Yes. Every Procraft electric sauna heater is built for traditional sauna use, so you can pour water over the hot rocks to make steam. Use a small ladle of water at a time, aim it at the rocks and not at the heater body or the controls, and follow the heater manual. Do not pour water anywhere else on the heater.
A traditional sauna is a dry heat until you add humidity. Ladling water over the heated rocks flashes it to steam and gives you a short, intense wave of warmth and humidity. In Finnish this is called loyly. It makes the same air temperature feel hotter, and it is a big part of why people love a traditional sauna. Between splashes the room dries back out.
You do not have to add water at all. Run the sauna dry and it is a classic dry sauna. Add water when you want steam. Every Procraft heater ships with 50 lbs of rocks so it is ready for both from day one. There is more on the difference in our guide on wet sauna vs dry sauna.
This only applies to heaters designed for it. A traditional sauna heater like ours is built to take water on the rocks. An infrared sauna, which uses panels instead of rocks, is not, and you should never throw water at electrical panels. If you ever use a different heater, check its manual first.
Procraft builds Western red cedar saunas and makes four CSA-approved electric sauna heaters, from 4.5kW to 9kW. See the heaters, read about Western red cedar, or learn how our installations work.
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