TOP 10 best gas stoves for baths: 2022 rating and which model to choose with a heater

Many people living not only in villages, but also in large cities, are very fond of a real Russian bathhouse. However, in order to heat it, you have to make a decent effort and spend a lot of time: you need to bring water, chop wood, light the stove, wait until a comfortable temperature is established in the steam room. All this leads to serious labor costs. More and more bathhouse owners are taking the simpler route - installing a gas stove. It heats the room much faster, does not require additional physical costs, and runs on fairly cheap fuel.

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If you decide to install such equipment in your bathhouse, then our rating of the best gas stoves for bathhouses will be very useful for you. In it we will take a detailed look at the key characteristics of the most popular models among consumers, give some useful tips that will certainly help you when buying this device, and tell you how to further save gas when heating a sauna.

Rating of the TOP 10 best gas stoves for baths for 2022

Types of saunas

Although there is a division of saunas into “Finnish”, “Russian” and “Turkish” (Hamam), which differ in air temperature and steam humidity, the equipment for this is classified according to the fuel source.

Wood-burning saunas

Such stoves operate on solid fuel. They regularly require the throwing of firewood, and after the procedure it is necessary to clean the ash.

Temperature adjustment is carried out by closing the chimney dampers and the quantity and frequency of supply of wooden blocks. Such stoves are suitable for remote forest houses and attached saunas or for infrequent use.

Advantages:

• wide power range;
• various design solutions with glass doors;
• the ability to get light and dry steam;
• large capacity compartment for stones;
• optimal cost;
• reliable body;
• independence from energy networks.

Flaws:

• it is necessary to be periodically distracted by throwing firewood;
• requires cleaning;
• warms up the room for a long time;
• difficult to regulate temperature;
• There may be a hum in the chimney.

Electric saunas

An excellent option for hassle-free use are electric ovens that produce high temperatures and pleasant steam.

The power supply can be 220 or 380 V. Connection requires good wiring in the building. They are used in new houses and cottages. This is convenient for rare use. Such models can even be installed in apartments.

Advantages:

• there is no need to add firewood or clean it;
• control by button or remote control;
• compact body that takes up minimal space in the steam room;
• high quality steel;
• the ability to place it in a house, apartment, or take it with you in the trunk to a new place.

Flaws:

not every wiring can withstand the power of the device; having an electrical appliance in a damp room requires greater caution; some models require a three-phase network.

Gas saunas

They have a smaller firebox in which a nozzle is installed. The gas flame heats the stones and creates steam. Models can operate either from a cylinder or from a pipeline.

They are distinguished by fast heating of the room and the ability to immediately take procedures. Convenient for places where quick start-up of a steam room is required, as a rule, these are commercial applications in recreation centers, sanatoriums, resorts, and city saunas.

Advantages:

• quick ignition;
• small oven sizes;
• convenient temperature control via the supplied gas volume;
• no maintenance (cleaning, heating);
• after 30 minutes you can already steam;
• stable temperature.

Flaws:

• after turning off the nozzle, the room quickly cools down;
• the presence of gas requires vigilance in handling;
• a gas pipeline or imported raw materials in cylinders for combustion are required.

How to choose the right gas stove for a sauna

One of the key parameters that should be taken into account when choosing any heating and heating equipment is power - it should be enough to maintain a comfortable temperature in the steam room.

This indicator is calculated based on the fact that heating 1 cubic meter of space requires 1 kW of power. It is worth noting that this rule applies only to those structures that have a good level of thermal insulation. If the steam room has windows, then each window accounts for an additional 0.3 kW of heat.

When calculating the power, you also need to take into account the material from which the walls of the steam room are made. If they are lined with ceramic or tiles, then for each square meter you will need to add 1.2 kW of heat; add another 1.5 kW if the door is not insulated.

The most optimal design is considered to be one equipped with an external fuel channel - with the help of this feature, the steam room space can be used as efficiently as possible. Take into account that all models of gas furnaces are designed to work with a certain type of fuel. There are designs that can operate exclusively on household gas; it is not possible to connect a cylinder to them.

