Why Is My Home Sauna Not Heating Up?
A home sauna is a luxury that anyone can appreciate, but not everyone gets to enjoy. Naturally, it’s easy to get frustrated when it doesn’t work as intended, especially if you don’t know why. So, why is my home sauna not heating up?
Your home sauna won’t heat up if the thermostat is defective or a fuse is blown. You may also experience heating issues if you pack the stones too tightly, as doing so can restrict the airflow. Otherwise, it may be a problem with the wiring, circuit breaker, control panel, or vents.
Clean your sauna vents monthly and remove debris to ensure proper airflow, or else your sauna won’t heat up. Sometimes, it takes up to 90 minutes for a home sauna to heat up, so be patient. Follow along as we explore why your home sauna won’t heat up.
Why Won’t My Sauna Heat Up?
1. Thermostat Malfunction
Much like an air conditioner or furnace, your home sauna may not heat if the thermostat malfunctions. You can tell the thermostat is faulty if you check a few key things. First, try to lower or raise the heat and see if it does anything.
Next, use a thermometer to see if the sauna temperature is the same as what the thermostat says. If not, then it’s either a power source problem or a thermostat malfunction. Your sauna may also run constantly if the thermostat malfunctions.
Replace your sauna thermostat if any of these problems occur, and your sauna should work. You can expect to spend between $100 and $200 to replace your sauna’s thermostat if you hire professional help. Otherwise, you can buy the part for as little as $40 and replace it without professional help to save money. The cost depends on the type and model of the sauna you have.
2. Restricted Airflow
It’s easy to go overboard when you put stones on your sauna’s heater. However, over-packing the heater can explain why your sauna won’t heat up. That’s especially true if you can verify that the power source and thermostat are in good shape.
Your sauna may not be broken, but the lack of airflow can make it defective. Without proper airflow, warm air cannot flow into the sauna, and it will be useless. Over-packing stones can stop your sauna from heating up or even make it overheat.
Never exceed the recommended amount of stones for your sauna heater, or you may damage it. Pack the stones loosely and think twice before jamming them in place. If you must jam them, then you’ve probably exceeded the recommended amount.
3. Blown Fuse
There’s a good chance that your sauna blew a fuse if it won’t heat up. That’s not the end of the world, as you can easily replace a sauna fuse without spending a fortune. A sauna fuse typically blows because of electrical surges, either due to power problems or sudden outages.
First, check to see if the problem is due to a blown fuse before you buy a replacement. Shut off your sauna’s power, so you can safely inspect the fuse without the risk of getting shocked. Next, you must access the fuse and closely inspect it to see if it looks unusual.
Blown fuses typically appear darkened and cloudy with a damaged metal filament. Luckily, you can replace a sauna fuse for as little as $6 if you forego professional help. However, you can expect to spend between $50 and $200 to replace a sauna fuse if you hire a professional.
4. Clogged Vents
The vents in your sauna are just as important as the heater or anything other key component. They help control the airflow and heat regulation in your sauna to ensure a comfortable experience. Like anything, you must regularly clean your sauna’s vents to ensure they work properly.
The vents can get clogged with debris if you don’t clean them at least once per month. Your sauna won’t heat up properly if the vents are clogged, and this can cause mold and mildew to form. Check your sauna vents weekly and keep track of how quickly they get clogged.
Wood-burning saunas are more prone to getting clogged quickly. In that case, clean your sauna vents bi-weekly or as needed to avoid problems. You can remove stubborn debris with a vacuum or canned air, but a wet rag will usually do the trick for basic debris.
5. Power Problems
Saunas are prone to many power problems, which can explain why your sauna won’t heat up. For example, you can experience problems with the wiring, fuses, voltage, and amperage incompatibility. You must pair the right amperage and voltage with your sauna, or else it won’t work.
This is why it’s a great idea to hire a professional to install your sauna if you have limited electrical knowledge. After all, electrical problems can be dangerous, and your sauna won’t work if it has too little or too much power. Hire an electrician to inspect your sauna’s wiring.
Unfortunately, it’s expensive to fix wiring problems, especially if you must rewire it entirely. You can expect to spend between $700 and $3,000 to rewire your home sauna. However, simple fixes may cost under $200, depending on the circumstances and the electrician’s rate.
6. Faulty Control Panel
Is your sauna’s control panel unresponsive? If so, your sauna won’t likely heat up until you fix or replace your control panel, which is relatively easy. You can tell the control panel is the problem if you verify that the wiring, fuses, and thermostat are fine.
That’s especially true if your sauna won’t react to control panel inputs, or if it constantly cycles on and off to little effect. It costs an average of $950 to replace a sauna control panel, but it varies. For example, you can replace some control panels for as little as $200 if they’re simple and you don’t hire someone to do the job.
However, some saunas require advanced control panels with smart features, such as smartphone connectivity. In that case, the panel itself may cost as much as $1,500 or more. Luckily, basic control panels typically cost $200 to $500.
7. You Haven’t Waited Long Enough
Each sauna is different, and some of them heat up faster than others, which can confuse people. Your sauna may be functioning perfectly if it doesn’t heat up as fast as you want it to. Keep in mind that some saunas take between 30 and 90 minutes to heat up.
Many factors affect how long it takes for a sauna to heat up, such as room size. Naturally, heating a large sauna takes longer than a small sauna. Poorly insulated saunas may also struggle to maintain heat as the saunas slowly heat up.
A well-insulated sauna can retain heat and even heat up faster in some cases. Infrared saunas heat up the fastest, whereas wood-burning saunas often take much longer to heat up. Read the manual to see how long it should take your sauna to heat up and try to be patient, as it may not be defective.
Summing It Up
A home sauna cannot heat up if the control panel or thermostat is broken. Check the fuses to make sure they aren’t blown from a ]power surge and replace them as needed. Clogged vents, tight stones, and wiring issues can also explain why your home sauna isn’t heating up.
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Nick Durante is a professional writer with a primary focus on home improvement. When he is not writing about home improvement or taking on projects around the house, he likes to read and create art. He is always looking towards the newest trends in home improvement.
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