This information you are about to read is designed to allow you to get all of the vital information needed to be able to make the right choice regarding the benefits and purchasing of Far infrared saunas. After reading this, you will be able to decide on which sauna is perfect for you, and know everything you need to know to make a well informed buying decision.

Comparing Far Infrared Saunas to Traditional Saunas

Less than a decade ago, the radiant heat sauna was invented and changed the face of the sauna industry dramatically in the United States. Until recently, these saunas were heated through the use of ceramic heaters, and gave tremendous health benefits to their users as a form of infrared therapy. There is no doubt how well far infrared saunas work to alleviate a myriad of health problems, but now, with the advent of high quality carbon panels to put off heat, the benefits have increased greatly.

Since the awesome technology of the new infrared saunas have become more mainstream, old methods like steam and hot rocks are hardly used anymore. This is due to the fact that the new technology provides so much more for its users. The old ways could get so hot that damage to the eyes and skin could occur since they utilized convection heat.

Lots of people were turned off by traditional saunas because they were left feeling claustrophobic, dizzy, and found that it could be difficult to breathe due to the high levels of humidity. This form of heating is the opposite of far infrared heating, since it heats the body from the outside in, and cannot penetrate the way new far infrared saunas can. Far Infrared saunas heat from the inside out, so they are able to get down deep into the body and make for a much superior experience. Traditional saunas cannot get deep enough into the body to allow many toxins to be pushed out through sweat the way far infrared saunas can. Far infrared saunas allow for a much more beneficial experience, since much more detoxification is going on with each session. Hot rock and steam saunas will only expel around 2 to 4% of toxins like heavy metals and acids when you sweat.

Radiant Heat that is used in far infrared saunas is vastly different. Radiant heat means that instead of heating the air around an object, the object itself is heated. These far infrared light waves are designed to work perfectly with the human body and are trained at the inside of the sauna. This wave of light is able to get down deep into the body, between 2-3 inches, unlike traditional saunas. This light energy that is emitted is turned into heat, allowing the human body to get rid of toxins and water at the cellular and molecular level. The toxins are made smaller, so they are more easily expelled from the body through your sweat, usually around 20%.  Each session will help to rid your body of pollutants and toxins at a much higher level than traditional saunas could ever do. The well documented and proven use of far infrared saunas for detoxification, makes owning one a true blessing for you and your family.

The use of far infrared saunas therapy has been proven to work for greater than 100 various health conditions for thirty years. The temperature inside these saunas is around 30 degrees cooler than steam saunas, and Far Infrared saunas allow for deep penetration and work even more effectively since the body is being heated from the inside out and the heat is not being wasted on warming the air. Far Infrared saunas allow you to sweat two to three times as much as outdated saunas, meaning more toxins are expelled from the body with each session, making you feel great.

Far Infrared saunas are better for your body, safer, and provide a totally relaxing and comfortable atmosphere that allows you to breathe easier, rid yourself of toxins, and feel healthier than you ever have. Compared to traditional saunas, far infrared saunas give you ten times more health benefits.

Comparing Carbon and Ceramic Heaters

When you are in the market for a far infrared sauna, it is vital to know as much about the different kinds of heaters available to be able to make the best choice for you. Since there are many various types of far infrared heaters, it makes sense to compare them to one another for a greater understanding of each of their capabilities and features. Here are some of the main types of far infrared heaters available today:

• Steel Rod or Incoloy® Heaters: Since these heater types produce a heat spectrum that is extremely broad, they are not used much because they are not as effective as other types of far infrared heaters. A lot of the heat produced by these heaters is wasted within the sauna room, so they are not able to penetrate deep into the skin like with some other saunas. Due to these reasons, these heaters aren’t nearly as effective as other heaters.
• Ceramic Rods/Ceramic Tubes filled with Ceramic Blocks or Sand: Since the temperatures of ceramic heat emitters is very hot- around 100 degrees, they can actually burn a person if they lean back on the seat in saunas that employ this form of far infrared heat. Lots of manufacturers have developed screens comprised of metal to address this issue, but if touched accidentally, they can still scorch the skin. They aren’t as efficient as other types of heaters, and they have face plates that can further limit the effectiveness of the heaters as well. In addition, there exist no ceramic heater manufacturers that come equipped with a shut off feature for safety either, making them potentially dangerous. While ceramic heaters cost less than carbon does, they are not as durable and have an average usage life of between 3-8 years. These types of heaters certainly fall short on comfort as well, since it is difficult to find a place in the sauna where it is not too hot or too cold. This is because ceramic heaters are not designed to emit heat efficiently. Also, most of these types of saunas have backrests that are portable and can prove to be hard to get comfortable on since they are all the same size. Ceramic heaters that utilize tubes or rods have a tiny surface area that drastically reduces the amount of infrared heat trained on your body. They put these rods or tubes inside both the outer and inside walls of the sauna, meaning about half the heat is simply being wasted on the outside wall. There are reflectors put behind the ceramic tubes in an attempt to redirect the light back inside, but it actually distorts the bandwidth of the energy, since the light being reflected always hits the light waves that are being newly produced. This also limits the amount of energy in these saunas.
• Size and placement of Ceramic Heaters: Due to the fact that ceramic heaters are spaced too far apart, and only provide heat up to the shoulder, the entire head and face is not being heated at all. To gain the most benefit, all surface areas of the body should be heated. Also, ceramic heaters cannot heat the feet, since this could be a real safety problem, and heating the feet is crucial to toxin and lactic acid removal, as well as giving the user relief from the pain of swollen joints. While the use of ceramic heaters is still often used in Far Infrared saunas, the reason is because they are much less costly to make, and the manufacturers of these devices are usually worried more about money than actual quality.
• Fiberglass Panels along with Sprayed on Carbon Fiber: These are imitations, and are made of poor quality. They are simply fiberglass panels that have been covered with a spray on felt cloth, and they do not have the correct safety sensors on their thermostats. Most of these units also have panels that are just not large enough to put off the right amount of infrared energy to be able to bring the body to the proper temperature for detoxification.
• Carbon fiber made explicitly for our SpiritualQuest line / Organic Carbon Fiber Panels: In today’s market of far infrared heaters, these are the top of the line in quality and technology. These panels have the ability to put off up to a 12 micron signal since they are comprised of 17 minerals that have been proven to allow for 95{d060214bf7321be1e886a6103af5bf72f4e2fb54de407f774ff2b06fd7a1219b} energy emission. This range is the one that makes it easiest for the human body to absorb infrared rays, allowing for users to gain the most benefit.
• Better far infrared energy absorption from larger heater surface area: The Top saunas will have heaters that surround you with heat, including front, back, feet, and side panels. When you have the most expansive coverage area, you will gain the greatest benefits from the far infrared rays in the shortest time.

Be sure to always be wary of poor quality far infrared saunas, as often times, these saunas will be laden with cheap wiring, including wires that are too thin a gauge and not insulated as they are supposed to be. This means that they can receive interference and the sauna can be damaged if they get any electro-magnetic frequencies coming their way. In addition, wiring that is not strong enough could be damaged much easier, and create a safety hazard as time goes by.

When saunas are equipped with the correct EMF shielding, there is no worry that the wires could touch wood and cause a fire. The EMF could also put off radiation for the user. Poor quality saunas often frequently neglect to be sure to house the Power converters, circuit board relays, junction boxes, and central processing unit in the proper metal housing to keep them safe. This can be a hazard to yourself and your product.

When you order your saunas from us, you can be certain that safety is always a top priority in everything we manufacture. We make certain that every one of our wires is the right gauge and the insulation is as strong as possible. We have EMF shielded insulation on our wires, and each circuit and junction terminal is safe inside strong steel housing. There are double safety sensors/thermostats that are found on each infrared heater, and this will cause that panel to shut off for safety if it receives too much electricity. We have had four different safety companies independently test out safety precautions.

Safety is always a top concern with us, and we have an Intertek ETL Semko Standards Certification. This is the biggest inspection, testing, and Certification Company in the world, so you can be sure that each of our saunas has been thoroughly tested and will meet or exceed any performance and safety needs for the United States and Canada. They have been testing products since Thomas Edison founded it in 1896.

Each of our products has been tested for safety and performance by the following companies:

• Intertek- Founded by Thomas Edison in 1896, it is one of the most well respected and longest lived testing laboratories in the world. When products have been certified by ETL’s exacting standards, you can rest assured that they meet all performance and safety standards.
• CE Certified European Safety Standards- Products receiving this safety stamp have been shown to be in compliance with all of the safety and health requirements set forth in the European legislation, and have to be on any operating mechanisms in Europe.
• RoHS directive: This was created to ban specific hazardous materials that can be used to manufacture electronic and electrical products. It keeps the levels of mercury, cadmium, lead, and other hazardous materials at acceptable levels to make certain they remain safe for consumers.

Cheap Sauna Assembly Systems

When companies manufacture saunas that use clips and buckles on the outside of the machine, they often do this to cover up terrible craftsmanship, hardware that isn’t placed correctly, and below average durability. If the walls of the sauna do not fit together correctly, these manufacturers will force them together using buckles. After the product has been in use for some time, the walls of the sauna will eventually start to warp. In addition, having any kind of fastener on the outside of a far infrared sauna will make it look less than appealing.