Before purchasing directly, you need to check the equipment of the stove itself and ask the seller for safety and quality certificates for this equipment. If these documents, as well as the technical passport, are not available, then you should refuse to purchase this model. It is necessary to check the boiler for external defects. If everything is in order, then the purchase can be completed.

When we selected models for inclusion in our rating of the best gas stoves for saunas, all of the above factors were reflected in the review. However, we took into account not only them, we also relied on numerous user reviews, which made it possible to understand how high-quality and durable this or that equipment is. The rating did not include overly expensive models - we did this specifically so that each of our readers could choose the best option for such products.

Advantages and disadvantages

Vesuvius stoves, like all other stoves, have advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:

• Large firebox size;
• The original and attractive exterior makes the stove not just a necessary thing, but also a decorative element;
• Thanks to the dampers, convection can be adjusted;
• Even a large mass of stones does not overload the furnace manifold;
• Fire-resistant heavy-duty glass door has self-cleaning and cooling functions;
• If the consumer purchased a model with an open heater, it will be possible to water it during operation;
• Rounded corners, smooth surface;
• Even with long-term use, the casing will not irritate the owner with crackling noises or other unpleasant sounds.

Flaws:

• There are models whose cost exceeds 40,000 rubles, but the main difference from the others is the volume that the oven can heat;
• If you line the wood stove with brick (which is necessary), the top of the screen gets very hot.

NOTE!

Remember: a model with an open heater in the form of a mesh, according to numerous customer reviews, looks good in appearance, but is not so good in operation. In particular, if you deviate from the instructions, the steam from the stones will be unpleasant: damp and heavy.

Customer Reviews

Yuri T.

Vesuvius Skif Forging 18 (DT-3)

Works. The RCD does not trip, nor does the 16A fuse. For a sauna 1.7x0.9 is enough. The temperature sensors need to be moved down a couple of centimeters, otherwise it takes a long time to heat up and does not heat above 70 (the sensors are behind the front panel, disassemble it a little, it will take 10 minutes).

Natalya N.

TMF Urengoy

: I bought a stove to replace an old Harvey Legends 150 cl that was 10 years old. The stove served faithfully and finally burned out. I was surprised by the price, in ten years the price has risen by 9 thousand, I took it for 18. The stove has structurally changed for the better, the design engineers are doing a good job. The size of the firebox did not change, but was raised relative to the ash pan. We had to increase the firebox. The steam felt different, softer.

Alexander

Vesuvius Lava 18 (DT-3)

It is very convenient when the stove comes with a tank included. In my opinion, this is the first model with a tank that they came out with. If you prefer, you can hang the second tank on the other side. The cast iron firebox is a serious plus! Up to 22 m3 is exactly what you need!! When purchasing, ALWAYS check with the seller whether the tank is included in the price!

Dolbunov D.

TMF Taimyr 2022 Carbon

Pros: Overall it works. It heats well even up to a high temperature, it was possible to heat up to 100 degrees in 3 hours (room 1.8 × 1.8 × 2.1 + glass door) Disadvantages: It dries out the air (humidity 25% at a temperature of 90 degrees), but I think this is not a problem with the stove. Comment: Overall, a good, beautiful stove, I don’t regret buying it. There were no problems for six months of heating.

