How to choose a stove for a bath?

A soothing and pleasurable bathing experience can be greatly enhanced by selecting the ideal stove. The bath’s focal point is the stove, which provides the ambience and warmth that transform it into a comfortable haven. But knowing where to begin can be difficult given the abundance of options.

It’s important to take a few important factors into account when choosing a stove. Making the best decision depends on a number of factors, including the size of your bath, the fuel type you prefer, and the design that best fits your available space. Knowing what you need will help you find the ideal stove, whether you want a contemporary electric model or a classic wood-burning stove.

Efficiency and safety should also never be compromised. An excellent stove will safely and effectively heat your bathtub. To guarantee a comfortable and safe bathing experience, features like overheat protection and adequate ventilation are essential.

You can choose the ideal stove to add coziness and warmth to your bathroom by carefully considering your options and learning about what each kind has to offer. Let’s explore the various kinds of stoves and the information you require to make a wise choice.

Criteria	Details
Type of Fuel	Consider whether you prefer wood, gas, or electric. Wood stoves give a traditional feel, gas stoves are convenient, and electric stoves are easy to maintain.
Size	Choose a stove that matches the size of your bath. A small stove for a small bath, and a larger one for bigger spaces.
Material	Stoves are made from different materials like steel or cast iron. Steel heats up quickly, while cast iron retains heat longer.
Cost	Set a budget and find a stove that fits within it. Remember to consider installation and maintenance costs too.
Heat Output	Check the stove"s heat output to ensure it can comfortably heat your bath. Look for BTU ratings for comparison.
Design	Pick a design that suits your bath’s aesthetics. There are many styles, from modern to traditional.

Requirements for heater stoves

You must be aware of the heater requirements in order to make an informed decision. They are contradictory, by the way. The stove ought to:

• be compact (take up little space);
• durable;
• affordable;
• safe (you cannot be poisoned by carbon monoxide, get burned, or cause the wooden elements of the steam room to ignite);
• quickly warm up the steam room;
• use fuel sparingly while heating water;
• give dry, light steam;
• allow the whole family to wash in comfortable conditions (more than an hour);
• keep the heat for a long time, ensuring the wood is dried in the steam room.

No stove, no matter what kind, can simultaneously fulfill all of the stated needs. For instance, physical laws prohibit a small heater from storing a significant amount of heat. As a result, you can disregard a suitable pair for the entire family. About 30 minutes after you start washing, it will get wet. This stove cools down in approximately one hour as well. As a result, ventilation is completely necessary for drying wood, but it frequently falls short of fulfilling this role, leading to the growth of mold and mildew in bathrooms.

The steam room can be rapidly warmed by using only infrared radiation. The stove’s walls must get really hot in order to accomplish this. Steel stoves have this feature. However, they lose heat quickly, warming up and cooling down even quicker. And in three to six years, they burn out.

We could go on and on with examples like this.

In summary, an ideal stove will not be attainable. It will be necessary for you to rank the aforementioned wishes and bid farewell to some of them completely.

Types of stoves

Three different kinds of stoves can be installed in a bathroom:

• brick;
• cast iron;
• steel.

Each of them has advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a closer look at them. This will enable the bathhouse’s owners to know what to expect when their idea comes to life. We will immediately point out that you shouldn’t blindly concentrate on heater-related forums and articles on the Internet. The rationale is that most writers either engage in covert advertising or clumsily replicate one another’s stove-related writings. The reviews have yet another issue.

Because they think everything is perfect for them, many forum users simply do not know what the ideal microclimate and steam in a bathhouse should be. There are also reasonable resources, but for some reason, the site team’s evaluation of these articles is typically very low (they did not find a fair assessment of the benefits and drawbacks of sauna stoves in the top ten). As a result, the search engine returns these articles on pages 3-5, where very few people browse. This means that the readings need to be critically analyzed.

Brick

One cannot imagine a traditional Russian bathhouse without a heater, or brick stove. And the cause of this is a thermal layer cake beneath the ceiling rather than habit or nostalgia. Because of the design elements and the wall material, this creates special conditions for the steamer on the shelf that other types of stoves cannot, theoretically. But for reasons beyond this, genuine steam enthusiasts favor the traditional—brick. Additionally, brick kilns have benefits. However, evaluating the shortcomings is challenging. They are a big negative for some owners and a big plus for others.

