One of the first things we get asked from folks who have never owned a sauna is almost always, “do I need a drain in my sauna?”.
The short answer is, no. You do not need a drain in your sauna, our modular sauna kits do not feature a drain, but rather a drip pan to collect water that falls through the rocks.
Even a permanently installed custom built sauna does not necessarily need a drain, though it is recommended. There are certain situations where a drain in your sauna is required, such as building a sauna with a shower in it.
Why Do You Need A Drain In A Sauna?
The traditional Finnish sauna experience is not complete without pouring water over the rocks of the sauna heater. For many hard core sauna enthusiasts, the concept of a traditional sauna without a drain is inconceivable, but tens of thousands of saunas exist without a drain in them.
If your sauna is being built in an area that has a drain, you’re in the clear. Simply plan your build around that drain, ensure the floor inside the sauna (or at least from the heater to the drain) is sloped correctly and get to work!
A drain in the sauna is the easiest way to ensure that the tongue and groove wood on the walls of your sauna, or the room itself, doesn’t develop mold or rotting over it’s lifespan. If you can build your sauna around a drain, it’s the most ideal scenario.
If you cannot build your sauna with a drain in it, a drip pan, or even wiping excess water from the floor after use will suffice. The main reason saunas have drains is to completely eliminate either of these “inconveniences”. Which, are completely subjective depending on the person.
Advantages of Drains in Saunas
- Easy clean up
- Almost zero maintenance required
- Allows for maximum water use in the sauna
Disadvantages of putting a drain in your sauna
- Costly, especially if it doesn’t exist in the sauna location
- You’ll have to clean it out from time to time
- Ensure water stays in the drain trap to prevent sewer smells
Even A Traditional Sauna Doesn’t Require A Drain
If you place a drip pan under the sauna heater, you will not need a drain on the floor of your sauna. Many saunas do not have a drain, and this is the preferred method of collecting extra water. In fact, the majority of outdoor saunas do not have a drain. It’s worth mentioning that many outdoor saunas also feature a wood fired stove. Wood sauna stoves get much hotter than an electric heater, completely eliminating most dripping water.
Either way, do not let the lack of a drain stop you from building your dream sauna!
We can help, whether it’s traditional or infrared. We build custom saunas indoors and out, both traditional and custom infrared. Give us a call at (612)505-9700 for a quick consultation, we’d love to partner with you to build your own personal sauna experience.
Quality sauna flooring is more important than a drain
Our panel built saunas come with a floor, specifically for use on carpet or areas with no drain. The floor is far more important than a drain, for most people. Of course, you cannot place carpet on the floor of your sauna, that’s asking for mold.
Instead, your sauna floor should be built of some waterproof material, tile, or concrete. Many outdoor saunas feature a wood floor with a tile component designed to trap any excess water for easy clean up.
How to decide if you need a drain for your sauna
One of the most common reasons you should consider putting a drain in your sauna is if you’re building an elevated floor, like the one pictured here.
If you plan on tossing a lot of water on your sauna heater and your sauna has an elevated floor, you will need to be able to access the drip pan in order for the sauna to dry properly.
If your sauna is large in size, you may not need a drain.
A simple way to check if your sauna will need a drain is to pour a bucket of water (1-2 gallons) on the floor of the sauna and watch where it goes.
Depending on the number of users, this is likely the maximum amount of water that would ever drip through your sauna heater on a single session. And, this is conservative because if the stove is heated properly before use, there should be minimal water that ever leaks through the stove.
If the water you’ve poured on the floor doesn’t pool up and cover the entire sauna floor, you likely do not need a drain.
A drain can be one of the most expensive parts of your sauna, even if you’re building it fully custom.
Do not let the lack of a drain prevent you from building a sauna!
Does my sauna need a drain for sweat?
There is always the question of whether or not sweat will pool on the floor and eventually, it will, but it’s far less than the amount of water that can be left from the sauna stove. If your sauna is being built solely for yourself, plan on dumping this water pan under the stove every 1 to 2 uses. Of course this is totally dependent on the amount of water you pour over the rocks of your heater.
One way to reduce the amount of water that will flow through the rocks of your sauna heater is to give it the maximum amount of time to warm prior to use. Water poured over the rocks should instantly evaporate, turning to steam and not simply falling through the rocks to the floor.
For the majority of folks, a drain in the sauna is not a requirement. Sure, it can lead to more maintenance, but given the alternative of not having a sauna, it’s often worth it regardless. The proven health benefits of sauna far out-weigh choosing not to build one simply because no drain exists.