Often companies that make poor quality saunas will use magnets to attempt to keep the walls of their saunas in place, but these do not work since they are never strong enough to provide the right degree of tightness between walls. This does nothing more than causes an already cheaply made product to be even weaker.

While it is true that mounting clasps on the side and edges of the sauna walls are better than magnets or buckles, they are seldom placed in the correct alignment, meaning that the walls will not be the same height. If the walls aren’t the exact same height, it can be virtually impossible to even get the clasps to fit together. You often see this sort of problem when you buy your sauna from a manufacturer that mass produces their products on an assembly line.

The best option to fasten walls on well made saunas is an anchor and bolt system. This can be a good option, since it requires precision made holes drilled, tight wall construction, and steel anchor that has been countersunk to take the bolt, since this is what will keep the front panels tight against the side and back panels. In this way, if your sauna needs to be transported, you will not have to worry that you may cause the wood to warp, which would make it difficult to reassemble. Also, with this system, you will have an air tight seal that will allow for the wood to expand and contract during hot and cold temperatures, keeping the wood from warping.

All of our saunas are put together at the facility they have been manufactured at, and then they go through a rigorous quality control and inspection check. After we are sure that everything is working at top performance, we then take it back apart and wrap each panel individually and package them in sturdy cardboard with foam blocks on each corner. There are also heavy duty foam sheets on the bottom and the top of each of the panel layers to be certain that your sauna is always safe during transport.

Far Infrared Sauna Wall Construction

This is where lots of cheaply made saunas fall short. The walls of an infrared sauna must be made well, to insure long lasting durability. Most of the time, sauna makers use 3-5 mm thick outer and inner walls, which is not good enough to stand up to the high temperature fluctuations inherent in infrared saunas. When the walls are made too thin, it won’t take long for them to begin to wear, develop cracks, and warp. They are also not good at all for keeping the heat inside the sauna where it is meant to be. Usually, poorly made saunas use wood that is of cheap quality to save money, and this makes for an inferior product that simply cannot stand the test of time.

Our far infrared saunas use the very best wood with a thickness of 7-8 mm. They are guaranteed to last for the entire life of your sauna. Usually, other sauna manufacturers settle for low quality wood that has not been sufficiently cured to be able to withstand the cold and hot temperatures of a sauna. Many infrared sauna makers use the following types of wood:

• Aspen: This wood is not acceptable for saunas since it is light, soft and not very strong. It is easily dented and scratched and cannot withstand the temperature changes in infrared saunas.
• Basswood: This wood is also weak, too soft and light. It is best used for building models and carving. It does not have the strength to stand up to the temp changes in a sauna.
• White Fir: Some degree of stiffness, but too soft and light. Does not have good resistance to decay, and cannot absorb shock. This is often used by manufacturers to make the sauna smell a certain way.
• Pacific Coast Hemlock: This is one of the top choices in the manufacture of quality saunas. It is strong, and gives clean edges that are straight and true. It has virtually no resin or odor, so it is a favorite for those that suffer from respiratory problems.
• Western Pine: It has little strength and shock resistance, and is somewhat stiff. It is light, soft and stable, but not good for saunas since it has too much resin and can cause gassing out, which can irritate the nose and eyes. In addition, this type of wood often has knots.
• Spruce: Has a high strength to weight ratio but low in overall strength. It has little decay resistance and is soft and light. It doesn’t gas out but usually is full of knots. It is fairly common for this type of wood to split and crack.
• Poplar: Not very strong, and they are usually light and soft with poor decay resistance and low durability. Moderate ability to retain heat, and not as good as other woods at handling extreme temperature fluctuations common in saunas. This wood can be scratched and dented easily.
• Western/Canadian Red Cedar: This is a one of a kind wood that has exemplary beauty and strength. It has a low degree of shrinking, and is better than all other coniferous woods for saunas, since it is highly resistant to cracking, twisting, or warping. This is the very best thermal insulator compared to any other wood used to make infrared saunas. When it is kiln dried as it is supposed to be, it won’t gas out. It is the greatest choice for strength, outdoor use, and the ability to hold in heat.
• California Redwood: This wood has medium stiffness, and it is a soft and light wood. It has exceptional resistance to decay and is very durable. It has average heat retention, but is expensive so it is not used frequently.

