FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Find answers to our most common questions

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Sauna Rooms

  What should the sauna door to be like?

Answer: The sauna door should always be sealed. So that the door does not "leak" heat and affect the ventilation of the sauna. Refrigerator doors have seals for the same reason. Door should always open outwards.

  What is the correct temperature when taking a sauna?

Answer: There is no correct temperature for a sauna; it depends on the preferences of the one taking the sauna. With heat storing sauna heaters, the sauna has a low temperature, and with wall sauna heaters, the sauna has higher temperatures. To achieve a high temperature, the sauna has to be heated up over a longer time. Read more about different sauna bathing forms here: Sauna bathing forms.

  Is it wise to use thin insulation?

Answer: It is never wise to save on insulation, as a change will affect the output selection of the sauna heater. Pay special attention to the ceiling. We always measure saunas fully thermally insulated with minimum 45mm

  Is it permitted to place an evaporator and an electric sauna heater into the same sauna?

Answer: No. The structures of a sauna room and a steam room are completely different. Both products are controlled separately, and this might cause a safety risk, and the sauna heater to fail.

  I want to have ceramic tiles inside my sauna. Can I use plaster as a base?

Answer: Tiles are fine in a sauna but there are a few things you need to think about. Tiles get hot inside a sauna! They'll burn you if you touch them. Benches, backrests and other parts that your body comes into contact with must be made of wood. Tiles are also "heavier" to heat up. You may need a more powerful heater. A rule of thumb is to add one cubic metre of room volume for each square metre of "heavy" material (tiles, stone, glass). If you are going to have tiles in your sauna, we do not recommend plaster as a base because of the high temperatures. We do not currently make any specific recommendations regarding base materials for tiles. Please contact interior materials suppliers for information.

  Can I have a window in my sauna?

Answer: You can have a window but it must be made of tempered glass which is able to withstand the differences in temperature and will not crack. If the window can be opened, make sure it is always closed properly when the sauna is on.

  I'm going to build a sauna, is it possible to buy just a door and benches from Tylö?

Answer: Of course. We have a range of doors and benches to choose from. Please contact one of our dealers for more information. Or klick here to see our assortment of doors and benches.

  Does the wood inside the sauna need to be treated in any way?

You can apply several coats of boat varnish to the door step and handles and the wooden floor or decking. This protects the wood’s finish and provides a beautiful, dirt-repellent surface that always retains its freshness.

Sauna benches, backrests and skirting panels are oiled on both sides with Tylö sauna oil. This odourless treatment makes cleaning easier and produces a water-repellent surface.
Please note! The walls and ceiling inside the sauna must not be treated.

If the sauna has been fitted with glass windows or walls, it is advisable to treat the lower strips against the glass with extra care. Condensation often forms here and this can damage the wood. Apply boat varnish to the exposed sections or repeat the oil treatment at more frequent intervals.

  It is not possible to have incoming air underneath the heater. Can I have a gap under the door as an air inlet instead?

Answer: It is possible that it is working provided the heater is close to the door but we cannot guarantee it. There is a risk that the overheat protection in the Tylö heater will trip if the sauna does not have an optimal ventilation and air flow. There are so many different ways of building a sauna and it is important, right at the planning stage, to make sure that you are using the right ventilation depending on what heater you have. Tylö Sense heater can only be used with natural ventilation with the air inlet is under the heater and the air outlet is at the top of the wall, as far away from the heater and incoming air as possible. The outgoing air must be fed back to the same space from which the incoming air is drawn. Our Tylö heaters can be used with natural ventilation and forced mechanical ventilation. The guarantee does not cover any problems arising from poor or incorrect ventilation. 

  The height inside my sauna is 2.60 metres. Is that a problem?

Answer: A sauna is heated from the top downwards, so if it has a very high ceiling it will take longer to heat up. There is no real benefit in having such height in a sauna unless you're going to have several layers of benches that will fill that space. A lower ceiling will save energy and reduce the amount of time it takes to heat the sauna.

  How should I clean my sauna?

