Why Upgrade your Heater?

The standard KIP heater included in our indoor sauna units reaches 170-180°F within the first 45-60 minutes and a maximum temperature of 194°F. If you’re looking for a faster, hotter, and more efficient sauna experience, upgrading to a Spirit or Virta heater is a great option. While saunas typically don't exceed 194°F, you can experience 200°F+ by introducing steam once the heater nears its maximum temperature. Why Upgrade Your Standard Heater? Faster Heat-Up Times The Spirit and Virta heaters heat up more quickly than the standard KIP with dials, so you can enjoy your sauna session sooner. Maintains peak temperatures more consistently allowing for a more intense sauna experience. Ideal for Cold Climates Engineered for freezing conditions, ensuring consistent high temperatures. Powerful heating elements generate and sustain heat more efficiently. Even heat distribution prevents cold spots for a more comfortable session. Optimized for High Elevation Designed for high-altitude efficiency, where thinner air affects heating. Powerful and consistent heat provides steady warmth, even in low-oxygen environments. Advanced heating technology ensures your sauna reaches and maintains the desired temperature reliably. Recommended Heater Upgrades If you would like to upgrade from the standard KIP heater, we recommend: Spirit Heater (available in 6kW to 8kW) Virta Heater (available in 6kW to 10.5kW) Benefits: Heats up faster, maintains higher temperatures, and improves overall efficiency. Drastically reduces wait time for your sauna to reach its desired temperature. Advanced Digital & WiFi Controls Not only do the Virta and Spirit heaters get hotter in less time, but they also support Xenio digital controls, unlike the standard KIP heater. This allows you to: Turn on your sauna with the push of a button. Use a 12-hour pre-set timer instead of the standard 8-hour dial control. Control your sauna remotely with the MyHarvia WiFi app, a standard feature on these heaters. Virta Combi: A Sauna & Steam Room in One For those looking for something extra, the Virta Combi is a luxurious upgrade that combines a traditional sauna with a steam room experience. Built-in steam generator allows for humidity levels up to 80%. Can be connected to a water line for continuous operation or manually refilled. Provides both wet/dry sauna experiences with adjustable temperature & humidity settings. Maintenance Tip: To extend the heater’s lifespan, turn off the steam generator and run just the heater for 20–30 minutes after each session to dry out excess moisture. The Virta Combi offers the ultimate balance of heat and humidity, creating a spa-like experience in your own home. Ready to Upgrade? Check the product page of your sauna for available heater upgrades, or give us a call with any questions. Upgrade today for a hotter, faster, and more efficient sauna experience!

Why Choose a Barrel Sauna?

8 REASONS A BARREL SAUNA IS AN EXCELLENT SAUNA DESIGN A barrel is a smart design for an outdoor sauna, and here’s why. REASON #1: IT HEATS UP FASTER. Imagine a square and then shave down the corners to create a circle. In a barrel-shaped sauna, you’ll notice that there’s just as much useable space but with less overall area. Less overall area means less space to heat which means that the barrel sauna will heat up faster than a conventional box sauna. REASON #2: IT EVENLY DISTRIBUTES THE HEAT. In a box-shaped sauna, the rising heat tends to collect at the ceiling. In a barrel-shaped sauna, it gets circulated back down along the curved walls instead of pooling near the top, creating a constant flow of evenly distributed heat throughout the sauna. REASON #3: IT’S MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT. Because a barrel sauna takes less time to heat and distributes the heat more evenly than a conventional box sauna, it uses less energy. We assist the natural energy-efficiency of a barrel design by using thick lumber staves that keep the sauna exceptionally well insulated.   REASON #4: IT’S QUITE COMFORTABLE. Imagine the luxury of lounging back and allowing your spine to be cradled in the curvature of the sauna wall. Or you can sit up straight against the flat wall and stretch out your legs along the bench. We also stock a full lineup of sauna accessories including red cedar leg rests, back rests, and head rests to complement whatever sitting position you find most satisfying. REASON #5: THE WOOD HAS ROOM TO EXPAND AND CONTRACT. Our barrel saunas are constructed from a series of jointed staves fitting tightly together under stainless steel bands and utilizing a minimal amount of fasteners. This ball-and-socket configuration allows the wood to expand in humid environments and contract in dry ones. REASON #6: IT IS A REMARKABLY STRUCTURALLY SOUND DESIGN. Because the wood is able to expand and contract within the bands and because the walls are made from a single thick layer of staves, a barrel sauna has dependable structural integrity. REASON #7: IT IS A PURPOSEFULLY WEATHER-RESISTANT DESIGN. The rounded roof of a barrel sauna sheds rain, and the structural soundness enables it to heft a substantial snow load. Also, we place our barrel saunas on polymer cradles that loft the sauna’s undercarriage, protecting it from direct contact with the moist ground. These cradles have the added benefit of allowing the sauna to sit on virtually any flat surface — deck, packed gravel, wood chips, paving stones, etc. Put it all together and you have a sauna that doesn’t require a lot of ongoing maintenance. REASON #8: IT’S A SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL BACKYARD ADDITION. Not only is a barrel sauna a thoughtfully designed product but it’s also an attractive one. To enhance your backyard setting and bring distinction to your space, a barrel sauna is well worth your consideration. Allow vines to grow over it, plant shrubs and flowers around it, or place it beside a pond or a pool. Imagine it and make it happen.  

