Sauna electrical installation

The full details

Home saunas have become a lot more common around the Illawarra, from barrel saunas in Berry backyards to infrared cabins in spare rooms in Wollongong. They need a reliable, correctly sized power supply, and the heater is often one of the largest loads in the house. Flowstate Electrical Co has carried out sauna installations for customers across the region, and we take the electrical side seriously.

What is included

• Checking your switchboard and supply can handle the sauna heater
• A dedicated circuit sized to the manufacturer's requirements
• Underground cabling to backyard and outdoor saunas
• Connection of the heater, controller and lighting
• Safety switch protection and an accessible isolating switch
• Testing and NSW compliance paperwork

Signs you need an electrician before you buy

• The sauna heater is rated for hard wiring, not a standard plug
• Your switchboard has no spare space or still uses ceramic fuses
• The sauna will sit away from the house, down the yard or by the pool
• You also plan to add a cold plunge, spa or outdoor shower nearby

Traditional versus infrared

Traditional saunas use a heater with rocks to bring the room to a high temperature, and many draw a substantial current. Some smaller infrared cabins plug into a standard power point, but larger ones still need a dedicated circuit. The installation manual will state what the unit needs. Send it to us before you buy and we can tell you whether your home is ready or what changes are required.

Indoor and outdoor saunas

Indoor

For a sauna in a spare room, garage or bathroom, we plan the cable route from the switchboard and work out where the controller and isolator will be mounted. Heat and moisture inside the sauna mean that cable and fittings must be suited to those conditions, following the sauna maker's instructions and the wiring rules.

Outdoor

Backyard saunas need cable run underground in conduit, at the correct depth, with appropriate protection where it enters the sauna. On coastal blocks in Gerringong, Kiama Downs or Shell Cove, we choose outdoor enclosures and fittings that cope with salt air. If a pool is nearby, we plan around the pool zones in AS/NZS 3000.

Lighting and comfort around the sauna

A sauna gets used most in the cooler months and in the evening. A lit path from the back door, a light at the sauna entry, and a weatherproof power point for an outdoor shower pump or cold plunge chiller all make it more pleasant to use. It is worth planning these at the same time as the sauna circuit, since the trench only needs to be dug once. Inside, any lighting must be rated for the heat, and is usually supplied or specified by the sauna maker.

Your switchboard matters

Because a sauna heater can be one of the largest loads in a home, the switchboard and main supply need checking. Older boards may need an upgrade, and in some cases the overall supply needs reviewing. We look at this before you commit. Read adding a sauna or pool to an older switchboard for more on what is involved.

How the job runs

1. Specs and photos

Text the sauna model, a photo of your switchboard and a photo of where the sauna will go to 0424 400 346.

2. Site check and quote

Kalani confirms the supply, plans the cable route and gives you a clear quote.

3. Install

We usually run the circuit before the sauna is delivered or assembled, then return to connect the heater and controls once it is in place.

4. First heat up

We test the circuit and safety switch, then run the heater with you to confirm everything works as it should.

Related services

• Switchboard services
• Pool and outdoor power
• Safety switches (RCDs)
• Outdoor lighting for the path to the sauna

Planning a sauna

Call or text Kalani on 0424 400 346 before you order, if you can. Photos of the spec sheet and your switchboard make the first conversation quick and useful.