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In the article “What is a Finnish sauna like”, I explain the basic features of a safe sauna. When I have been living abroad, I have come across many different saunas. Many of them are not build according to Finnish standards.

What is a Finnish sauna like

First of all, a Finnish sauna is built correctly and safely. The sauna’s ceilings and stepstool are sturdy. The nails should not stick out and should not be visible.

The heater is correctly installed by an electrician. The heater is always installed with a proper power cord.

The heater must not be too close to the wall or boards. There must be a non-combustible underlay under the wood-burning stove.

Nothing flammable should be placed near the heater.

The electric heater or the resistors of the electric heater may catch fire if they break. It is therefore important to check the stones and resistors of the stove once a year.

The stones of the heater must be reloaded with air and checked for any bulges, for example at the back of the heater.

There is one unfortunate case of this from last autumn. The stove had not been checked and maintained. And the sauna was on at night when a fire broke out and five people died. There was a bulge behind the stove which, when it hit the wall, set the sauna on fire.

For example, it is the responsibility of the tenant to check the stove at regular intervals. It is not the owner’s responsibility.

For a wood-burning stove, it is important to follow the repair instructions and advice of the chimney sweep. These must be repaired immediately.

The heater must not be left unattended while the sauna is being heated.

Similarly, when heating an electric sauna, make sure that there is nothing on the stove that can catch fire.

Wie geht man energieeffizient in die Sauna

Is it allowed to have a socket in the sauna?

There must be no sockets or other switches inside the sauna. The sauna heater may have fixed operating switches such as a thermostat and a timer. The sauna light switch must be outside the sauna.

The sauna is not a storage room

This is an important rule to remember, the sauna is not a storage room or a place to dry your laundry. There must be nothing extra in the sauna that could catch fire. For example, do not hang or dry anything on the clothesline or on the stove.

Nowadays, there are saunas that can be lit remotely, so that the clothes are not forgotten in the sauna and the risk of fire is increased.

Always remember to check that there is nothing in the sauna or on the stove that could catch fire.

Ventilation

Ventilation in the sauna should be adequate and continuous. There must be oxygen in the sauna when you are taking a sauna. Ventilation of the sauna should be easy and effective after a sauna. The air should also be changed between sauna sessions. Otherwise you will be confronted with a stale smell.

Can the sauna heater explode?

The heater itself cannot explode, but the resistors can. However, in one case it was due to ceramic stones that were not compatible with the stoves of the company in question.

Fortunately, no one was in the sauna when the explosion occurred. The stones were thrown all over the sauna.

However, this is an exceptional case so no worries about taking a sauna as long as the stove and stones are the right ones. Be sure to check with the heater manufacturer’s instruction manual.

Read more: How to light a wood burning sauna

Safe sauna bathing

Don’t overdo it and heat the sauna too hot or throw the sauna so often that you get burns. Or stay in the sauna too long. Remember to listen to your body, don’t watch what others are doing and leave if you feel uncomfortable.

People with cardiovascular disease should take it easy when starting a sauna and talk to their doctor first. Remember to listen to your body.

Throw the steam so that the hot water vapour does not attack your hands or face. Remember to create the steam in a calm way.

What do you think about this article on What is a Finnish sauna like?

And if I missed something important, please send me a message or comment.

With love,

Sauna-Kati

In this article we take a look at American sauna culture. But remember that the USA is a big country and each state may have its own way of taking a sauna. For this article I have interviewed many expatriate Finns who live in the USA.

Do men and women have saunas mixed together?

Do people sauna naked?

Are children allowed to take a sauna?

The answers to these and many other questions can be found in this article.

Sauna culture in the USA

The sauna culture in the USA is probably thanks to us Finnish innovators. Without us and people from other countries, there would hardly be a sauna culture in America.

The Finnish pioneers were the first to build a smoke sauna and the Finns had their own Finnish villages where Finns lived together and took saunas.

It is believed that the oldest standing smoke sauna in the USA is in Minnesota. It was built in 1868. The sauna is located at Temperance Corner, three miles north of Cokato on County Road 3. Cokato is now known as Sauna City.

In 1885, a Finnish family was sued by the township because they had been chilling outside naked and the sauna was passed by a road. The municipality had decided to demolish the sauna but fortunately the ingenious Finnish family counter-sued. The Finnish family won and the municipality paid for the renovations. A dressing room was built in their smoke sauna to preserve the neighborhood.

There are similar stories all over North America, with many Finnish settlements across the country.

Immigrants have had it tough these days as well as back then. Immigrants did hard labor, took up farming or worked in mines.

I believe that the sauna has helped Finnish immigrants in the midst of all the stress and chaos. It’s great that Finns believed in their own thing so strongly that they didn’t forget it even when they changed continents.

But the Finns were not the only ones who brought their own sauna culture to the country. Koreans, for example, also brought their own sauna culture to America.

American Sauna Culture

Many people say there isn’t but now that I’ve done some research, there is a little bit. I could also say that there is a big sauna boom in the US at the moment and many people who can afford it are investing in their own sauna.

Who is taking a sauna

There is probably no exact definition of this. I would say expatriates, descendants of immigrants, and self-sufficient people regardless of gender.

Saunas in the USA

Saunas can be found in hotels and gyms, but few people have their own saunas.

Unfortunately, saunas are rather flimsy and you are often not even allowed to throw a sauna. People may take a sauna in a swimsuit, with a towel around them, or in gym clothes or even with sneakers on.

They may even have headphones with them in the sauna.

They might even take a sauna before they exercise because they’ve heard somewhere that it’s good for them. However, it is better to take a sauna after a sporting activity to recover.

Sauna boom

In the USA, as elsewhere, there is a big sauna boom going on. Saunas and public saunas are being enthusiastically built.

When celebrities were building their own saunas during the corona pandemic, they posted pictures of their saunas on social media. It created a real sauna boom among ordinary people.

Now the Finnish sauna and sauna bathing are really media-friendly.

Nudity in the USA

Nudity is not okay in America and therefore saunas are often attended in a bathing suit, clothes or towel.

Actress and model Anna Easteden said in an interview that Americans are very shameless. They get uncomfortable if, for example, she’s wearing nothing but a sports top when she’s working out. She only realizes it when Americans look away and not, for example, in the eyes. Then Anna remembers that damn, I have to put a shirt on.

Read more: Nudity in different cultures

Can the children take a sauna?

Children rarely have access to the sauna, unless it is an expatriate Finnish family or similar.

Do men and women take mixed saunas?

Usually not, both have their own saunas, e.g. in gyms or depending on the location.

See the story of an expatriate Finnish tuba player about the sauna culture in the US.

This article on sauna culture in the USA brings together whether or not there is a sauna culture in the US. What are your experiences? Feel free to post a comment below.

With love,

Sauna-Kati