Far Infrared Sauna Backrests

Many sauna manufacturers are still using horizontal slat backrests, which are extremely uncomfortable and are always digging into your spine and ribs. People that make cheap saunas do this to save money by not having to have the proper number of backrests in their saunas. When the backrests are set too far apart, it makes it easy for body parts to touch the ceramic face plates or carbon panels which is certainly not safe and shows poor workmanship.

Hand Made Vertical Dowels: These sauna backrests are spaced very close together, and are the most comfortable for any sauna user. You get more infrared light as well, since it is directed right towards these dowels. It requires a greater amount of wood to make, so it is more expensive but more than worth it in terms of durability and comfort level. They let you be as close as possible to the heat of the sauna without having to worry about getting too hot. They are so comfortable, you do not have to spend your time trying to get into a satisfactory position. It is much safer as well, since you will not have to worry about accidentally sticking your fingers in where they don’t belong!

Design and Engineering of Saunas

There are certain design flaws that will affect the efficiency of your far infrared sauna:

Excessive Glass Panels

If these are found on the sides and front of the sauna, there will be no way for you to have the right number of infrared heaters needed to have a satisfactory sauna experience. Most of the time, manufactures place this glass in the front, making it impossible to get heat to the front of the body. It is best to have huge carbon panels all around the sauna to gain the most benefit from the far infrared sauna.

Not Enough Heating Panels and Elements

You will need to look for yourself to see if this is the case in the sauna you are considering buying. Make sure there are tons of inside shots of the sauna. Saunas that are not designed properly have too few heating elements as well as smaller ones, making them cheaper to produce. High quality far infrared saunas always have a large covering of carbon panel heaters, including those on the front by the door, down around where the lower legs would be, and also right in front of the bench seat and in the floor.

Many times, cheaper saunas put way too much weight on hinges that are already of poor quality. This can make the door not close the way it should. Be sure your sauna has strong stainless steel hinges for the best support. Be on the lookout for piano hinges since this is never a good sign.

Cheaper saunas also usually have floors that buckle and sag, and cannot support as much weight as required. Don’t forget to ask the salesperson the weight limit and what the floors are reinforced with before you buy.

Poorly made saunas also often have cabin panel walls that are simply too thin and weak to be able to withstand the hot and cold of an infrared sauna. This will eventually cause splitting, bowing, warping, and cupping. In addition, walls that are too thin cannot possibly hot in the heat the way they need to offer you a superior sauna experience each time. They cost more to operate since heat is lost, and they are often damaged.

Buying from Third Party Resellers Via the Internet: These websites generally have a huge selection of health products, and are simply the middle man, knowing little about the products they sell. Most of these types of saunas will be cheaply made and have little information. It can be irritatingly difficult to get a hold of a sale rep when dealing with these types of websites, and you may find yourself pulling out your hair in an attempt to find information or order parts for your infrared sauna. They often have very limited product guarantees and usually do not have the proper safety certifications.

You should also be on the lookout for retail stores that offer discounted prices, as these are more often than not resellers as well. If a customer doesn’t know any better, they buy these cheap saunas thinking they are all the same and get a real surprise when they discover how cheaply made their far infrared sauna really is. It is important to be sure that if this is a generic sauna, that there are customer service people found in the United States.

Warranties and Customer Service

While there are plenty of infrared sauna companies out there that say they give Lifetime Warranties, it is crucial to know as much about the company as possible, like how long they been in business, their company history, and if they have a good standing with the BBB. It is smart to call the company and ask them how they deal with warranty claims, and exactly what is covered in their warranty. Read over the Terms of Service carefully before buying to make certain everything is as it should be.

We here at Spiritual Quest pride ourselves on our dedication to the top customer service anywhere. We have Full Coverage Lifetime Warranties, and always stand behind everything we sell. This warranty is good for the entire time you own your far infrared sauna. It is a breeze to order replacement parts and there is always someone standing by to help you. We have all of our Customer Service reps right here in the U.S.

Since you will be spending a great deal of money on your far infrared sauna, it is best to buy one that will stand the test of time. Price between cheap saunas and the top quality ones is negligible, but it makes a huge difference in terms of quality and satisfaction with your sauna. You can pay a little more now for a far infrared sauna that is guaranteed to be everything you ever dreamed of, or take your chances with a cheap one.

Our far infrared saunas have the most and biggest carbon panels, meaning you get the most out of each use with no wasted heat and the job is done faster than with cheap saunas. They have more features standard and are each crafted by hand with painstaking detail to quality.

Our High Quality Features Include:

• LED Lighting System
• Several safety certifications
• Shielding from EMF
• Comfortable dowel backrests
• Oxygen Ionizer
• Much More

You can take a look at our website anytime and see for yourself why we are a top rated company and find out further information regarding far infrared saunas.