Anton Medvedev

EasySteam Sochi K

My review is dedicated to such a product as the Rus Grid 12 L sauna stove from the company Teplodar. I would like to describe my impressions of using the stove. I bought the stove a little over two years ago. I don’t use it all the time, but almost every time I come to the dacha. And this is all weekends (and holidays) throughout the year. Installation did not cause any major difficulties. Installed it together with my son. We finished it in just two days (just in time for the weekend). On the first day, we prepared a place for the oven. Since the weight of the stove is not small (the body itself, a three-meter pipe, stones), we made a foundation for it from a concrete solution. On the second day, they installed the stove, added a chimney, and poured stones. By the end of the second day they lit a fire and enjoyed the pleasant warmth. At first, during gradual heating, a specific, not particularly pleasant smell came from the stove (apparently the paint and technical grease inside the stove itself and in the chimney duct were burnt). But three or four complete heatings were enough and the annoying smell was completely gone. Now in our bathhouse there is only the aroma of blazing, resinous firewood and an oak broom that we steamed in hot water. In general, the whole family is happy with the stove. A six-meter steam room warms up to 60 degrees in an hour (this is in summer; in winter it takes longer, almost two hours). Our steam room is lined with basalt insulation (like the bathhouse), completely lined with aspen clapboard, and equipped with reflective material. On both sides of the stove there are bricks that are heated by it. Thus, heat goes to both the dressing room and the shower room (additional heating of neighboring rooms). During its operation, the stove proved itself to be very positive (there were never any problems). The firewood burns (and burns out) well, the draft is excellent (sometimes I even use a damper), and condensation does not concentrate in the chimney. There is a pleasant aroma in the bathhouse, there is no burning smell. I hope my story will be useful to you. Stay healthy (and enjoy yourself)

Philip L.

Ermak Uralochka-20

I used Helo 12 stoves for 10 years, but they have now been discontinued. I bought the Harvia M2 because it has a chimney outlet at the back of the stove, like Helo. I don’t want to redo the chimney in the bathhouse, but there are no stoves with a rear exit, except Harvia. Helo I had 2 ovens. Each lived 5 years. I can’t say how long Harvey will live. When I picked it up, they took out a completely new one, factory sealed. They opened it in front of me, examined it for defects, and only after that did I pay. Helped with loading into the car. The stove itself is excellent, it transfers the temperature well to the stones, the protective casing does not deform, and heats up moderately.

Dmitry K.

Koster-Potok 18

Firstly, there is no convection in it and there won’t be with such a design, what kind of convection can there be if there is no direct contact with the stove itself, it’s just a lampshade near the stove. Therefore, in order to heat a bathhouse and steam room, you need to try and burn a lot of good firewood and at the same time change the water in the tank as it boils. The efficiency of the stove is probably 40-50%, the rest goes down the drain.

Dmitry Viktorovich Yankov

Teplodar Rus-18

The oven has been in operation for 5 years. A year later, one of the fasteners fell off the door. True, the second one turned out to be much stronger. And he holds the door for two!) And now I discovered that the smoke goes into the steam room, and not into the chimney. Removed the stones. And you can see in the photo what everything looks like. The grate was all cracked and arched. But it hasn't completely collapsed yet. The tooth that moves inside the firebox so that the smoke goes along a bypass path is also deformed and does not completely close the pipe. Therefore, part of the heat does not go to heating the stones, but directly into the pipe.

Igor Povelikin

Ermak Uralochka 30

I tried to reach out to the manufacturer about the poor quality of this stove, sent both a video and a photo of the bathhouse with the stove, and how I did everything according to the instructions, but they gently kicked me off, citing dampness in the bathhouse! Come on guys, come on, rust in three days due to dampness, what nonsense! In short, I do not recommend this stove, save your money, look for other options!

Yatsenko Ivan

Kutkin Premium G-2.0

Advantages: A water heater is built inside and connected to an external heating tank. A net is hung at the back into which an additional 60-80 kg of stones can be placed for softer steam. Quite nice, I have a glass door. Disadvantages: Metal thickness 3mm. Cools down instantly. The entire firebox was damaged, such a stove lasts for a year at most. She started blowing smoke into the house, the glass became smoked and nothing helped. Now it warms up very poorly. Refuse to buy, buy 10-15 thousand more, but a good one!

Gas-wood options

Termofor Taimyr Inox TSB ZK

It has very compact overall dimensions and a decent power rating of 32 kW. This allows you to efficiently heat a steam room, the volume of which does not exceed 18 cubic meters. m. The heat transfer of this product is rather weak, so it will have to be kept on all the time while a person is steaming. Operation is cheap, since the firebox has everything necessary to work with gas or standard firewood.

The design is equipped with a special funnel through which water is supplied to the lower layers of the heater. This helps to form a light haze of steam, the temperature of which does not exceed 60 degrees. This microclimate ideally corresponds to the parameters of a traditional Russian bath. The design has an original and very attractive appearance; the burner itself is hidden behind a decorative screen. It is made using high-quality thermal insulation materials, so it is unlikely that you will get burned on it if you accidentally touch it.

