Relaxing in a sauna is the best ways to relieve stress. However, they need to be maintained well or they could create some very costly damages. Fires are quite popular when it comes to saunas and you need to protect yours from a fire. Fire damages can add up pretty quickly when you factor in smoke, fire, and the water from firefighters or sprinkler systems. You might need to repair a lot more than just the sauna and this could cost you a lot. In this article, we will suggest tips that will help you prevent a sauna fire.
What causes sauna fires?
- Dry wood lowest ignition temperature could cause a fire
- An electrical malfunction could cause a fire
- Towels and newspapers left close to the sauna heater could cause a fire
As you can see, these are preventable as long as you give your sauna the right attention. Here are some procedures you can follow to prevent such an incident from happening in your facility.
Installation Process
Everything starts from the installation process and you should pay close attention to all the details when installing your sauna. Ensure you have all the monitoring equipment such as thermometers, timer, temperature limit controls, heat-sensitive sprinklers, carbon monoxide detectors, as well as those that don’t lock in the inside.
A mixture of moisture and heat can be a very dangerous thing, but this is exactly what you get in a sauna. This means that you need to ensure any light fixtures, benches as well as outlets are installed away from the heating unit. In fact, you should ensure you have no outlets in your sauna at all. You also need to have a slip resistant floor surface.
Maintenance and Care
You’re going to be using water, heat, and wood in your sauna, all of which can be quite delicate. This means you need proper maintenance in the facility. Certain things such as packing rocks tightly on the sauna heater can cause a high limit switch to trip. You should also not have excessive water on your sauna heater because it could create expensive repairs and endanger the people inside. Your sauna should have a maintenance routine plan especially if you have an electric heater. Always check for proper airflow, shock hazards or any other repairs. If you see wood that shows deterioration, you should get rid of it.
Your Maintenance Staff
If you are operating a large facility, then you definitely have maintenance stuff and they play a huge role when it comes to checking for repairs and hazards. Ensure that everyone is trained for regular checkups and always encourage them to check for warning signs, especially around the sauna heater.
Enforce rules
When you have guests, they will play a major role in your sauna safety so you should ensure that all rules are followed. Have visible signs that everyone can read and understand. Some of the rules you should enforce include:
- No dry clothes should be left near the sauna heater
- Limit usage time
- Don’t touch the heater
- Children should be supervised and accompanied
- Exit immediately in case of dizziness
- No perfumes, lotions or oils should go into the sauna
- Guests should drink plenty of water
- No jewelry in the sauna
Pregnant guests or guests in poor health should first consult a doctor before they use a sauna. It will help to have a special form for your guests to fill out before getting into the sauna so you can be aware of any problems.