Infrared vs Traditional Saunas

Saunas have been used for centuries to promote relaxation, detoxification, and overall well-being. But with so many options available today, you might be wondering: What’s the difference between an infrared sauna and a traditional sauna? More importantly, which one is the best fit for your lifestyle? Let’s break it down. What Is an Infrared Sauna? An infrared sauna looks similar to a traditional sauna, but instead of using a wood-burning or electric heater, it relies on extra-wide carbon fiber heating panels to produce radiant heat. How It Works: Uses infrared light to heat the body directly, rather than warming the surrounding air. Sweating & Detoxification – Both sauna styles help remove toxins and impurities from the body. Gently raises core body temperature, promoting deep, detoxifying sweat at the cellular level. Lower operating temperature than traditional saunas, making it a more comfortable experience for some users. What Is a Traditional Sauna? A traditional sauna follows Finnish sauna standards, using a heater and stones to generate heat. This type of sauna can provide both a dry or wet experience, depending on whether water is ladled onto the heated stones to create steam (löyly). How It Works: Uses an electric or wood-burning heater to warm the air inside the sauna. Can be dry (no water on stones) or wet (steam created by adding water to the stones). Provides an intense, immersive heat experience that can reach higher temperatures than an infrared sauna. Shared Benefits: What Do Infrared and Traditional Saunas Have in Common? While they use different heating methods, both types of saunas offer numerous health benefits: Calorie Burn – Sitting in either sauna increases heart rate and metabolism, similar to light exercise. Boosted Circulation & Immunity – Heat exposure improves blood flow and immune function. Stress & Pain Relief – Regular sauna sessions help relax muscles, relieve tension, and ease aches and pains. Energy-Efficient – Both saunas have relatively low energy costs, comparable to running a dishwasher or clothes dryer. Better with Consistency – While even one session offers benefits, a consistent sauna routine enhances long-term results. Key Differences Between Infrared & Traditional Saunas 1. Heat Source & Experience Infrared Saunas use radiant heat to warm the body directly. Traditional Saunas heat the air, creating an intense, immersive heat experience. 2. Temperature Range Infrared: 120°F – 150°F (gentler, lower temperatures). Traditional: 150°F – 185°F (higher, more intense heat). 3. Heat-Up Time Infrared: Ready to use almost immediately; fully heats in 10–20 minutes. Traditional: Requires about 45–60 minutes to reach full heat. 4. Social vs. Personal Experience Infrared: Smaller, more compact—ideal for individual relaxation in limited spaces. Traditional: Often larger, allowing for a more social sauna experience. Some models, like the Shenandoah barrel sauna, can accommodate up to 8 people—perfect for gatherings! 5. Installation & Power Requirements Infrared: Plugs into a standard home electrical outlet, making it an easy, accessible option. Traditional: Requires a dedicated electrical circuit or wood-burning setup (for outdoor saunas). Which Sauna Is Right for You? Not sure whether to choose an infrared or traditional sauna? Here are a few key questions to consider: Do you prefer a mild or intense heat experience? (Infrared is gentler; traditional is hotter.) Will you use it alone or with others? (Infrared is more personal; traditional is more social.) How quickly do you want it to heat up? (Infrared is ready faster; traditional takes longer.) Do you have space & electrical requirements? (Infrared models are more compact and plug into a standard outlet.) Do you want an indoor or outdoor sauna? (Infrared models are typically for indoor use, while traditional saunas can be either.) Regardless of which option you choose, both provide incredible health benefits—so you really can’t go wrong! Want the Best of Both Worlds? Try a Hybrid Sauna! Still can’t decide? No worries! You don’t have to choose just one. We offer a variety of hybrid saunas which combine both infrared and traditional heating. With a hybrid sauna, you can enjoy the best of both worlds: Use infrared heat for gentle, deep-penetrating warmth. Switch to traditional heat for an intense, full-body sweat. Ready to Start Your Sauna Journey? If you still have questions, we’re here to help! Send us a message or give us a call at 888-355-3050—our team would love to assist you in finding the perfect sauna for your needs.

