Basic information
The steam room, which consists mostly of wood inside with a heater to a temperature between 80 ° C and 100 ° C, less frequently, until heated to 130 ° C. Besides wood and oil stoves are now mostly electric ovens built in, because they are simple and straightforward in operation.
The seats are arranged in two or three steps at a height of 0.5 to 1.5 m, the temperature upwards significantly increases. Important in a steam room is the air circulation, it is thus continuously supplied fresh air which is heated from the furnace immediately, so that the room temperature remains constant. The original purpose of the steam room was a thorough cleansing of the body, they say in Finland: “The women are most beautiful after the steam room.” Steam room but also positively affects the autonomic nervous system and general well-being and has used a restorative effect on the immune system, so that in particular the resilience against colds. Also, the skin can be improved by steam room.
To the humidity and thus increase the apparent temperature in the steam room, water is poured on the hot stones that lie on the stove: This is called infusion. This is the löyly [spoken: löülü] generated (löyly is a Finnish word that describes the infusion in the steam room by the resulting water vapor [1]). The addition of essential oils into the infusion and the distribution of the vapor through air strikes with a towel in the German-speaking part, common, rare in Finland, however, sometimes frowned upon.
Construction
There are steam rooms for installation indoors and steam room cabins (for example, log cabin steam room) for outdoor installation. Indoor steam rooms are made of either thick boards (“solid steam room”) or a two-layer construction (interior wood, then a vapor barrier, insulation space, exterior wood).
The latter is referred to as “element steam room”. It is composed of prefabricated elements and has a much lower heat loss than a massive steam room. It is easy to install, and (for example, due to relocation) removable.
A steam room is usually heated by an electric furnace. Steam room cabins often have a fireplace as a heat source, this is its combustion air from outside.