Should I Put a Window in My Sauna?

Basic Sauna Design

• A sauna is a small room, typically with walls and doors made of cedar wood, with a heat source to produce an environment of high heat and low humidity. Saunas generally reach temperatures of approximately 250 degrees Fahrenheit while keeping the relative humidity close to zero. The high heat will cause you to sweat profusely, cleansing the body of impurities.

Recommended Supervision

• If you’re a novice in the use of saunas or have a health condition that may cause an adverse reaction to the heat, such as high blood pressure, it is highly recommended that you have someone nearby to monitor your sauna use. In a closed sauna, without the benefit of a window, it is difficult to determine if the occupants are all right; a window allows the monitor to tell if you’re distressed with just a glance.

Basics Sauna Safety

• Before beginning a routine that includes a sauna, you should consult your physician, particularly if you’re on medication or existing health problems. Your physician will be able to advise you on the possible reactions that sauna use can cause. If you begin to get lightheaded or otherwise distressed, you should leave the sauna immediately; women who are pregnant and children under 5 should not partake in saunas. After taking a sauna, it is recommended that you cool down your body with a cool shower.

Sauna Windows

• Windows built specifically for saunas -- with wooden frames made of cedar -- are commercially available. If you want a larger window for your sauna, you have the option of using wooden window grates; these grates will let you place several window panes together to create a larger window surface. Window panes for saunas are usually available as clear or tinted glass.