Advantages:

• Compact overall dimensions;
• Cheap model to operate;
• Produced in modern colors;
• The oven uses Italian-made automation.

Flaws:

• Heat transfer is rather weak, which increases fuel consumption.

Furnace Termofor Taimyr Inox BSE ZK

Koster-Potok 18

This stove has fairly thin walls - their thickness is only 4 mm, so the design is relatively light, its weight is about 70 kg with small dimensions of 609x354x798 mm. This model is perfect for small steam rooms that do not have a foundation. Using the stove you can heat up to 18 square meters. m of area, it allows you to create a stable, controlled climate in the steam room, which lasts for a long time.

The key difference from standard wood-burning stoves is that this model has a high smoke collector and a flame divider in the upper part of the firebox. By using these design features, it is possible to ensure stable heat transfer and uniform heating of the stones. The steam-generating surface, together with the heater, is located in close proximity to the flame.

Advantages:

• There are reliable design parts made of stainless steel with the addition of titanium and chromium;
• High efficiency;
• The stones get very hot.

Flaws:

• If you heat the stove with wood, it will take quite a lot of it.

Stove Koster-Potok 18

Ermak Uralochka-20

This model is designed for several types of fuel - low pressure gas or firewood. The compartment for stones is open here, thanks to which you can create either dense hot steam, as in a Russian bath, or get a dry steam room, which will be almost impossible to distinguish from a sauna. The model is more powerful compared to the previously considered options - it is capable of efficiently heating up to 20 cubic meters of steam room volume.

If you heat the sauna with gas, the air temperature in the steam room will be maintained at 70-120 degrees. The stove is easy to install; it is characterized by high build quality, reliability and a long service life.

Advantages:

• Designed for two types of fuel;
• Capable of producing quite high temperatures;
• The kit includes quite large, capacious and remote tanks;
• The duration of warranty service is 5 years.

Flaws:

• Burners and stones are not included in the kit - they will have to be purchased additionally.

Furnace Ermak Uralochka-20

Vesuvius Skif Forging 18

One of the cheapest models that can only be found on the Russian market today. The device is characterized by high power - 18 kW, it is capable of efficiently heating a steam room with a volume of up to 20 cubic meters. The kit also does not include a burner, but you can purchase one, especially since its cost is also quite reasonable. The structure is made of high-quality thick sheet steel, the door is made of cast iron. This solution allows you to prevent the stove from burning out, significantly extend its service life, and make it safe to use.

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The entire heating surface is placed in a special casing, which also serves as a convector. The steam room heats up quickly, the convector itself will block infrared radiation, so the heat will be quite soft. The capacity of the heater is 130 kg, thanks to this the temperature in the steam room will be as uniform as possible.

Advantages:

• Interesting and attractive appearance;
• Reliability and durability of the model;
• High power levels;
• The walls are made of thick steel sheets;
• You can heat it from another room.

Flaws:

• A tray for stones and a gas burner are not included.

Furnace Vesuvius Skif Forging 18

EasySteam Sochi K

The products are made from stainless steel sheets, which are characterized by high strength. If the customer wishes, the furnace can be made of a similar material of a different brand with a higher concentration of nickel, which provides increased strength of this metal. The power of this heating equipment is 40 kW, so the device is capable of heating a room with a volume of up to 22 cubic meters. The model is equipped with a gas burner; you can additionally order a remote water tank.

In the most loaded areas, multi-layer welds are provided. In order to reduce extreme temperatures, the combustion chamber is lined with fireclay bricks. The design provides for the presence of two steam generators at once, so water will hit the heater in doses, thereby providing light steam at a comfortable temperature.

Advantages:

• Multilayer welded joints are used;
• Two-stage steam generators;
• Provides high-quality protection against infrared radiation;
• Reinforced key structural parts.

Flaws:

• Expensive;
• The heating volume could have been larger.