To achieve the maximum possible return from your sauna, it is important to keep it clean and attractive. You should therefore clean the sauna regularly. Scrub the benches and floor with a green liquid soap, which is a mild and gentle detergent with a pleasant, old-fashioned fragrance.

  I'm building a sauna upstairs under a sloping roof. The heater will be on an end wall where the ceiling is lowest. I'm wondering if you need to have at least 190 cm above the entire heater or is it all right if just half the heater is more than 190 c

Answer: It is important to follow the specified safety distances. If the heater requires a ceiling height of 190 cm, the ceiling height (from floor to ceiling) must be at least 190 cm in the entire sauna. 

Sauna Heater

  Where can I find the nearest distributor?

Answer: See the page Find a dealer to search for your nearest dealer or click here

  When an electric sauna heater is installed in the sauna, how is the ventilation to be arranged?

Ther are two schools of ventilation:

Tradtional or natural ventiliation that uses the hot airs natular flow. An inlet of fresh air under the heater and an outlet at the opposit wall high up by the celing. This gives a lower temperature at the floor and the lower benches. Our Tylö Sense heaters and Tylö Expression requires this traditional ventilation. It is also often used with wood burning heaters, but it can be used for all of our heaters.

Forced mechanlical ventiliation is based on an inlet of fresh air right above the heater or in the celing above the heater. And an outlet at the opposit wall by the floor. This gives a more even temparature in the sauna. This ventilation technic can´t be used for our Tylö Sense and Tylö Expression heaters, but for all others.

  How do I calculate the sauna volume, when installing an electric sauna heater in the sauna?

Answer: Multiply the height by the width and length. Add the volume of cold surfaces to the previous result: i.e. calculate the stone and glass surface are and multiply by 1.5. The result is in cubic metres, you then add this to the volume of the sauna. Select a sauna heater output according to the result.

  How do you choose a heater with the right output?

Your choice of heater will depend on how large your sauna is. Always choose a heater that provides the maximum output in relation to the size of the sauna. The greater the output in relation to the volume of the space, the easier it is for the heater to heat the sauna and maintain the temperature. It also means that energy consumption is minimised.

You will need a heater with a higher output if the walls inside the sauna are made of a heavy material, such as concrete, glass, tiles, etc. To calculate the required output, add one cubic metre to the total volume of the sauna room for every square metre of heavy wall material.

  Is a consumer allowed to install an electric sauna heater?

Answer: No. Only an authorised person is allowed to connect a sauna heater to the electrical network, according to the electricity regulations in force.

  Where can I find information about what kind of heater I have?

The data rating plate is located furthest down on one of the ends of the heater. This shows what model it is, the serial number, the power rating of the heater and the year/month of manufacture.

  Where can I find information about the minimum safety distance for my heater?

Details about minimum safety distances are given in the operating instructions that come with each product, User's Manuals and Brochures. You can also consult your nearest distributor.

  Do I need to have stones in my heater?

Answer: Most of our Tylö Sense Heaters require that stones are placed in the heater. Check the manual for the specific model of sauna heater to now what applies to your model. 

  What is the best stone for sauna heaters?

Answer: The best stone is always tested by the sauna heater manufacturer. Tylö recommends vulcanite mineral, this stone quality is appropriate for the sauna heater and it is safe. Please read the technical specification for your chosen heater.

  Why is the use of ceramic stones not permitted in sauna heaters?

Answer: Ceramic stones will destroy the resistors and shorten their operating life considerably.

  How often is it necessary to reset the sauna heater stones in normal use?

Answer: The stones should be reset according to the following principle: if you use the sauna once a week, the stones should be reset once a year, if you use the sauna twice a week, the stones should be reset twice a year. When resetting the stones, broken and sand-surfaced stones are removed and replaced by new ones. As they are used, the stones gradually break down and become more compact. It is therefore important to restack them occasionally to allow the air to flow freely between the stones. Good air circulation is required to ensure the heater works properly and to maximise the life of the heating elements.

The stone compartment in a public sauna, which is used continuously, should be inspected once a month and the stones replaced when necessary.