Advantages:

• creates an ideal microclimate for those who like to steam frequently (in several passes) and tastefully: the steam is rich, light, hot, but not scalding. Breathe easily;
• A family of several people can take bath procedures in optimal conditions – the steam cake does not become soggy within 1-3 hours. After this, there is another 3-5 hours for people with poor health or those for whom the steam of a Russian bath is contraindicated. They can simply wash themselves in a comfortable environment;
• is an impeccable ventilation system: it dries the steam room literally overnight;
• serves for more than a dozen years. In abandoned villages, a picture is often observed: the log house has collapsed, the boiler has rusted, but the heater remains standing;
• minimal risk of fire. Problems can only arise when passing through the ceiling due to violations of fire safety regulations during construction. But inside the steam room, the probability of ignition is close to zero;
• the materials used are safe for health – they do not emit harmful or toxic substances when heated;
• easy to maintain: clean the firebox and ash pan before washing and forget about it until the next bath.

Drawbacks:

• high thermal inertia. Supporters of iron stoves consider this property of brick stoves to be their main drawback. But this depends on how you look at it. Indeed, for many city dwellers (summer residents) this is a significant disadvantage. After all, the frantic pace of the city has made them, in a way, impatient. Therefore, heating a bathhouse for 3-4 hours is not for them. They do not know the delights of a real Russian bathhouse, with the exception of a small number of true connoisseurs of steam and a broom. Therefore, they take the microclimate of the steam room (temperature, humidity and quality of steam), formed by industrially produced stoves, for optimal steaming conditions. In fact, while quickly warming up, metal stoves quickly cool down (see table below), with corresponding consequences.

The rapid heat of metal is greatly inferior to the high heat capacity of brick, according to rural dwellers. After properly heating up, a brick stove can stay warm for two to three days. It is practical in a lot of ways. First off, all of the wood in the laundry and steam rooms is sure to dry. Second, there’s the chance to shower after work—especially on a steamy summer day. Thirdly, household needs can be met with warm water.

• need for a foundation. There"s no arguing here. The weight of the stove with stones and a water tank will be about 1.5-2 tons. Any floor cannot withstand such a weight;
• takes up a lot of space. Again, minus is relative. Nobody will make a small steam room 2×2 m, unless the plot is 4 acres (then you have to save every meter). In a larger room (at least 2×3 m), a metal stove has to heat a volume of 10-12 m3, which is a lot. The high power of the heater doesn’t help either. A brick stove, with a water tank located in the washing room, fits perfectly into a room measuring 2×3 m. With a combined steam room with a sink and a water tank next to the stove (not at the top), 12 m 2 areas (3×4 m) is enough. As a result, the bathhouse is compact and 3-4 people can steam at the same time;
• It is necessary to cook a water tank on your own or hire a welder;
• The stove will cost a round sum (from 150.0 thousand. rub.) due to the existing prices of professional stoves. Yes, and it is difficult to find them. Exit in the laying of the furnace on their own. At first glance it is difficult. But the author’s personal experience shows that nothing is impossible. There are two points that cannot be ignored:

1. Correct clay solution correctly. On the Internet you can find sensible recommendations.
2. Do not hurry. Avoiding errors allows the laying of the furnace at first with bricks without a binder. If there are mistakes, they will immediately get out. When disassembled, all bricks are numbered, preferably each row separately, with application to the scheme. In the future, during laying, all that remains is to check the drawing and keep it vertical.

Other than confusion, a few other drawbacks mentioned by some experts are as follows:

• it is necessary to regularly remove combustion products from the ash pan. Well, this is not required in metal ovens?
• clean the chimney once a month. This procedure is mandatory in metal heaters. There is practically no soot in a brick chimney due to the high combustion temperature of wood (1200-1300 o C), which is fatal for cast iron and steel;

For information, the quantity of fuel directly relates to the firebox’s temperature.

• There is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Firstly, this probability is higher for industrial stoves due to the lower combustion temperature of wood. Secondly, before starting bath procedures, it is customary to remove heat and ash from the heater. Thirdly, at the end of the firebox, the door to the steam room is opened for 10-15 minutes for ventilation (the accumulated heat reserve is enough for this), which is not done when using a metal heater;
• It takes 6-10 hours to heat the bath. Complete nonsense that requires no comment – even in severe frost, 4-5 hours are enough. This situation is possible only in one case – damp firewood. They can be used for heating for a day.