Oven EasySteam Sochi K

Installation

So, given: the gate for the fence made of corrugated sheets is welded, hung on awnings and sheathed with profiled sheets. Welding is at our disposal; There is also some three-millimeter steel sheet. In addition, it is worth getting out of your bins a drill, a grinder with a cutting wheel for metal, a square and a scriber (any sharpened object made of tool steel will do the job).

Factory-made metal scriber.

Overhead

How to install a padlock? The instructions are very simple if a cross member is welded at the height of the castle (usually 90 centimeters from the ground).

1. Attach the lock from the inside so that one of the mounting holes rests on a horizontal profiled pipe, and the core and handle are below or above it. Mark future holes in the frame and a recess for the crossbar. If the post next to the gate is not wide enough or is made of a round pipe, you will have to weld a plate or corner under the lock mate.
2. Drill holes - in the frame for fasteners, in the corrugated sheet for a key and, if necessary, for the handle. A hole in the profiled sheet is drilled along the contour and leveled with a roller cutter. In the same way, a groove is made for the crossbar in the column.
3. All that remains is to secure the lock and install the core, handles and linings.

Another way is to drill holes of a smaller diameter and cut threads for the screws with a tap.

If the crossbar is located at an inappropriate height, installing a rim lock in a gate made of corrugated sheets will require welding an additional plate under it.

Mortise

How to embed a lock into a gate made of corrugated sheets?

If the frame of the gate is made of a thin pipe (for example, 20x40), the only way out is to weld a box made of steel sheet under the lock. Its dimensions should first of all leave minimal side gaps between the walls and the lock body. Material: three-millimeter steel.

From the end of the gate, a groove is selected for the crossbar and holes are drilled for the fastening screws. It is advisable that they be outside our box, otherwise we will again be faced with the impossibility of screwing the nut onto the screw thread. In the box, key grooves are selected on both sides (or for the entire core).

The counter part is mounted on a pole; as an option, a groove for the crossbar is selected directly in it.

Of course, it is also possible to install a lock in a gate made of corrugated sheets. However, you can’t call her neat; in addition, the mechanism will be exposed to rain and snow.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the most, so to speak, civilized scenario.

On sale for a long time you can find special mortise locks for gates made of corrugated sheets. They have a minimum width and are designed for installation in a profiled pipe measuring 40x40 millimeters.

This narrow-profile lock is designed for professional pipes measuring 40x50 mm.

Inserting the lock is simple and does not require welding.

• After marking, a groove for the body is selected at the end of the gate. Using a grinder, two vertical cuts are made and another one is made diagonally to the future rectangle; then the resulting triangles are bent outward and cut off. The edges are smoothed with a file.
• Holes for screws and a core are drilled in the side surfaces with a drill.
• To mark the mate of the lock, you can use a little trick. Coat the bolt with toothpaste, putty, or any other thick, colored substance. Then, with the gate closed, turn the key - and on the post there will be a clear imprint of the place where the groove should be.

Once all the holes have been selected, all that remains is to secure the lock with screws - and the job is finished. But how to install a fence from corrugated sheets? Read about this in other articles on our website.

The result of our work.

Kamenka

The most common type of sauna stove, in which stones act as the heating element. The principle of the old Russian black bath is also based on heating stones.

Closed oven

The heater consists of a container for stones with a tight lid. Such models maintain the temperature of the stones for a long time, provide high steam humidity and low temperature in the steam room. The stove requires a long heating time and a large amount of fuel. The closed version of the stove guarantees a classic Russian bathhouse, with enveloping soft steam. You can use a special evaporator that humidifies the highest temperature stones located closer to the firebox. Moving under pressure through the entire ridge of stones, finely dispersed steam bursts into the steam room as a concentrated, hot cloud.

Open oven

The heater does not have a lid on the container for stones, which allows for a steam room temperature of more than 100°, dry steam and rapid heating of the room. An important detail is the ratio of the volume of the room and the stones. If there are a large number of ingots, they will not be able to heat up to the required temperature in the same mode as the steam room is heated; the steam will turn out damp and scattered.

The combined heater has a closed and open oven in its model, which allows you to steam in different steam modes and temperatures, depending on your wishes.

