be placed on a solid and always hard surface. It can be conditionally flammable: there are no high temperatures in this zone, with the exception of a small area in front of the furnace, where burning coals can wake up.

In any of the options, it is better to prepare the place for installing the furnace at the stage of laying the foundation. It can be a cabinet made of bricks or a block of reinforced concrete cast together with the base of the building. The finishing of this area is carried out together with the main floor, however, the presence of a massive block in the substrate will not allow the screed to be pushed through.

This requirement is not so critical for lightweight electric heaters with 60-80 kg stones. They can even be installed on a wooden floor in dry saunas, but it will not be superfluous to put a piece of 3-4 mm thick sheet steel under the stove. When installing on a wooden floor, it is important to pay attention to the shape of the oven legs. If it rests pointwise, there is a high probability that the wooden floor will be pressed through and the stove will sag unevenly.

Refractory lining

Not all modern heaters are equipped with a heat-reflecting screen. Since the upper part of the stove can heat up to 200-250 ° C, its installation closer than 35 cm from the walls cannot be considered safe. In any case, from intense heat radiation, the wood finish will dry out strongly and lose its durability.

Other methods of constructing a heat-reflecting screen include lining with soapstone tiles, natural volcanic stone or magnesite slabs. The final choice is best made based on the availability of materials and their decorative value for your steam room. It is also not forbidden to use sheet steel coated with heat-resistant non-toxic paint and a basalt cardboard substrate up to 2 cm thick. Obviously, the refractory lining of the furnace should be carried out before the walls are lined with wood.

The edges of the screen should be brought out under the rectangular side and plastering with cement mortar so that the wood trim can be decorated with a fold with an end strip. Ultimately, the lining should cover the walls 35 cm on either side of the furnace body. The height of the lining from above is at least one meter, but usually it is extended up to the ceiling.

Fireplace door passage

A remote stove for a sauna stove is ideal. When burning, oxygen and warm air do not sneak out of the steam room, there is no wood dust and debris, more free space. Such an installation is the most difficult for independent implementation.

There is an opinion that the bathhouse is built around the stove, at least it is strongly recommended to arrange a partition between the dressing room and the steam room only after the final installation of the heater. It is noteworthy that before the construction of this wall, a heat-reflecting screen must already be laid out to the height of the stove.

With an indent of 50 cm from the walls of the neck of the firebox, two 100x60 cm beams are installed vertically, they are tightly adjacent to the lining of the furnace. The beams are aligned in the plane of the partition and are fixed by means of steel corners to the floor and ceiling. A frame wall with a 100 mm insulation layer is arranged from these beams on both sides, a wooden lining is sewn along a horizontal crate of 20 mm planks.

The space between the beams is laid with a hollow clay brick, the neck of the firebox must be carefully overlaid on both sides. Masonry binder is a mixture of cement, sand and fireclay clay in a ratio of 1: 2: 5. A mixture of clay and sand is soaked for a day, cement is added immediately before use. Please note that both sides of the wall will be visible, therefore, it is recommended to lay the masonry on steel bars 10 mm thick, and carefully trim the extensions with a grinder.

Struggle for aesthetics and safety

In the steam room, the stove must be properly refined. We are also talking about stoves remote from the walls without a protective lining, the whole essence of the subsequent work is to correctly fit the metal case into the entourage of the steam room and at the same time prevent accidental contact with heated surfaces.

The first option is the simplest and best suited for ovens with convection chambers. The arrangement consists in the installation of a parapet 15-20 cm high above the heater. The fence is installed 20 cm from the body with a standard heat shield and 35 cm without it. The parapet itself consists of 20x80 mm shtaketins opened with linseed oil, possibly with milling of the edges and curly trimming of the heads. The planks are nailed in at a distance of 25-30 mm for sufficient ventilation. The basis of the fence is a frame assembled from a 40x40 mm bar: pillars at the corners and two horizontal crossbeams in the spans.

If the heater does not have convection, it is common practice to completely brick it. For this, a reflective screen or a thin chrome-plated body is dismantled, these parts can be used in cutting the ceiling for a chimney. All that remains - a firebox and a frame with a container for stones - is first lined with half of fireclay bricks on pure fireclay clay, and then in a quarter of red clay bricks with cement mortar. The upper outer row is laid out in a half-brick with a turn inward. With such a device, the heating inertia increases: the steam room will be heated a little longer, but the temperature will become approximately the same with different combustion intensities.

We carry out the chimney

It is recommended to use sandwich-type chimneys for the removal of combustion products. At the same time, it is better to arrange a section 1-1.5 meters from the stove with an uninsulated steel pipe: it is easier for it to make turns, it remains possible to install a tank or coil.

For the passage, two cuts are performed: in the floor and in the roof; in the absence of an attic, they turn out to be combined. The opening in the ceiling is cut 25 cm from the casing of the chimney thermal insulation, the space is filled with basalt wool.

The passage through the roof is made with a standard roof groove with a tin flange. In this case, you will need to cut out the wooden parts of the lathing 30 cm from the pipe and strengthen the rafter system. When assembling the elements of the chimney, it is not recommended to seal the sockets, they are already crimped when heated.

If the moment is missed: the oven is in an operated bath

In conclusion, we will tell you about the installation of the stove in an already built sauna with interior decoration or replacement of the heater. You are aware of the basic installation requirements; you just have to think about the possibility of making changes to the wall and floor structure.

In general, stoves up to 120 kg can be installed on a wooden floor on logs, and up to 200 kg on a cement screed. For more massive stoves, you will need to cut out a piece of the floor and remove the top layer of soil. Next, a brick pedestal is laid 40-50 mm above the floor level. The joints of the floor are covered with a wooden plinth.

To remove the firebox, you will need to cut a meter-long opening in the wall and separate it with two racks from a wooden bar. For the installation of a refractory lining, several vertical shoulder straps of wooden sheathing should be removed, this is exactly the case when it is easier to lay the masonry up to the ceiling.