Traditional and Infrared Saunas: What’s the Difference?

When designing and building an outdoor sauna, two choices come to mind – traditional and infrared. Both sauna types can offer an amazing experience for your backyard, but choosing can be a difficult choice. The ultimate difference between traditional and infrared saunas is the type of sauna heater they use. Factoring the costs and benefits here’s a short guide to help you decide which sauna is best for your backyard. 

How Do Outdoor Saunas Produce Heat?

Outdoor saunas are specifically designed to be used outdoors. They are constructed from durable materials that are resistant to weather conditions. Some designs may require additional insulation and waterproofing to protect them from the elements. In traditional outdoor saunas, their sauna heaters come in three types:

Electric Heaters

Electric heaters have the fastest heating time, ranging between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on the sauna’s size. They can be scheduled and controlled with a remote. The adjustable thermostat ensures you can always experience the exact temperatures you want.

Gas Heaters

Gas heaters use natural gas or liquid propane and typically take 30 to 60 minutes to heat a room. They’re a cost-effective option often used in large, frequently used saunas. 

Wood-Burning Heaters

For the most traditional experience, wood-burning heaters are most often used in off-grid saunas. They’re used in medium to large saunas because they can produce heat at higher temperatures. These sauna heaters take 30 to 60 minutes to heat and can be more difficult to regulate. 

In traditional saunas the heaters take longer to warm up. That’s because they heat the air, allowing the heat to be more evenly distributed. Depending on the size, layout, and materials used it can take an hour for it to heat up. If it’s extremely cold, like it can be here in Alberta then it can take a bit longer.    

However, infrared saunas use a different type of heating system altogether. Instead of heating the air around you, these saunas use infrared light panels to heat your skin. Its similar when your body’s exposed to direct sunlight, this gives them better heat dispersal than traditional saunas. It’s a faster, more direct heat, allowing you to focus on specific parts of your body instead of the air.

The Benefits of Traditional Vs Infrared Saunas

No matter the type of sauna you enter, the health benefits you experience from an outdoor sauna are undeniable. However, these benefits depend highly on the type of sauna heater used.

Traditional saunas get hotter than infrared saunas, which can provide benefits that may outweigh those provided by infrared types.

Traditional Sauna benefits include: 

• Stimulates Detoxification: Traditional saunas, whether they use an electric, gas, or wood-burning sauna heater, can help you produce more sweat, which can help detox your body. However, some studies show that dynamic exercise, eating healthy, and avoiding smoking are just as effective at detoxing your system with saunas. 
• Promotes Heart Health: Regularly using an outdoor sauna can promote better heart health. Some studies have shown that frequent use, about three to seven times per week, can reduce the risk of cardiac death and fatal cardiovascular disease. However, the strongest promoter of heart health is associated with high cardio fitness combined with traditional sauna use.  
• Improves Blood Pressure and Circulation: The sauna’s heat has been reported to help improve blood circulation and pressure. When combined with regular exercise, it promotes even better, more prominent health benefits.

Infrared Sauna Benefits include: 

• Better Temperature Control: An infrared sauna can promote better temperature control for those with sensitive lungs or prone to humidity changes. Its direct heat allows users to change the temperature for a more comfortable experience and can be configured to their health needs. 
• Direct Heat
• Energy Efficiency: Infrared saunas also promote better energy efficiency, which can make them a more cost-effective option. They require lower temperatures to achieve the same therapeutic effects as a traditional sauna. 
• Easy Installation: Infrared saunas offer better construction in terms of ventilation systems, sauna rooms, and heater maintenance than traditional saunas. They can also come in pre-assembled sauna heater kits for better construction and care for those who want to experience a sauna without the struggles of fully customizing it from scratch. 

Despite their differences, both traditional and infrared saunas promote one universal benefit—stress relief. According to some studies, outdoor saunas can reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which is responsible for increased risks of health problems such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and chronic pain. 

Even if you don’t experience the health benefits immediately, using a traditional sauna or an infrared sauna can help you destress from the day’s events and give you a reason to enjoy the outdoors. If you’re still struggling to choose, then let our experts help. 

Choose Backyard Canada As Your Sauna Experts

Our consultants at Backyard Canada partner with the most well-known product designers to curate a wide selection of sauna heaters and outdoor saunas for your backyard. Whether you want to experience the luxury of an infrared sauna or the rustic feel of a traditional sauna, we cater to those who want to craft their backyard experience to be the ultimate at-home getaway. For more information about our line of products and payment options, speak with our experts today by calling 587-855-9938 or filling out our contact form to get started with your order.