Designs for heaters provide for heating the stove directly in the steam room or in the room adjacent to the steam room. The second option is convenient for keeping the steam room clean; debris from the firewood does not get inside.

Along with firewood, natural gas can also serve as fuel for the heater.

Stove aesthetics

The door can be equipped with special heat-resistant glass, which will create a special flavor. It is known that you can admire fire and flowing water endlessly. However, the cost of such a model will increase in proportion to the price of glass.

Sauna stoves with water tanks

It is difficult to dispute the advantages of a bathhouse with a container for hot water; such convenience allows you to combine the process of bathing with washing.

The following location options are possible:

• wall;
• built-in;
• floor;
• hanging;
• corner.

KASTOR KL-27 VVV

The stove runs on wood fuel and has a Coanda resource saving system.

KASTOR KL-27 VVV

Advantages:

• large glass doors;
• high functionality;
• two water tanks with built-in taps.

Flaws:

• steel outer casing.

Harvia WK200RS

Wall-mounted stove type with a 30-liter water tank and a panoramic glass door.

Harvia WK200RS

Advantages:

• high reliability;
• adjustable leg height.

Flaws:

• high price.

Harvia PREMIUM VS

Floor-standing wood-heating stove of a closed type, with rear and top connections to the chimney and a thirty-liter tank.

Harvia PREMIUM VS

Advantages:

• panoramic glass in the door;
• long service life;
• adjustment of air channels to control air circulation;
• high fuel efficiency;
• low emission volumes.

Flaws:

• insufficient volume of the steam room, no more than 20 m³.

Berezka 24

Wood-burning stove with a water tank with a volume of 50 liters.

Birch 24 sauna stove

Advantages:

• furnace material - 09G2S steel with increased strength;
• the presence of a heat-receiving plate with a width of 8 mm;
• labyrinthine upper section of the firebox for quick heating of stones;
• ventilation of the heater for accelerated heating of the steam room;
• the presence of an ash compartment to regulate the intensity of combustion.

Flaws:

• No

Sudarushka M

The wood-burning sauna stove is a closed type, with a 50-liter tank, a cast-iron body and natural stones, and has a glass door.

Sudarushka M stove for bath

Advantages:

• location of the firebox in an adjacent room;
• panoramic glass;
• combustion control;
• Water heating operates as a closed system.

Flaws:

• not found

Gas procedure, practical advice

The preparatory stage is the purchase of pipes, consumables and gas equipment. To gasify a bath according to the rules, you need to check the project and the received technical conditions.

The documents contain a calculation of the length of the pipes, an indication of their diameter, as well as the name and brand of permitted equipment. Experienced users advise purchasing pipes and consumables with a 30 percent reserve.

Stage No. 1 - installation of an external gas pipeline

Since it is recommended to install an external gas pipeline above ground, reliable supports will be required to secure the pipes. They must raise the gas pipeline above the ground by at least two meters.

The following requirements apply to supports:

• the distance between the supports is determined by the project;
• the strength of the structure should be calculated based on the gas pipeline’s own weight and the weight of possible ice with a coefficient of 1.2;
• the fastening part must correspond to the design dimensions of the pipe.

If the project specifies the installation of a gas pipeline with a slope, you can install metal spacers between the soles of the supports and embedded structures. The installation of such gaskets between the pipe and the support is prohibited.

The rules for placing supports also apply to the distance between them and the welds on gas pipes. This distance cannot be less than 5 cm

To protect against the effects of wet precipitation, the outer pipeline is painted with bright yellow oil paints. This is done by employees of the gas company that took over the installation.

But after they leave, many summer residents repaint the pipes in other colors that match the main palette of the site. This is prohibited.

Stage No. 2 - laying pipes inside

The internal gas pipeline must also consist of metal pipes. In places where they pass through the walls, it is necessary to drill holes and install embedded iron sleeves in them. Laying pipes through walls is permitted only through such sleeves.

When gasifying wooden buildings, this is extremely important, since any wood shrinks over time. And this is fraught with damage to the unprotected gas pipeline

Holes for the gas pipeline are prohibited from being made between logs or beams, at their junction. They must be located inside solid wood

Fastening must be carried out using the products specified in the project. It is better to purchase fasteners in specialized stores, since regular retail outlets often offer analogues that do not meet the requirements.

