Dry Saunas and How They Work

Dry saunas work in much the same way as wet saunas, but they don't use steam like wet saunas do.

In dry saunas, a stove, such as the SWA model from Avalon or the Laatu LMR sauna heater from the Catalina Series by Sauna Warehouse, is used to heat the air in the sauna. Whereas in a wet sauna, water is poured on the heater's rocks to produce steam, in a dry sauna, little or no water is used and the air is heated only by the stove and the rocks.

Temperatures in a dry sauna can approach 200 degrees Fahrenheit, but because it is a “dry heat,” the temperature is tolerable to the bathers. Make sure the stove you select for your dry sauna will produce the high temperatures necessary; talk to an expert at saunas.com for help on selecting a heater.