How to Prepare Your Barrel Sauna Site

Tips for Building Your Barrel Sauna

Four tips for tackling your barrel sauna building project Your barrel sauna has arrived and it’s like Christmas morning (maybe it IS Christmas morning for you!). You’ve unpacked the pallet, inspected all the boxes, and moved it to its future home. So what’s next? In addition to watching our brand new 2019 Barrel Sauna Assembly Video, reading the instruction manual 12 times, and asking half a dozen questions to our staff, we present these four insider tips. Kellen Mouw, barrel sauna expert, graciously dished his secrets for building barrel saunas efficiently. 1. “Make sure the surface is level – paver stones, deck, cement slab, cinder blocks, gravel… anything but directly on the ground.” Tip: a level will come in handy throughout the building process! Why is having level ground key? If the base is out of whack, the sauna is out of whack. Checking to make sure the sauna is square and level is important during several steps of the  building process, and it all begins before anyone lifts a hammer. After laying out your solid surface, if you are still noticing a bit of an incline, use shims. If you are still at a loss, feel free to reach out to us!    2. “Be sure the staves overlap the cradles uniformly on the front and back of the barrel.” Tip: Use a ruler or measuring tape to check your work Measure, measure, and measure again! As with the ground your sauna is being built on, if the base of the sauna isn’t square, it may cause problems in the future. We recommend a stave overhang of about 5” on the back and front of the sauna. If you have more than 2 cradles, place them equidistant and you are golden! 3. “After the floor assembly is complete, nail –don’t screw– every second or third stave.”  Tip: if you have one, use a nail gun to speed up the process! “After the three o’cock and nine o’clock positions, do not nail. Rather, use a strap or rope to hold the staves in place while you continue assembly. We want the bands to cinch the staves together as tight as possible. This will not happen as effectively if the staves on the upper half of the barrel are fixed in place with a nail.” The ultimate goal is to get a tight seal on this barrel sauna. They are built for this, it all just comes down to construction! Make sure you stop nailing the staves halfway up each side of the barrel. This will allow the staves to have some give. Kellen’s tip to use a strap to keep the shape is helpful, and we recommend that you do this! 4. “Insert as many staves in as possible! Creates the tightest seal.” Tip: use rope to keep the barrel sauna shape Even when you think you’ve gotten as many staves in, look again! Before putting the bands on to cinch everything in, check and see if your staves all bow away from the barrel ends a bit. If they do, you are on the right track! Keep in mind, the lumber is going to expand and contract based on your climate. You may need to insert additional staves or filler staves in the future, so keep them handy. If you have any further tips or questions on building a barrel sauna, you can reach out to our sales team at sales@almostheaven.com. We would love to hear from you! If you are here and you don’t have a barrel sauna yet, what are you waiting for? Check out our current specials and join the barrel sauna movement! And don’t forget to check out our new barrel sauna assembly video below. Cheers!    