Cast iron

Based on the forums, cast iron is a perfect substitute for brick in a bathhouse. This is covered in a lot of online articles. What’s really intriguing, though, is that benefits are offered that are incompatible with one another or have nothing to do with the bathhouse. There is also a fundamental lack of understanding of physics. Two instances

• “during operation, oxygen does not burn out” (quote given verbatim). This is how to understand it: a new law of physics has been discovered or elementary ignorance of the combustion process, which is impossible without the participation of oxygen;
• To heat a steam room, one stack of firewood is enough. Indeed, in order to warm up the walls of the stove as much as possible and heat the stones, if there are 30-35 kg of them, a small amount of firewood is enough. It"s like a glass. You won"t be able to pour more water into it than it can hold. The same is with the stove – it cannot accumulate heat from the second and third bookmarks. There"s just nowhere. Let"s continue with the glass: you can only drink from it what is poured. A cast iron heater is not able to give off more heat than the stones and walls have accumulated. Hence the simple conclusion: you can steam more or less normally for about 20-30 minutes. Then the steam will be damp: the stones will give up the accumulated heat to the first buckets of water, after which they will simply “huff” (reluctantly evaporate the water). This is where it all ends for true bathhouse connoisseurs. Manufacturers are trying to solve the problem in several ways: firstly, by heating a cast iron heater during bathing procedures, which is extremely dangerous due to the risk of poisoning from combustion products (what about one stack of firewood), secondly, by lining the walls with brick, which increases the thermal capacity battery. This solution is reasonable, but not sufficient for taking bath procedures for a long time: sitting with a glass of tea between visits to the steam room will not work.

How about the benefits and drawbacks? Though not in the way some experts claim, they do exist.

• long service life. But that"s a theory. It all depends on how the stove will be handled;
• compact – really takes up little space. But this is rather a minus: you will have to heat the slightly larger cubic capacity of the steam room (do not make it a 2×2 m cage);
• quite easy to transport. But this applies only to unlined models: their weight can reach 200 kg;
• you can install it yourself;
• there is no need to fill the foundation even for heavy modifications of the model range;
• have a high fluidity of the material, which makes it possible to obtain castings with a very elegant and beautiful design: the output is a casting of a complex configuration with a surface finish of Rz = 80…20 microns and 9-12 dimensional accuracy grades;
• relative fire safety;
• ecological cleanliness.

• cool down quite quickly, as a result of which the time for taking bath procedures is limited;
• fragile: may crack if subjected to strong impacts;
• they are afraid of sudden changes in temperature: due to different voltages of the metal in neighboring areas, they can burst like glass. Therefore, it is necessary to handle cold water near the stove with extreme caution;
• do not assist natural ventilation when drying wood in a steam room;
• lined models are quite expensive;
• Regular cleaning of the chimney is required;
• an annual inspection of the chimney passage through the ceiling is required – the most dangerous place in the bathhouse. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, most fires occur in this place.

Iron

The simplest method for heating a bathhouse is with an iron stove. It is available for a low cost, and on the day of purchase, you can install it yourself. The benefits of this option are essentially the same as those of cast iron stoves, but it also has special drawbacks that are exclusive to steel.

• lightweight – no foundation required;
• budget price – accessible to all segments of the population;
• easy installation;
• it is heated with a small amount of wood (by and large, this is a big minus);
• quick heating of the steam room (40-60 minutes);
• small sizes.

• becoming red-hot, it poses a serious fire hazard to the wooden structures of the steam room, which requires proper protection of the walls near the stove;
• is not able to accumulate a lot of heat, as a result of which the bathhouse very quickly turns into a comfortable washing room (you can forget about the steam);
• is not capable of creating a steam cake – when water is applied to the stones, the rising steam traps cold air at the tail (similar to a tornado). Plus, in the process of taking bath procedures, the steel stove works like a heat pump (heating up against the walls of the heater, the air tends upward), as a result of which there is no microclimate under the ceiling space that Russian bathhouse lovers appreciate;
• having quickly heated up, it cools down even faster: you can steam in tolerable conditions for no more than 20-30 minutes, and even less with intensive water supply to the stones;
• the metal burns out quickly – the service life is from 3 to 8 years (depending on the grade of steel and the frequency of use of the bathhouse);
• with severe overheating and uneven cooling, the metal walls may begin to leak;
• requires powerful forced ventilation. With natural air exchange, mold and mildew are almost 100% likely to appear within 3-5 years.

You can choose the best stove for a bath by looking at the table below.

Table 1 lists the primary attributes of the different kinds of sauna stoves.

Material / Characteristics	Brick	Cast iron	Black steel	Steel 09G2S
Burnout temperature, °C	1300+	1200	400	500
Service life, years	50+	20+	3-8	3-6
Steam room heating speed, hour	3-5	1.5-2	1.5-2	1-1.5
Stone temperature, oC	300	250-300	200-250	160-230
Cooling time, hour	24-48	1.5-2	1	1
Estimated price, thousand. rub.	260-300	29-120	From 14	From 14

In conclusion, the ideal microclimate, gentle steam, and comfortable ambiance of a traditional Russian bath can only be replicated by a brick heater. Furthermore, it is important to remember that it has always been used to treat a variety of illnesses. It makes sense that "hot steam will heal any ailment," according to folklore.

