Infrared Saunas are a popular new technology for saunas. An infrared sauna uses infrared heaters to emit infrared radiant heat, which is absorbed directly into the human body. This is unlike traditional saunas, which heat the body indirectly via air or steam. These infrared saunas have become all the rage and are easier to tolerate for those that are sensitive to heat.
The two main types of infrared saunas are bio ceramic tube infrared saunas and carbon fiber infrared saunas. There are several differences between the two types. The ceramic tube sauna has been around the longest and the carbon fiber is a new style and technology in infrared heaters.
Carbon Fiber Infrared Saunas are slightly more expensive than bio ceramic tube infrared saunas. The heat in carbon infrared saunas is evenly distributed all throughout the sauna and has a very large surface area. In contrast, ceramic versions result in heat that is concentrated closer to the heaters themselves. Quick, smooth and evenly distributed heat fills the sauna in carbon fiber saunas, where ceramic saunas quickly heat up but heat is more intense closer to the heaters.
Ceramic tube heaters are long, skinny tubes that emit infrared ray waves in all directions, thus reflectors are used to reflect the IR waves from the backside of the tubes into the sauna. The limitation is that they can create areas of concentrated heat waves where it is really hot and some areas that are cooler with less concentrated heat.
Infrared rays are thermal heat, like the sun’s rays, and heat up what they bump into. If you stand in the sun, you feel hot until you step into the shade, where it feels cooler even though the temperature did not change. Infrared waves work similarly.
The key purpose of the carbon fiber panel heaters is to create an even overall pattern of infrared waves inside the sauna. The entire panel can cover a large area of the walls, backs of benches and even floor panels and will emit an evenly distributed pattern of infrared rays. The goal is to heat the sauna user evenly to get a full body sweat going.
Carbon Fiber Infrared saunas are the most durable with flexible and less fragile than ceramic heater rods. Carbon fiber saunas are also the most efficient with the lowest cost of operation. Most of our customers that have had the opportunity to try both options prefer the carbon fiber infrared sauna option. Check out our amazing selection of carbon fiber infrared heaters for your next sauna purchase!!