 SODECO is the exclusive Albuquerque and Santa Fe dealer for Amerec Sauna and Steam equipment
Western red cedar sauna rooms for new home construction and remodels. Our pre-cut packages give you a professional grade sauna in less space and for less money than you might think.
Enjoy relaxing, healthy steam and the dependability of Amerec. Learn the plumbing, electrical, access, and room construction guidelines for a good installation.
SODECO carries commercial and residential steam and sauna equipment. We have the experience to help you through it and get the details right. Our parts department supports your installation in the future.
Come see our new walk-through sauna display to learn what features and options are available.
What is the difference between sauna and steam?
A sauna is a dry heat environment with high temperature. The heater has hot rocks that give off intense heat. The room is special wood, usually western red cedar,. You can sprinkle water on the hot rocks to get some steam and increase the humidity, but a sauna is basically a dry environment.
A steam room is a wet environment. Usually the same space as your shower, a steam generator nearby pumps billowy clouds of hot steam into the room. The temperature is not nearly as high as in a sauna, but the effect is achieved by breathing in and being surrounded by hot steam.
Here are some basic issues to consider when planning and installing your sauna or steam bath.
A good size for a home sauna is 6 x 6 or 5 x 6. The inside height should be 84". With this size, you should be able to lie down the long way and have enough depth to allow an upper and lower bench that aren't on top of each other.
   
Commercial saunas are up to 12 x 12, also 84" ceiling height. The low ceiling height is so the heat stays down in the room. The upper bench will be hotter than the lower bench.
A steam room is ideally big enough to sit down in and also put your feet up. Ceiling height of 7' is recommended. Slope the ceiling so water drops don't rain on you. The material you use for walls and ceilings have an important influence on the size of the steam generator needed and the length of time needed to heat up the room.
Both sauna and steam rooms will need 240 Volt power, with the Amps determined by the size and construction of the room. Plan ahead! Many installations are inadequate because the electrical supply was run before calculations were made.
Circuits are dedicated, although not GFCI. Always use a competent and licensed electrician who knows the codes and proper installlation. SODECO can help with the calculations needed.
Simple is better, Steamroom "on-off" controls are usually preferred to many-choice settings that rarely get used, cost money, and complicate the installation. Fancy controls do have some advantages, so plan each job based on the particular needs of the customer.
Sauna controls are usually mounted outside the room but can be on the heater itself. The standard control sets the temperature, time, and light, and has a delay feature.
A steam room is usually the same space as your shower, so the usual shower plumbing will be there. The steam generator will have 1. water in 2. steam out 3. pressure relief valve 4. drain so you can clean/flush water through the unit. Plan ahead with your plumber so the proper lines are in place.
There is no plumbing in a sauna. The only moisture is when you sprinkle water from the wooden bucket onto the hot rocks.
A typical residential complete sauna package is $4000 - $4500. This assumes that you create the framed, insulated, space and run the required electricity. The "package" includes the walls, ceiling, floor, benches, door, heater, accessories, and trim. The sauna package takes about one full day for a carpenter to install.
Don't assume that you can just go buy the materials and build your own sauna. There are safety issues, specific construction requirements, and special wood has to be custom ordered. You'll probably save very little and have a lot more work.
Steam generators cost around $950 - $1200 for basic units. Add for fancy controls or automatic drain valves. With steam, you have other expenses such as electrical, plumbing, special door, room structural modifications, etc.
Regarding electrical use, it only costs when it's on. For example, a 6kW sauna heater, running full heat for an hour would cost $0.60 at Albuquerque electric rates.
If you are considering the healthful luxury of a sauna or steam room, shop with SODECO to make sure you get what you really want, and that it works the way it should.
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