Making the right stove selection for your bathroom is essential to a productive and comfortable bathing experience. This guide will take you through the important things to think about, like the kind of fuel, size, and material of the stove. We’ll also talk about how crucial it is to have adequate ventilation and safety features in order to have a relaxing and safe bath. You can choose a stove that meets your needs and improves your bathing experience by being aware of these factors.

Types of ovens

The fuel type and operating cycle of sauna stoves vary from one another.

Fuel types

The energy source in the bathtub may come from:

Wood for fire. utilized for sauna burners for eons. First, because there aren’t any other energy sources, and second, because they’re more readily available now, in accordance with custom. However, this does not negate their advantages over electricity and gas.

• are the only source of heat for brick stoves – the classics of the Russian bath;
• most reliable energy resource. If firewood is stored for future use, nothing will prevent you from heating the bathhouse;
• accessibility – in almost any region of Russia you can find this type of fuel, and at reasonable prices;
• have no alternative in the absence of gas and electricity. Attempting to heat with coal creates two problems at once: an unpleasant odor that is absorbed into the walls and does not disappear for a long time; high combustion temperature (over 2200 o C), which stoves, including brick ones, cannot withstand, or rather, the metal ceiling in them for stones. Recently, pellets have become increasingly used. But it"s expensive;
• there are no problems with choosing stoves – the range is impressive;
• create a unique atmosphere in the steam room with the smell of a fire, optimal temperature and humidity ratio.

• it is necessary to install a chimney, which serves as a potential fire hazard;
• heating the steam room takes quite a long time;
• the combustion process requires constant attention from the owners: control the combustion by adjusting the wood in the stove or tossing it, make sure that fallen coals do not fall on the wooden floor, etc.D.;
• Before washing, the heat and ash must be removed from the furnace and ashrian;
• Improte the bath for 10-15 minutes to remove smoke and carbon monoxide.

Electricity. The wood stove is the norm in Russian bath houses. However, things are changing, and you can see more and more electrical heat sources in the steam room. reasons for the advantages’ popularity.

• compactness – electric bag in size is smaller than gas and, especially, a solid fuel unit;
• can be installed anywhere in the steam room (at least in the center) or hang on the wall;
• Convenient in operation-in many models, maintaining temperature and humidity are automated: I set parameters and forgot about the need to regulate or give steam;
• The construction of the chimney is not required, which saves finances and eliminates the threat of fire;
• The cost of furnaces is available for the bulk of consumers (14.0-29.0 thousand. rub.);
• It’s easier to keep clean: there’s no smoke, ash or dust.

• electricity is the most expensive type of energy. For one bathhouse you will have to pay 2-4 times more than for firewood;
• it is difficult to install in an already built bathhouse – it requires laying an armored cable, which is difficult to hide;
• most steam rooms require stoves with a capacity of 9 kW or more, which require a voltage of 360 V. But three-phase current is not supplied to private houses without a special project. And this is time and money.

Steam enthusiasts claim that the death of the Russian bath’s essence due to electricity is the most potent drawback.

Fuel. Compared to alternative energy sources, gas heaters have a lot of benefits and very few drawbacks.

• rapid heating of the room, water and stones;
• the cost of gas consumed to heat the bath is the lowest compared to electricity and firewood;
• The efficiency of the stoves is the highest among competitors;
• there is automatic regulation of basic parameters;
• light weight, which eliminates the need to build a foundation;
• no constant monitoring of the steam room heating process is required – turn it on, set the characteristics and forget it before the start of the bath procedures;
• a large selection of models for various steam room sizes;
• easy maintenance – no smoke, ash or dust;
• small size – does not take up useful space.

• not all private houses, and especially dachas, are supplied with natural gas;
• installation of stoves requires compliance with a large number of rules;
• you need permits for operation with the issuance of a certificate to the owner of the bathhouse on completion of training at the gas company;
• when the burner is turned off, the temperature in the steam room drops quite quickly due to the low weight of the stones (heat is not accumulated);
• Only continuous units are on sale, as a result of which accidents (fire and gas poisoning) have been recorded due to violation of the equipment operation rules.

Just as with electric stoves, proponents of the traditional bath do not consider gas to be a heat source in any way.

Principle of operation

Owing to the heaters’ cyclical design, they heat continuously as well as occasionally.

While taking a bath, stoves are always running. A continuous partition between the firebox and the stones makes this possible. However, there are numerous drawbacks to this design:

• it is difficult to heat the stones to a high temperature;
• the metal of the partition deforms quite quickly from the heat of the firebox and the weight of the stones;
• high risk of carbon monoxide poisoning;
• it is necessary to constantly be distracted by throwing firewood;
• the firebox must be remote.