Indoor Sauna Flooring

To floor or not to floor your sauna, that is the question. At least it’s likely a question you have if you are considering installing an indoor sauna unit in your home. As is industry-standard, our traditional indoor saunas (Respite series, Element series, and some luxury saunas) are made to use your existing floor as the flooring inside the sauna. For some, this is no problem, however, for others, this may be a source of confusion in determining if your existing floor is an adequate base for your sauna. When making this decision, consider the following aspects: Is my existing flooring water-resistant?  Is my existing flooring level?  If the answer to either of these questions is no, you might want to consider some different groundwork, literally, for your sauna space.  Our concise explanation for what you want to have beneath your feet in the sauna is: Concrete, ceramic, vinyl, laminate, tile or other solid flooring work well. We do not recommend carpeting. When breaking this down further, remember heat rises, so the temperature near the bottom of the sauna will not be much higher than room temperature. In addition, though you do want a water-resistant material, especially if you’re planning on sprinkling water over the stones, there shouldn’t be large amounts of water pooling on your floor. If you have any questions about drains in saunas, we have answers. We don’t recommend anything that requires sealants or varnish as they could contain chemicals. Essentially, you want flooring that can withstand spills and sweat and is easy to wipe up if needed. Sauna Flooring Options With these points in mind, here are some options for what you can lay down under your sauna:  NOTE: Please follow flooring manufacturers regulations. Tile: This is a great option as it’s easy to wipe up and clean. Just keep in mind that some types of tile can be more slippery than others when wet. For many installing a sauna in a bathroom, the tiling is already laid, so no additional renovation is needed. Concrete: If you have an unfinished basement or garage with concrete flooring, setting your sauna right on top is almost as easy as it gets. If you’re concerned about getting cold feet (literally) when stepping in or out, lay out a duckboard flooring on top of the concrete as a buffer (check out the cedar flooring kit custom made to fit the saunas in the Respite series or the cedar entrance mat!) Luxury Vinyl Planking (or something similar): Easy to snap together, easy to wipe up, and an abundance of beautiful aesthetic options. Make sure you’re going for a water-resistant or waterproof subtype of planking if this is the option you select. If you’re wanting a buffer between your existing floor and the planking, consider putting down plywood first. Sheet vinyl: This option allows you to get creative as there are a lot of designs. You’d likely want a moisture barrier between your existing floor and the sheet vinyl. You may have to service this option more frequently than others, but it is inexpensive and easy to install. Of course, this is just a start, and we recommend talking to your local flooring specialist to determine what options they have available and what would work best for you. We are always here to help as well—just give us a call at 888.355.3050. Do you have any flooring success stories? Stop by any of our social media channels and let us know what worked for you!

Frequently Asked Questions - Vista Rear Window

  What is the Vista Rear Window? The Vista Rear Window adds a panoramic view to your barrel sauna experience. It can be added to any of our Almost Heaven Outdoor Barrel Saunas. The Vista window consists of a 20” x 40” piece of 3/8” thick safety glass that is mounted into the rear wall of the sauna and then trimmed with cedar molding. It is elegant and unique, and you’re not going to want to miss out on the view!   Will the glass fog up during use?   As with the glass door, the window will fog up when you generate steam from pouring water on the hot sauna stones.  However, when the heat absorbs the steam in the room the window will clear up as well.   Will the Vista Window retain heat as well as a solid wood wall?   Because of the circular design and efficient use of space within a barrel sauna, there is no measurable loss of heat when ordering the Vista window upgrade.    If the glass ever breaks, can it be replaced?   Certainly!  The exterior trim needs to be removed, a new pane of glass inserted, and then the trim reinstalled. If I already have a barrel sauna can I add the Vista window to my sauna? Unfortunately no. The Vista window is factory installed and there is not a field upgrade option. It is possible to install a new rear wall to your sauna with the Vista window, and you can contact our sales department for more details. Are there maintenance issues to be aware of? Other than periodically cleaning the glass there is nothing more that is needed in the way of maintenance. Are there certain barrel sauna models where the Vista window will not work? The Vista window can be installed in all barrel saunas. Order your barrel sauna with the vista window upgrade today by calling our customer services representatives at 888-355-3050.

