A lot of people like you have this question, “Do saunas use a lot of electricity?” Whether it's traditional or infrared, indoor or outdoor, if you are planning to buy a sauna for your home, questions about electricity and usage costs come up.
How Much Energy Does A Sauna Use?
The energy and consumption of a sauna depend on a lot of factors, such as the type of sauna, size, and frequency of usage. All these influence how much energy your sauna will use. For example, infrared saunas are more energy efficient than traditional saunas or steam rooms.
A portable sauna is another category preferred for its compact use and cost-effectiveness. If you are cost-conscious, portable saunas can be the best for you. For specialised medical recovery cases, steam rooms can be your ideal choice, but they also consume the highest electricity among all the saunas.
Let’s look at the consumption, efficiency, and ideal use cases for each type of sauna.
Energy Consumption For Different Types Of Saunas
|
Type Of Sauna |
Energy Consumption Per Hour |
Efficiency |
Ideal Use Case |
|
Traditional Sauna |
6 to 10 kW |
High electricity consumption due to 30 mins warm up time and longer heating. |
Ideal if you prioritise intense heat and traditional experiences in large spaces. |
|
Infrared Sauna |
1.5 to 3.5 kW |
Less energy consumption due to a quick 10-15 mins heat up. |
Great if you want to use it daily and save your energy. |
|
Portable Sauna (1 Person) |
0.5 to 3 kW |
Energy efficient due to small size and the latest heating technology. |
Ideal if you want a mix of dry and steam sauna options. Convenient and easy to use. |
|
Steam Rooms |
2 to 9 kW |
The highest energy use is due to the constant steam generation. |
Best of medical recovery like Respiratory relief, sinus clearing, and skin hydration |
Traditional Sauna vs. Infrared Sauna: Which one uses more electricity?
Traditional saunas work with an indirect heat process. That electricity is used to warm stones, which heat the air to high temperatures and create a dry environment. Adding water to the stones creates steam. Most of the traditional sauna models use 6 to 10 kilowatts per hour, depending on the size, material quality, and insulation.
On the other hand, infrared saunas offer heat in a direct way. Instead of heating the air around you, they use infrared panels that release heat waves. These ways penetrate your skin and warm your skin directly. Most of these models use 1.5 to 3.5 kW per hour, which is substantially less than traditional units.
The direct heating method of infrared saunas is what makes it more energy efficient and reduces your electricity costs, assuming the same usage by both saunas.
Also Read: Steam Room vs. Sauna: Which One Should You Choose?
Factors Affecting The Cost of Using a Sauna
Product-Related Factors
A. Sauna Size & Type
Bigger saunas will require more electricity to heat up. A 1-person sauna will take less time and energy to heat up than a 4-person sauna.
B. Insulation Quality
Poorly insulated saunas lose more heat to the environment, so using them will consume more electricity. On the other hand, a well-insulated sauna will reduce heat loss.
C. Heat Technology
Traditional saunas use more power, thus requiring higher wattage than infrared saunas, which use less energy.
D. Frequency of usage
How often and how repeatedly you use your sauna creates different power consumption patterns. Short, consistent sessions will consume less electricity than daily long sessions.
Environmental Factors
A. Indoor vs Outdoor Sauna
The indoor sauna is protected from exposure and maintains ideal room temperatures. The outdoors can expose saunas to cold climates.
B. Humidity & Ventilation
If the air around the sauna is moist, it forces the sauna to work harder to generate heat, as compared to a dry sauna. Additionally, if the airflow around the sauna is greater, the heat will escape, making the heater work harder.
Calculating Electricity Costs For Your Home Sauna?
1. Knowing your Sauna’s electricity requirements
Different saunas use different amounts of energy. For eg, an infrared sauna uses 1-3 kilowatts per hour. Let’s assume your sauna uses 3 kW per hour.
2. Calculating usage frequency
How frequently do you use your sauna, and what’s the length of each session? For calculation, let’s assume you use the sauna for 20 hours a month.
3. Find out the monthly kilowatt-hour usage
According to the above example, your sauna will take a total of 20 hours X 3 kW per hour, that is, 60 kilowatt hours.
4. Find your local electricity rate
In the UK, electricity rates vary, but the average usage rate costs 27.69p per kWh. We use this for our calculations.
5. Calculate your Sauna electricity usage cost
We multiply the monthly usage by the electricity rates. For example, here the monthly sauna electricity cost will be 27.68 p per kWh X 60 kWhrs, which is £16.61 in a month.
Ways to Reduce Sauna Electricity Costs
A) Choose the right Sauna for your needs
Sauna electricity costs vary a lot based on the type and size of your sauna. A larger sauna will be more costly than a 1- or 2-seat sauna. Choosing based on your needs can save you a lot of electricity costs.
B) Prioritise Insultation
Well-insulated saunas prevent much heat from escaping, thus using less electricity to maintain the sauna's heat, leading to lower power usage and costs. Make sure to choose a sauna with well-insulated doors and walls.
C) Optimising session duration and frequency
Long and frequent sessions automatically increase electricity use. So make sure to minimise your heating times by taking shorter sessions or even using a timer.
D) Maintenance and cleaning
A clean and well-functioning sauna works more efficiently, leading to more savings. Make sure your sauna runs smoothly without any dirt or leakages.
E) Off-Peak Electricity Hours Usage
Off-peak electricity hours, like late evenings or early mornings, often have discount electricity rates. You can plan your sauna sessions in these slots and save on your running costs.
Do Sauna use a lot of electricity? In a Nutshell
Now you know how much electricity a sauna uses. Make sure to keep tracking your local electricity rates and prevent major one-time expenses by maintaining your sauna regularly.
At Polar Recovery, we specialise in giving full-body recovery at home with our luxury saunas. If you are looking for a high-quality home sauna that doesn’t just look beautiful but heats up quickly and efficiently, then our infrared saunas can give you relaxation and rejuvenation without costing much to run.
Frequently Asked Questions On Sauna Usage
What is the 200 rule sauna?
The 200 rule is a way to find the ideal balance in the sauna, which feels comfortable and not painful or suffocating. The temperature (in Fahrenheit) plus humidity should be equal to 200 points. For example, if the temperature is 180 ° F, then the humidity should be 20%, making a total of 200.
How much does it cost to run a sauna for 1 hour?
In the UK, running a sauna for 1 hour would cost between £0.35 and £2.25, depending on the type of sauna you use. A traditional sauna uses 6-10 kW and costs £1.50–£2.25 per hour, while an infrared sauna consumes 1.5 to 3.5 kW per hour and costs £0.35–£0.65 per hour.
Are saunas expensive to maintain?
Generally, saunas are not expensive to maintain. Basic maintenance costs range from £10 to £40 per month.