The greatest choice for a private bathroom is a cyclic unit:

• stones are heated by an open flame;
• their weight can be significant, which allows them to accumulate large amounts of energy;
• no risk of accidents.

Criterias of choice

There is no consensus among sauna enthusiasts regarding the selection of a stove for a wood-burning sauna. It makes sense. Every proprietor has distinct priorities. Some individuals prioritize the quality of steam, while others base their decision on the steam room’s heating speed. Still others try to purchase a heater at the lowest possible cost in order to meet the budget allotted for these uses.

Thus, these are the primary factors to consider when selecting a heater:

• power;
• steam quality;
• type of heater;
• price;
• durability;
• steam room heating speed;
• Type of fuel;
• presence of a water tank.

Power

Power is not a factor for a brick heater. Different amounts of energy can be produced by metal thermal units over a given length of time. Everything is dependent on how big the firebox is and how much firewood it holds (you can heat a bathhouse for days with just two logs in a large firebox). The kind of metal used for the walls is also crucial; steel can withstand 400–500 degrees Celsius, while cast iron can tolerate about 1200 degrees. As a result, a cast iron stove may have more power. Experience has shown that it is preferable to forgo installing steel heaters in a steam room with a volume of 10–12 m3 because there is insufficient power.

In summary, brick has power that is unmatched. Cast iron comes in second. The various types of steel complete the ranking.

Steam quality

Numerous factors affect the bathhouse’s microclimate. Priority one should be given to the steam’s quality. Brick presents no further issues with this criterion. Cast iron has the ability to produce nearly ideal conditions. However, firstly, only temporarily, and secondly, contingent upon a number of circumstances related to stones:

• weight 300 kg or more;
• should be heated to 280-300 o C;
• be closed on all sides.

Steel cannot keep the steam room’s temperature between 65 and 75 o C and its humidity between 75 and 90% at the same time. You’ll need to make a single decision. Thus, it is unnecessary to discuss the quality of the steam.

In conclusion, bricks are a must if you want to build a traditional Russian bathhouse at your dacha or next to your home. It can be swapped out for cast iron. But this is an ersatz, which genuine steampunk and broom enthusiasts can identify with their eyes closed. Nothing positive can be said about steel furnaces. They make the perfect environment for warm-weather washing. Even though you can wave a broom, the process won’t be enjoyable for you.

Type of heater

Manufacturers provide stoves with various stone configurations:

• closed;
• open;
• in grids.

Closed design

The flame and flue gases in closed heaters are released outdoors via a stone backfill. This enables you to simultaneously enjoy three audacious benefits:

• create in the steam room the microclimate of a traditional Russian bathhouse with a temperature of about 75 o C and humidity from 65% to 90%;
• accumulate a large amount of energy in stones;
• heat them to a temperature of 300 o C.

The first plus is possible due to the relatively fast heating of the stones. During this time, the walls of the steam room do not have time to heat up to 90-110 o C, as a result of which at the beginning of the bath procedures the temperature in the steam room will not exceed 80 o C. If the upper threshold is still exceeded, you will have to open the door to the steam room to remove excess heat. If this is not done, after applying steam, the ciliated epithelium in the bronchi, the villi of which remove mucus from the respiratory tract, will most likely be burned out. This has serious health consequences.

Diagram of a stove with a closed heater, showing the following locations: 1; corner; 2; fire brick; 3; blower; 4; firebox; 5; steam door; 6-a pathway for flames and gases, Vault = 7, grates = 8, and stones = 9.

The second one prolongs the steam room’s ideal microclimate period. For cast iron stoves, up to 30–50 minutes (depending on how heavily the stones are watered), and for brick stoves, up to 1-3 hours.

Thirdly, it makes it possible for you to obtain fine steam.

Open

Stones and flame don’t come into direct contact in an open system. Between them is metal. This design has no benefits (you can bring a different pair, but it will take some getting used to). A few drawbacks

• a large amount of heat escapes through the chimney to the street. They are trying to solve the problem with samovar-type water tanks. But their volume is not designed for a family of 4 or more people;

• the upper stones, where the water gets, rarely warm up to a temperature of 200 o C, and this means a sharp decrease in the quality of the steam;
• The steam room is mainly heated by stones. There are two drawbacks here: they cool quickly; at the beginning of the bath procedures, the air temperature remains in the region of 80-100 o C, which is good for a sauna and extremely bad for a bath (what the supply of steam in such conditions will lead to is described above).

Net

The drawbacks are more noticeable and are identical to those of an open design. Therefore, if you want to take a steam bath, it is not advisable to put it in a bathhouse. However, the sauna is the ideal setting because it uses dry steam to raise the temperature to the desired levels.