Why Infrared?

Here at Almost Heaven Saunas  we believe in the traditional sauna experience. The history and the heat, the steam and löyly (a Finnish word describing the heat and steam from the hot stones of a sauna), the smell of soft woods and the stones. If the heat, steam, and even the larger size of a traditional sauna is not conducive to one’s physical needs or lifestyle, we have an alternative.  For those who appreciate the sauna experience and the benefits that come along with it, but for health reasons or preference choose to forgo the traditional steam sauna, Almost Heaven Saunas now offers the infrared therapy sauna. What exactly is an infrared sauna? An infrared sauna can look similar to a traditional sauna, but instead of a wood-burning or electric heater, an infrared uses infrared panels to create heat. There are three categories of infrared: near, mid, and far. Each category indicates where the wavelengths from the infrared rays fall on the light spectrum. At Almost Heaven Saunas, we sell a far-infrared sauna. Far infrared is the longest wavelength on the light spectrum. Far infrared heat penetrates deeper into the skin than near infrared or mid- infrared, promoting a deeper detox and removal of toxins. Unlike a traditional sauna that warms the entire room and heats the body from the outside in, an infrared sauna raises the core body temperature producing a deep, detoxifying sweat at the cellular level. Infrared saunas also tend to be smaller in size and more compact than traditional saunas. This is helpful for apartment living, or those who want to add a sauna to a smaller space. Plus, you can plug your infrared sauna into a standard home electrical outlet. How exactly does an infrared sauna work? Imagine a cold and sunny winter afternoon. The air is brisk and the wind harsh, but when you stand directly in the sunlight you can still feel a deep warmth within your body. These rays from the sun do not warm up the surrounding air because they are impacting the body at a deeper cellular level. The infrared rays from the sun are warming you from the inside out. An infrared sauna mimics these life-giving rays from the sun. The best part is that you get to experience the healthy benefits of natural sunlight without the dangerous effects of UV rays. How do you use an infrared sauna? It’s important to start slow. Start with shorter sessions around 5-10 minutes in order to acclimate your body to the infrared heat. Although an infrared sauna won’t get as hot as a traditional sauna (the ideal infrared temperature being between 110-130 degrees), your body will still sweat and detoxify. As your body gets used to the detoxifying process, you will be able to stay in longer. Unlike a traditional sauna, it is ok for the body to warm up with the sauna, entering at 85-95 degrees. Even at low temperatures, the infrared heat is working and detoxifying the body. When it comes to sauna bathing of any type, it is important to listen to your body, take cool down breaks, and consult your physician with any health-related questions. How often should you use an infrared sauna? There is not one answer to this question. Again, it is important to listen to your body. When the sauna becomes uncomfortable, then it is a good indication to step out and take a break or to end the session for the day. It’s important to start slow and build up a tolerance, and then it is entirely up to you how often you take an infrared. Stay hydrated! What are the benefits of an infrared sauna? There are many benefits to infrared sauna use. One of the most well-known benefits is that it will make you sweat, helping your body to release toxins that have built up over time. Pain relief is another benefit of infrared heat. The heat relaxes sore and fatigued muscles allowing the body to rejuvenate and heal. It is also said that being in a sauna is like a mini workout, the heart rate increases, metabolism rises, and blood circulation is improved to help nourish damaged tissue. Other benefits include skin health and purification, endorphin release, stress reducer—the list goes on and on. However, the most important benefit is that a sauna provides an atmosphere of peaceful relaxation and health. So, whatever your sauna preference or needs, Almost Heaven Saunas is here to help you find your perfect sauna. Resources: Infrared Infographic Sauna Heath Benefits