To implement turning moments, it is important to use an induction pipe bender - a device that allows you to change the angle by 90 degrees. Manual bending with heating is not suitable in this case, as it can damage the structure of the metal

At the points where gas equipment is connected, the end of the pipe is threaded. Filters are attached to this thread and shut-off valves are installed. During the final pressure testing, a specialist must check the tightness of these connections and the integrity of the welds.

Before performing welding work, you should make sure that you have a fire extinguisher, cover the wooden walls of the bathhouse and nearby buildings with asbestos or metal sheets

It is important to ensure that the gas pipes inside the bathhouse do not intersect with the electrical wire. The minimum distance between them is 10 cm

If water supply or sewerage is installed in the bathhouse, then it is necessary to maintain a distance of 2 cm between them and the gas pipeline branch.

Stage No. 3 - installation of the chimney

We have already discussed the rules for installing a gas stove. Therefore, the next step is the organization of the chimney. Gas companies also have special requirements for it.

During installation, it is recommended to ensure:

• lack of pipe joints in the ceilings - it is necessary to install the chimney so that the connections are located above or below the ceiling;
• the location of the pipes relative to the flammable elements of the building - the distance between them should not be less than 1 meter.

Above a flat roof, the chimney can protrude 1.2 meters or more. Above a roof with slopes, the minimum elevation value is 0.5 meters.

Criterias of choice

Choosing a gas furnace is a responsible task that requires preliminary calculations and knowledge of design features.

The selection criteria are usually:

furnace power

It is necessary to first calculate the required power, taking into account the volume of the room, correction factors for decoration, windows, number of rooms (compartments), etc. The power is selected based on the volume (on sale it is usually indicated for which rooms a particular model is suitable);

burner type

Manufacturers claim that the best option is a supercharged design. However, it has a lot of features that complicate operation. In particular, high-quality grounding and a voltage stabilizer are required. Therefore, atmospheric burners are more often chosen - they are unpretentious and only need stable draft;

water heating method

Double heating is preferable (in a container and in a flow-through method), but here they are guided by their own needs and considerations;

fuel type

Most designs can operate on both natural and liquefied gas. However, most burners require reconfiguration from one type to another, change of burner nozzles and other procedures. They can only be performed by specialists from the service center.

Expert opinion

Lovkachev Boris Petrovich

Bath master who knows everything about steaming

Taking these criteria into account and comparing them with the characteristics of commercially available gas furnaces, the optimal option is selected. An important factor is also the price of the stove, which many users consider the main selection criterion. Here any recommendations are useless - they are guided by their own financial capabilities.

General issues

Life time

Among wood-burning stoves, cast iron ones are the most durable, but it is very important to observe the combustion mode and not overheat the stove, since cast iron can burst due to overheating, after which the stove is most likely beyond repair. Overheating of steel furnaces is also dangerous, which leads to deformation of panels and rupture of welds. The thickness of the slab above the firebox does not always directly reflect the intended working life of the steel furnace, but we can definitely say that frequent overheating will also lead to faster burnout of the slab.

The service life of gas furnaces largely depends on the quality of individual components and elements. With proper quality, the operation of a gas furnace can be very long.

The service life of electric stoves is approximately 10 years, but it must be taken into account that they are designed for different intensity of use: from a private, home sauna with 2-3 steam sessions per week to a public commercial sauna with many hours of daily loads.

Fire safety

Fire safety assessment is largely subjective and often based on personal negative experience. It is traditionally believed that a wood stove is the most dangerous in this regard. But in order to minimize risks, it is enough to fulfill all the necessary fire safety requirements when building a bathhouse, regularly clean the chimney, and be careful when using the stove. A gas furnace can pose no less a danger if the installation and connection were not carried out in good faith, low-quality materials were used and a gas leak occurs. Using a gas cylinder is an even greater risk factor. The same applies to electric furnaces: a fire due to a short circuit is very likely if the power line wiring is careless, the cross-section of the wire does not correspond to the load, there is no flammable cable protection or used, etc.