In conclusion, the atmosphere and microclimate of a traditional Russian bath can only be produced by closed stones.

Price

At the time of writing, the cost of a brick kiln ranges from 260.0 to 350 thousand rubles. A metal stove can be purchased for between 14.0 and 25.0 thousand rubles. The cost of cast iron is higher, ranging from 29.0 thousand rubles to 120.0 thousand rubles. Everything is dependent upon the wall thickness and configuration.

In conclusion, the owners’ discretion governs the cost factor. If money permits, brick. He is the one who recreates the traditional Russian bathhouse recipes. You have a selection of cast iron stoves to pick from if there is not enough money. To be honest, a metal stove is a waste of money. Only the sauna will be able to use it. However, the brief service life also gets in the way here. You must perform accurate calculations: pay 50.0 thousand rubles for "cast iron" or make three payments totaling 15.0–20.0 thousand rubles for hardware over the same operating period.

Going back to the brick oven. Ultimately, you can fold it by yourself and save roughly 250.0 thousand rubles. The financial issue then completely vanishes because bricks and stove fixtures will be less expensive than the least expensive cast iron heater.

Durability

A wise owner will always compare a product’s price to its service life. When that’s the case, cast iron prevails. Its cost is roughly three times less than that of brick, and its lifespan is only twice as long. Steel heating units trail well behind. Although they are not as expensive as brick stoves, their extremely short service life makes them the most expensive stoves.

In conclusion, the financial safety margin of a brick stove is nearly identical to that of a cast iron product. In this sense, steel is far less effective than both kinds of materials. The owner gets to make the decision.

Steam room heating speed

For a certain subset of summertime residents used to a fast-paced lifestyle, the steam room’s warming time is crucial. Here, Steel has no rivals. The longest to heat up is brick. However, it’s important to keep in mind that light steam and rapid heat are mutually exclusive ideas.

In conclusion, a steel unit is the quickest method of heating a steam room; this is a benefit for Finnish saunas but a drawback for bathhouses.

Type of fuel

It is important to consider that a wood-burning stove is associated with tradition, dependability, and the accessibility of wood as a fuel source when selecting a heater for a particular kind of fuel.

Fuel for electricity is not cheap. Gas is inexpensive to use but challenging to connect. In addition, careful follow-through with the instructions is necessary for the proper operation of gas burners.

In conclusion, it’s challenging to offer counsel to everyone. Too conflicting benefits and drawbacks for every kind of fuel. Everything is left up to the owners’ judgment. Unambiguously the editor’s choice: firewood.

Availability of water tank

A water tank must be present in the bathhouse if there isn’t a boiler or centralized hot water supply. It can heat water in various ways and in different amounts.

Ten liters per person plus ten liters per broom are the minimum requirements of sanitary standards and regulations that are used to calculate the amount of water. Depending on the hot object’s degree of heating, the cold object will require a lot more.

The following section discusses heating techniques.

Recommendations for selection

It is impossible to state with certainty whether a particular bath type is appropriate for this stove model. The decision is influenced by too many factors. As such, we shall start with broad considerations in our advice.

Material

A sauna stove comes in a variety of material options. It is imperative to consider their primary benefits and drawbacks.

Block. This material produces light, clean steam, has healing properties, and produces an unexplainably cozy atmosphere when heated. Lastly, the one and only kind of stove suitable for drying wood in a laundry and steam room.

Iron cast. Although cast iron has a long lifespan, it must be operated in accordance with all regulations. The walls must be free of internal flaws and at least 15-20 mm thick. The quality of steam is not as good as that of brick. rapidly cools down. does not aid in the steam room’s and sink’s natural drying process.

Stainless steel. With walls 4 mm thick or more, the material outperforms cast iron in terms of performance indicators. However, the cost in this instance is high—almost as much as a brick oven.

Steel in black. A less expensive alternative that doesn’t let you enjoy all the benefits of a Russian bath: they heat up fast and cool down even faster. They exhaust themselves quickly. For them, the proverb "the miser pays twice" is perfect.

09G2S Steel. More durable than black steel by two to three times. The same "cheap" otherwise.

Power selection

The power of the stove is determined by multiplying the cubic capacity of the steam room by 1 kW, which is a straightforward formula that applies to the great majority of materials used for heating stoves. Alternatively, and this is even easier, refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations, where the product parameters include the heated cubic capacity. However, there are certain subtleties that could cause the heater’s power to be either too high or too low.

