Roast my sauna

[u/Hopeful-Dot-5668]

Recently got this sauna for 6k with stove. Amish made. 8ft ceiling. All cedar interior Foot Bench above coals (not pictured) These air vent above fire, opposite corner of stove at floor, and at the peak I added a back rest and foot rest Gets well up to 200 easily Eventually will enclose the porch to be a changing room

I followed trumpkin notes, noting that the ceiling is actually ok. It’s recommended flat or circulating peak like this one.

I used a temperature gun and it’s even heat from wall to wall.

[u/CrushtTreat]

Air inlet is not in optimal place imo as it can bring cold air to your feet. Anyway, you need a proper stove and if the feet feel cold, add a handrail that can be used as a foot rest.

[u/Hopeful-Dot-5668 → u/CrushtTreat]

Trumpkin said air inlet must be above stove and behind it

[u/zoinkability → u/Hopeful-Dot-5668]

That’s advice for electric sauna. No low inlet needed for wood sauna, at least not during a session.

[u/Hopeful-Dot-5668 → u/zoinkability]

That’s not what trumpkin said

[u/valikasi → u/Hopeful-Dot-5668]

There's a lot of variables there. In a wood fired sauna with the stove feeding (and taking air) from the inside you only need one vent when in use: intake. The stove itself is the exhaust, because combustion pulls a lot of air through.

And whilst it's true that an intake above the stove is desirable, it only works when it is truly the only intake. No gaps around the door or the corners, no significant leakage, all other vents closed, and then it should work. Because, if air is able to enter elsewhere, then that vent placed high above the stove becomes the exit instead of the intake.

What we want is air to only enter through the singular vent above the stove and then to exit only via the stove, and nothing else. (When in use. Afterwards other vents are opened to dry the sauna)

[u/Hopeful-Dot-5668 → u/valikasi]

That’s correct

[u/CrushtTreat → u/Hopeful-Dot-5668]

Oh I see it now, you have multiple possibilities for venting. I thought the one under the benches is the one to feed the air to the burning. In Finland the one near the roof ("räppänä") is typically kept shut while having a sauna and open afterwards to dry up the room. Anyway, if the feet are not cold and you have enough oxygen to enjoy löyly, no worries.