A stove is an integral component of any bath, without it, no steam room or sauna can exist. It is she who provides the necessary temperature and comfort of bath procedures. When building a steam room, many people have a number of questions. Most often, people are interested in how to install a stove in the bathhouse with their own hands. Learn how to do this from this article.
Types of furnaces
According to the type of material used, the furnace is divided into several types:
- electric;
- liquid fuel;
- solid fuel.
The latter suggest a firebox with coal, briquettes or firewood. Liquid fuels operate on kerosene. Such furnaces are not very popular due to fire hazard properties. If you violate the rules of operation of the explosion can not be avoided. Gas stoves are not used as often for the same reasons. Electrical designs are suitable for those who go to the bath infrequently. This is an economical alternative that does not require special care or complicated installation.
There are other classifications. According to the heating method, cold and hot stoves are isolated in the bathhouse. Photos of finished projects can be viewed in specialized stores, on the websites of manufacturing companies or at intermediary companies that sell.
Depending on the operating mode of the furnace, they are divided into several groups: temporary or long-acting models and combined ones. Finnish bath stoves (with a temporary effect) can be easily installed on your own. Such a stove is heated with wood, it is the most economical and safe. For the long action of the second type of furnaces, gas, firewood or electricity are already used. The main difference between such furnaces and the rest is the ability to control the heating temperature. Combined models are most often made of brick. They are the heaviest in weight and therefore require a solid foundation.
Pros and cons of iron stoves for a bath
Since installing the oven in the bathhouse itself is quite difficult, before starting the installation work, you should know the main distinguishing features of different types of furnaces.
As for iron furnaces, they differ from the rest in small sizes. This is ideal for small spaces. Iron stoves in the bath can be easily installed by yourself without the involvement of specialists. For her, there is no need to build a special foundation. The average weight of the structure is 300 kg, so it can be placed directly on the floor. Moreover, such a furnace warms up very quickly. In just 40 minutes, the bath is ready to use. This option is very popular among Russians also because in order for the steam to become hot, you do not need a lot of firewood.
But they also have disadvantages. Metal stoves for a bath cool very quickly and give off heat unevenly. It happens that those who go to the steam room last do not get hot steam. Many have found a way out and clad the stove with decorative stone or brick, so the cooling process takes longer.
When choosing iron furnaces, pay attention to the power of the unit. The average is 1 kW / m3. However, if the room is not adequately sealed, then such power will not be enough.
Advantages and disadvantages of brick kilns
This type of stove is the most common for Russian people. Only a professional can install such a furnace by himself. First you need to lay out a solid foundation that can withstand weight up to 1.5 tons. The main disadvantage of such a furnace is a long heating process. It takes 3-4 hours for the stones to heat up. In this case, the bath will remain cold. You can get high temperature in the steam room if you close the valve. As soon as the fire goes out, the bath will become warm. But this can be considered a plus, as the steam room cools for a very long time - during the day.
Lovers to steam note that in such a bath you can relax for real. The steam is soft and velvety, and the air warms up completely and evenly. However, saving on fuel will not work, since in order to melt such a stove, you will need more than one pile of firewood, and you cannot replace them with briquettes or coal.
General rules for installation work
There are basic rules for installing stoves:
- If we are talking about brick structures, then a fundamental solid foundation is necessary.
- Near the firebox door, lay out metal sheets that will protect the wooden floors in the bathhouse from ignition.
- Under the metal base, thermal insulation is laid, which has non-combustible properties.
- The hole of the pipes that go to the ceiling is specially equipped with a metal sheet in the shape of a cylinder.
- The gaps between the insulation and the pipe are filled with asbestos, this substance prevents fire.
- Metal or Finnish bath stoves are best installed in a separate room.
What tools will be needed?
For those who don’t know how to install a stove in a bathhouse and what tools to use, we’ll tell you. You will find it useful:
- pipe 50 cm in diameter;
- steel sheets, thickness 8 mm;
- metal rod;
- capacity for water;
- chimney;
- valve for hot water;
- firebox, grate, blowing;
- welding machine;
- Bulgarian.
Installation of a metal furnace
Metal stoves for a bath require a certain place. It is best to install this type of structure between the steam room and the changing room. If the wall is made of combustible materials, the place behind the stove is lined with asbestos cardboard. A metal sheet is laid on top, which will protect the surface from fire. According to safety rules, to a wall that is not sheathed with special materials is 32 cm, otherwise you can install a furnace 26 cm from the partition.
The next step is to determine the location for the ventilation passage. It is made below floor level and led directly to the stove. If it has legs that lift it from the floor, then ventilation can be installed under the base. The channel must be of a certain size - with a cross section of at least 100 square meters. see. The holes are closed by dampers and grilles.
For the metal furnace to work properly, a chimney must be installed at least 5 meters in length. It is advisable to do it without bends. It is also worthwhile to install protective screens in all joints before exiting to the roof. On the roof, which is made of combustible materials, a metal mesh should be attached, which will play the role of spark arrester.
Installation of a stone furnace
Before installing the stove in the bathhouse, a foundation of at least 5 cm thickness should be prepared. The steam room walls also need to be sheathed with refractory materials. Be sure to follow all measures for operation and fire safety. The distance from the furnace door to the opposite side should be at least 1.25 m. The heater must be assembled “dry”. All panels are attached in a certain way and have cuts. The heater door and chimney are installed last. They are also fixed without glue and solutions.
Installation of an electric furnace
This type of furnace has recently become very popular. This design is the most economical and easy to install. To make an electric oven in the bath yourself, you need to calculate the size of the heater. It depends on the area of the room and the required capacity. According to the results of these calculations, we get the right number of heating elements. They need to be fixed and connected by jumpers. To install the furnace, you need a steel sheet, which is fastened with welding and bolts.
It is better to choose an adjustable electric bath stove. The price of models on the control panel is slightly higher than the rest. However, it is due to it that the temperature of the heat of the stove is regulated.
Conclusions and recommendations
1. If you decide to buy ready-made stoves for a bath, you can see the photo in different sources. Do not overpay for the brand. The average cost of a sauna stove is 6-12000 rubles, it all depends on the material and type of construction.
2. Modern bath stoves can be installed not only on the foundation. Experienced builders advise using cement tile, steel sheet, tile or brick as a base.
3. When making a sauna stove yourself, adhere to safety rules. If everything is done according to the instructions, the risk of fire or carbon monoxide poisoning is reduced to zero.
4. Note to builders: the productivity and speed of heating depends on the shape of the furnace. In stores you can find cylindrical, horizontal and figured designs. The best option is a rectangular view.
5. Choose a stove based on the size of the bath. For a small room, an electric model is suitable, it is better to heat a large steam room with a stone or metal stove.
Buy a ready-made bath unit or make it yourself - you decide. Follow the instructions, and then the procedures in the steam room will bring you only pleasure.