Skip to content
Menu

Wood-burning vs electric sauna heater

A wood-burning heater needs a chimney, a protective base and a check of local rules; an electric heater needs a permanent connection by a licensed electrician. Heat-up times depend on the room, and makers say so.

What a wood-burning heater needs

Harvia says a wood-burning heater needs a chimney, installed to local building codes that can set its height, materials and clearances. Harvia advises checking local rules first, because some areas restrict wood-burning heaters or require permits or inspections.

Harvia says the position of a wood-burning heater in the room is set by where the chimney goes. Harvia says most wood-burning heaters need a separate protective base underneath because the heater also gets hot from the bottom.

Harvia recommends inspecting and cleaning a wood heater's chimney at least once a year to prevent creosote buildup.

What an electric heater needs

Harvia's KIP electric heater manual says the heater must be permanently wired, with no plug, by a licensed electrician following local codes. HUUM's DROP manual says only a certified electrician may connect the heater to the power supply. (Harvia (manual distributed by Almost Heaven Group / Baltic Leisure))

Our guide to electrical supply and permits collects what the makers and the North American Sauna Society say about circuits.

Heat-up time

Harvia does not publish heat-up times for its wood-burning heaters, because insulation, ventilation, chimney draft and firewood all change them.

HUUM says a properly insulated room with a correctly sized DROP heater takes around one hour to reach temperature. Finnleo says a traditional sauna generally takes 30 to 60 minutes to fully heat, depending on heater, room size and outside temperature.

Output

Harvia says even its smallest wood-heated stoves match a 13 kW electric heater in heating power.

Examples on Saunakivi

Narvi Stony 20

Narvi · wood-burning · rated for 8–20 m³ (about 283–706 ft³, our conversion)

HUUM HIVE Wood 13

HUUM · wood-burning · 13 kW · rated for 6–13 m³ (about 212–459 ft³, our conversion)

Questions

Does a wood-burning sauna stove need a chimney?

Harvia says a wood-burning heater needs a chimney, installed to local building codes that can set its height, materials and clearances.

Source: Choosing the right wood-burning heater

Can I install an electric sauna heater myself?

Harvia's KIP electric heater manual says the heater must be permanently wired, with no plug, by a licensed electrician following local codes. HUUM's DROP manual says only a certified electrician may connect the heater to the power supply.

Sources: Harvia KIP sauna heater Owner’s/Operator’s Manual (installation, wiring, operation); H1001L08_v8_DROP_2.0_User_Manual_US_PRINT.pdf

How long does a sauna take to heat up?

HUUM says a properly insulated room with a correctly sized DROP heater takes around one hour to reach temperature. Finnleo says a traditional sauna generally takes 30 to 60 minutes to fully heat, depending on heater, room size and outside temperature.

Sources: H1001L08_v8_DROP_2.0_User_Manual_US_PRINT.pdf; Frequently Asked Sauna Questions, Answered by Finnleo

Read next

Sources

  1. Choosing the right wood-burning heater — Harvia
  2. Choosing a wood burning heater — Harvia
  3. Harvia KIP sauna heater Owner’s/Operator’s Manual (installation, wiring, operation) — Harvia (manual distributed by Almost Heaven Group / Baltic Leisure)
  4. H1001L08_v8_DROP_2.0_User_Manual_US_PRINT.pdf — HUUM
  5. Frequently Asked Sauna Questions, Answered by Finnleo — Finnleo
  6. Installing a wood-heated stove and an electric heater in the same sauna — Harvia