Top 4. Heat StandardGas

Rating (2020): 4.31

6 reviews taken into account from resources: Reviewer

• Nomination

  Better heat dissipation

  The heat generator firebox is made of carbon steel ST 20, which is characterized by increased thermal conductivity. In addition, the design of the chimney eliminates the direct outflow of hot air, thereby increasing the heating of the heater.

• Characteristics Average price: RUB 29,980.
• Country Russia
• Heated volume: 10 – 24 cubic meters. m.
• Power: 30 kW
• Gas burner: included
• Kamenka: closed
• Water tank: option

presents 3 gas stove models on the market: MalyutkaGas, StandardGas and SuperGas. They are designed for heating baths of various sizes, and the most popular of them is StandardGas with an average power gas burner of 30 kW. In the owner reviews there are no particular complaints about the operation of the unit. The excellent quality of welds, high heat transfer of the firebox, and impressive heating speed are often noted - up to 100° in less than an hour (the room is properly insulated). Conveniently, the water tank (optional) can be installed in various ways - on the stem, on the rear or side wall, on the pipe. There are also some shortcomings - the protective coating peels off quite quickly.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Long service life – 10 years
• Optional equipment with water tanks
• Heat transfer is 2 times higher than that of analogues
• Collapsible design of the gate unit
• Adding water to the tank without disconnecting it

• Small thickness of the firebox metal – 8 mm
• Poor coloring

And which one to choose?

Russian bath stoves have their own unique characteristics. A proper stove in a Russian bath should not cause harm to health. When burning, metal stoves emit hard infrared radiation. Cast iron ones are too heavy. Cast iron grates are more durable. The choice of a stove for a Russian bath depends on the size of the room, tasks, and financial capabilities.

• From the point of view of the optimal combination of price and quality, for a small private bath we can recommend the Harvia Classic 280 TOP. This brand has long been recognized as one of the most reliable. Harvia is also distinguished by its affordable pricing policy.
• For gourmets - connoisseurs of truly Russian traditions - “Zhikharka” by V. Vasyukhin is suitable. For business - its “Cinderella”. These models allow you to fully reproduce the atmosphere of a Russian steam room and delight you with their appearance. Thick metal ensures durability. Metal stoves emit infrared radiation, but this does not happen here; the metal is used like a thermos, which allows you to warm up the room slowly and evenly.
• "Kuban" has 2 small heaters - open and closed. This is her main advantage. There is a drawback - the small thickness of the walls. The number of stones is not enough to create the optimal steam for which the Russian bath is famous. But only an expert who uses all the advantages of a real Russian bath can feel this. The average person is unlikely to notice the difference.
• The most budget solution will be “Laguna”, which will cost approximately 16,000 rubles. An open heater for our purposes is not a very good solution. This made such models less popular. The optimal temperature of the stones is at least +5000 C. When heated, they instantly transform the water that falls on them into light steam, which is impossible for an open heater. A proper sauna stove should have a closed heater. This will help avoid many problems.
• For those who like to surprise their friends, we can offer “Hephaestus 3K” to show off. The forged cast iron firebox will become the central element in the interior.

Types of devices

The company produces 11 types of stoves for baths and saunas:

• Classic;
• Vertical;
• Optimum;
• Russian steam;
• The president;
• Rusich;
• Lava;
• Premium;
• Elite;
• Legend;
• Scythian.

Each model has its own characteristics, so the consumer has plenty to choose from.

Several letters are added to the name of each model, let's decipher them:

• The letter “B” means that this stove has an external fuel channel, allowing it to be heated from an adjacent room.
• The letter “T” indicates the presence of a heat exchanger in the furnace design.
• The letter “CH” literally means a cast iron door.
• “C” - the stove door is equipped with durable fireproof glass, allowing you to observe the combustion process.
• “K” - indicates that the stove is equipped with a mesh heater.
• "B" - liquid tank.
• The combination of letters “KV” stands for convection-ventilated oven.
• “H” - the percentage of chromium in stainless steel is at least 18%.