Not enough. A low-power stove takes a while to heat up and cools down. Consequently, the steam room’s microclimate and steam quality will be subpar. Simply put, the owner will get a "warm bath" in place of a bathhouse. Additionally, a substantial amount of firewood will be used. The requirement to run the machine at maximum capacity should be added to this, as this shortens the metal’s already limited service life.

Excessive. A heater with such power quickly heats the room. However, the stones do not have time to gain the required amount of heat during this time. If you turn off the firebox immediately after heating the steam room, the stones will remain cold, or rather, they will warm up to 150-200 o C. There"s no point in pouring water on them. The steam will initially rise in clouds, like from a kettle, and after a while there will be no steam at all. If you heat the stones to the required temperature (300 o C), then the walls of the steam room will accumulate (accumulate) a lot of heat, as a result of which the air temperature in the room will be more than 100 o C for a long time. High humidity at this temperature can burn the airways and lungs.

As a result, while adjusting the heating power, it is important to consider the existence and kind of certain building structural elements.

1. With a window in a steam room, the furnace power increases by 1.2 kW per 1 m 2 of glazing.
2. Uninsulated walls made of brick or expanded clay blocks absorb a lot of energy. Therefore, plus 1 kW per 1 m 2 of masonry.
3. Firebox placed in the dressing room – plus 10% power.
4. Glass door – another 30% added.
5. The water is heated – the number of kilocalories to heat it to a specific temperature is calculated, after which the power of the heater is adjusted.
6. Plus 10-30% power for winter.

It is preferable to purchase a heater with a marginally higher power than one with a lower power if you are unable to accurately calculate the necessary number of kW. But after that, you have to keep an eye on the hygrometer and thermometer and dim the flame if needed.

Type and weight of stones

The quantity of stones affects the steam’s quality and how long baths take. For this reason, the weight of the stones is given particular consideration. There are numerous suggestions made here. We recommend that you follow these guidelines:

• in periodic heating ovens, at least 300 kg of stones must be placed in a closed heater. If the heat accumulator capacity is sufficient, the steam will be soft, transparent and light;
• for continuously operating furnaces, 200 kg is sufficient;
• the size of the cobblestones is approximately one or two fists of an adult man;

• any shape, but preferably round, so that flame and smoke pass freely through the bookmark.

Heater type

There’s only one piece of advice fit for true sauna connoisseurs: the stove’s stones have to be covered. Temperature and humidity cannot be balanced if one of the parameters is constantly outside of the ideal ranges.

Type of firebox

The fireboxes of steel and cast iron stoves can be constructed from a variety of metals. It is best to select from cast iron options. Since only it can tolerate high temperatures, it will endure for a very long time. At the same time, keep in mind that the quantity of firewood affects its temperature of combustion. That means that while it can reach 1200–1300 oC in a brick stove, it can only reach 350–450 oC in a metal stove that uses logs no longer than 30 cm.

Availability of water tank

You will require a water tank if the restroom lacks a hot water supply. There are various ways it can be installed:

• samovar – hung from above. The water is heated by the chimney;

• hinged – attached close to the stove and heated by its walls;

• remote – water is heated using a heat exchanger.

Rating of sauna stoves

The top wood-burning sauna stoves are rated a lot. Since various criteria are frequently used as a basis, every compiler has a unique list of manufacturers and models. When choosing the best models using a single algorithm, there is no unity. There are several causes: concealed advertising, an arbitrary interpretation of stove features, incompletely trustworthy manufacturer information, etc. As a result, our ranking of the top stoves is also arbitrary.

The best cast iron stoves

There are various designs of cast iron stoves available in the building materials market. A few of them have achieved great success. makes it possible to create a microclimate with characteristics akin to those of a traditional Russian bath (temperature of roughly 75 °C, humidity of 75–90%, delicate steam). It’s true that this kind of time frame is only suitable for 30 to 40 minutes. As the stones cool quickly, the quality of the steam rapidly decreases beyond that point.

1. "Thunder" furnace (30 (P2). Due to its unique design, the cast iron stove "Grom" 30 (P2) has every right to be ranked highest on the list. It is a closed heater that can store a significant amount of energy thanks to its 100 kg cast iron stove, stones, and special cast iron castings. With the firebox off, this enables you to get real light steam for approximately an hour.

The presence of ribs outside on the side walls and pyramidal spikes inside the firebox is another design element. By doing this, you can increase heat transfer and decrease cast iron’s thermal inertia, which causes it to heat up two times faster. As a result, the steam room heats up in two to three hours. Additional benefits consist of:

• beautiful appearance;
• the ability to regulate the combustion process;
• the presence of a lining that blocks the hard type of infrared radiation.

The high cost (the model range includes units for 150.0–200.0 thousand rubles) and the comparatively quick loss of steam quality are two drawbacks.

