Can You Pour Water On Electric Sauna?
This question was always staying on my mind because it was confusing. Sauna is supposed to work with water on the rocks. On the other hand, you can’t pour water on electric things and a sauna heater is exactly this electric thing. I have been going to saunas already for a long while and just after some observations and searching on the internet I solved this puzzle. Firstly, I found out some myths about electric sauna, secondly, it goes without saying that each mechanism has its safety rules, thirdly, each usage has its purpose and finally, there is some other useful additional information.
The short answer is yes, you can pour water on electric sauna. It is made in a way that prevents any dangerous situations what concerns electricity. However, there are always some precautions to take when it is not a toy you are using. I will explain everything in this article.
Sometimes we are not sure about how to use the things we purchase, the new we try. This article should help you to find out how to use water in electric sauna properly.
What are the myths about electric sauna?
A lack of knowledge might create a vague understanding about the target subject. That is how myths appear. Myths don’t let us see in a clear perspective and what is more important, sometimes they change our actions. Because our beliefs affect our behavior. So if you have a belief that electric sauna can’t be used with water, you will not use the full potential of the sauna and make your sauna experience poorer.
So the main myth about electric saunas is that they must not be used with water. Even if you see a sign warning you about a possible shock hazard, it is not true. It is simply a scare tactic. Because no commercial sauna would be wired in such a way that water, poured on the rocks, would provide a shock. The sauna heaters are built in a particular way for rocks to be able to have a contact with water and produce steam. This is how saunas work and every electric heater is designed to serve this purpose.
However, it is your choice whether you want to use water on your sauna rocks, whether you want more steam. Very often the owners of commercial saunas don’t want the customers to use water because in this way the sauna heater wears away. If you have your personal sauna, then it is also your choice whether you want to maintain your sauna heater in a good condition for a longer time or you want the sauna experience which you prefer. But pouring water on the electric sauna heater by no means imply that it will be ruined.
What is a safe and proper way to use water on electric sauna?
We all know that it is safe to use a microwave. But also if we didn’t know that no metal should be put inside the microwave, using it wouldn’t be so safe anymore. So even if now we are aware that electric sauna goes well with water, there still exist some safety tips which must be taken into consideration.
The first rule is to not pour too much water. The second rule is to use a sauna ladle or a spray bottle. This is because too much of water poured on the rocks might cause a big cloud of hot steam. In this way you might get burnt. One more side effect of an excessive amount of water on the sauna rocks is the possibility that the rocks cool down too much and reduce the temperature in the sauna room. The thing which the commercial sauna owners might really not like is the water on the floor. So before using the water make sure that the sauna room has a drain on the ground.
I have seen a man being injured by a misuse of water on sauna rocks. Fortunately, the accident didn’t end up tragically but it definitely made everyone else scared. And I have heard several sauna reviews when people were content with their electric sauna experience just because they managed to choose the right amount of steam made by pouring some water on the rocks. Maybe a part of it is skills and experience but it is definitely something you can get being aware of what you are doing.
What is the effect of pouring water on electric sauna?
Now we have talked in previous articles about different kinds of saunas. Basically, that there are two types – wet and dry saunas. The dryness in the sauna is created solely by the heat from the sauna heater. If you want a different kind of experience and feel even hotter in the sauna, then you should try wet saunas. Wet saunas are built up mainly by causing steam and making the air humid.
The way to make the air humid is exactly this – using water on the sauna rocks. Once the water touches hot sauna rocks, steam is produced. Even though the temperature doesn’t change dramatically, the humidity does. In this way the feeling in the room is a lot different, much hotter. One of the purposes of sauna is to make you sweat, and humidity does this job perfectly.
Most of my family and me are using wet sauna and we haven’t been disappointed by this experience. It is good in winters when you want to warm up your blood and in summers when you can jump into a lake after. It is a good way to spend time with your family and have a healthy style of living.
Other useful things to know about water in sauna
Besides using water on sauna rocks for making steam and heating up the room, there are other ways how water can be useful in having sauna experience.
Around 70 % of our body is made of water so it is just crucial to keep this level in our organism. When we sweat a lot, we lose not only toxins but also a lot of water. So in order not to dehydrate, we must constantly “refill” ourselves: drink some water before and after sauna sessions, even during it if dizziness appear or you don’t feel well. In this way we will feel good and be healthy.
Another important way to use water while bathing in sauna is having showers. A shower prevents us from overheating and helps us to cool down. A cool shower should be taken when finishing the sauna sessions or even in between, if you wish. Because in between the sauna sessions the body needs to cool down as well. If you don’t have any health problems, you can take a quick dip into the water.
It goes that sauna is not just fun in the heat. Water is as much important. Because sauna is a process of transitions between hot and cold.
Conclusions:
I guess we don’t need to be chemists or electricians to know how to use water in sauna. We need just a little bit of background and the mystery is solved. We have just found out that water will improve your sauna experience both using it on sauna rocks (even if the sauna heater is electric) and keeping your body healthy.