In summary, even though it only lasts a short while, this is one of the few cast iron stove models that genuinely makes you feel good about the steam room shelf.

2. Sensation Aqua 22 "Vesuvius" stove (DT-4). Members of the forum claim that the Sensation Aqua 22 (DT-4) Vesuvius heater, which has a 40-liter water tank, offers the best value for the money.

• availability of a tank;
• acceptable price;
• high power;
• the ability to regulate the combustion process for steam rooms with different volumes;
• stove door made of cast iron;
• simple but nice design.

• low power of the heat accumulator for vaping – 150 kg of stones (enough for simple washing);
• heating of cobblestones is possible up to a maximum of 200 o C, which negatively affects the quality of steam.

Editor’s assessment: It’s unlikely to appeal to true bathhouse enthusiasts. For a great deal of summertime residents, this is it.

3. Karhu-16 JK aka "KASTOR" Alloy cast iron makes up the "KASTOR" Karhu-16 JK heater from Finland. A part of the top sauna stove ranking. The microclimate of a wet steam room cannot be faithfully replicated by a heater in a Russian bath.

• high-quality cast iron;
• high efficiency;
• capable of maintaining a high temperature for a long time, but in a sauna. When watered, the stones cool quickly;
• beautiful appearance;
• easy maintenance and operation;
• high power.

• it is difficult to create the conditions for a Russian bath – temperature and humidity do not agree with each other. One of the indicators constantly tends to jump outside the optimal zone;
• glass door.

4. The "Hephaestus" PB-04 heater. Because of its creative design, the Hephaestus stove PB-04 warms up and heats the stones rapidly. The first guests in the steam room can enjoy nearly all the pleasures of a Russian bath thanks to a closed heater.

• heavy weight of stones;
• significant operational resource;
• high-quality case;
• attractive design.

• the presence of legs and heavy weight require a metal-reinforced base;
• discrepancy between the declared power and the heated volume of the steam room;
• high price.

Editor’s rating: It falls short of what a brick stove can provide in terms of technical and operational features. Steam enthusiasts should thus decline to buy. It’s ideal for people who simply enjoy taking steam baths. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that good steam is only available temporarily.

Table 2 lists the fundamental features and functionalities of cast iron sauna stoves.

"Thunder" 30	"Vesuvius" Sensation Aqua 22 (DT-4)	"KASTOR" Karhu-16 JK	"Hephaestus" PB-04
Heated volume, m3	thirty	14-24	16	15
Height, mm	680	676	710	570
Width, mm	489	570	435	450
Depth, mm	526	682	490	645
Heater type	closed	open	open	closed
power, kWt	no data	no data	16	8 (?)
Weight, kg	311	127	59	130
Secondary combustion	There is	No	There is	There is
Ash box	There is	There is	There is	There is
Chimney diameter, mm	130	115	104	115
Manufacturer country	Russia	Russia	Finland	Russia
Price, thousand. rub.	from 120.0	from 35.0	From 37.0	From 37.0

Metal stoves

Since steel heaters don’t offer the chance to experience every pleasure of a traditional steam room, we won’t be concentrating on them. Let’s just enumerate the models that are most widely used by people:

• “Grill’D” Violet Short – average price: RUB 54,290.;
• TMF “Tunguska” XXL 2013 Inox Vitra anthracite – average price: RUB 28,274.;
• "Teplodar" Siberian Cliff Panorama 20 LP PROFI – average price: 41,880 rub.;
• "Beryozka" Corvette – average price: 11,900 rubles.;
• TMF “Sayan” Cast – average price: RUB 30,410.;
• "Harvia" M2 – average price: RUB 17,829.;
• "Ermak" 16-PS (2012) – average price: 19,603 rubles.;
• "Konvetika" 26 – average price: 15,300 rubles.

Selecting the ideal stove for your bathroom is a crucial choice that can improve your bathing experience significantly. You can find a stove that is ideal for your needs by taking into account the size of your bath, your preferred fuel type, and the features you require. Whether you choose a contemporary electric stove or a classic wood-burning one, each has special advantages and can create a gratifying, soothing atmosphere.

It’s also critical to consider your stove’s maintenance needs and safety features. Your stove will last longer if you ensure proper installation and routine maintenance, which will also provide a safe bathing environment. To make sure you’re making a wise purchase, look for stoves with safety features like overheat protection and pick a reputable brand with positive customer feedback.

In the end, a well-chosen stove can transform your bathroom into a cozy haven that promotes relaxation. Spend some time considering your preferences, researching your options, and, if necessary, consulting experts. If you look carefully, you can find a stove that will brighten your bathroom for many years to come.

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