  Should my heater be covered in stones?

Answer: Tylö's traditional heaters should only have stones in the central compartment, i.e. the two compartments on either side must not covered. Do not place any stones on the grille on top of the heater.

Exceptions to this are the SO, EP, EH and EZ which have a larger compartment for stones that should be completely filled.

  What do I do if there are problems with the sauna heater?

Answer: Call the nearest service company.

  How often should the stones in a sauna be replaced?

That mainly depends on how often the sauna is used. If it's a private sauna that is used twice a week on average, you should replace the stones once a year. As they are used, the stones gradually break down and become more compact. It is therefore important to restack them occasionally to allow the air to flow freely between the stones.

Good air circulation is required to ensure the heater works properly and to maximise the life of the heating elements. We generally recommend replacing the stones once a year in a public sauna, if it is used once a week on average. Twice a week, twice a year, and so on... The stone compartment in a public sauna, which is used continuously, should be inspected once a month and the stones replaced when necessary. 

  Can I pour water onto the heater?

When your heater is hot, you can pour water over the stones to increase the humidity in the sauna. The amount of water you pour on the stones each time will depend somewhat on the size of the heater. One scoop of water, about 15 cl. is fine. If the water runs out of the bottom of the heater, it means that you've poured too much water or the stones are not hot enough. Wait a few minutes before you pour on more.

  Why does the sauna not heat up enough?

Answer: First check the fuse box to see whether a fuse has blown. Look to see if all the heating elements are glowing when the heater is turned on. If they are not, it might be because the heater's overheat protection has tripped.

Other factors that affect the heating in the sauna are ventilation, position of the temperature sensor, how well sealed and insulated the sauna is and whether the heater's output is correctly sized for the sauna. Don't forget that if your sauna walls are made of materials such as stone, tiles, concrete or glass, a greater output is required to heat the sauna than would be needed for an insulated wooden sauna.

If everything seems to be in order but the sauna is still not heating up properly, contact the dealer where you purchased the heater.

  If the sauna heater breaks down, during the guarantee period, whom do I contact?

Answer: Contact the nearest contract service company. Click here to find a dealer or distributor close to you

  How long is the guarantee for sauna heaters?

Private use: The Tylö electrical sauna heaters, steam generators and control panels have 2-year warranty and in addition, another 3-year material warranty.

  Where can I buy spare parts for the sauna heater?

Answer: Contact your Tylö dealer to buy spare parts. Click here to find a dealer close to you.

  Can there be stone and glass surfaces in a sauna with a heat storing sauna heater?

Answer: Yes, but all the walls and ceiling must be thermally insulated.

  I have an older model of heater and one of the coils has stopped working. Is it possible to fit new coils in the heater?

Yes, in most cases it's possible to replace the heating coil elements. Contact a Tylö dealer for more information. Click here to find your dealer.

  My heater has suddenly stopped working or some of the elements are not heating up?

First check to see whether a fuse has blown or the circuit breaker has tripped. If that's not the reason, it is likely that the overheat protection has shut the heater off. Tylö's sauna heaters have a temperature limiter built into the switch box at the bottom of the heater. This is tripped automatically if there is any risk of overheating. Always contact a qualified electrician to re-set the temperature limiter if it is not possible to re-set it on the outside of the heater.

  What causes the overheat protection to trip?

Answer: If the overheat protection trips, it is usually an indication of poor or inadequate ventilation through the heater and the sauna room. Always follow the instructions in the heater manual about the design and specifications for ventilation in the sauna.

Always check the stone compartment if the overheat protection thermostat trips. If the stones have become compact, restack them to allow for the free flow of air between them.

Always contact a qualified electrician to re-set the overheat protection thermostat if it is not possible to re-set it on the outside of the heater.

  How do I re-set the overheat protection on my Tylö Compact 2/4?

Answer: There is a grey cover next to the thermostat control. Remove this cover and re-set the overheat protection using a pencil or similar object.

Control panels

  Is the connection of an old control centre to a new sauna heater permitted?

Answer: No. The sauna heater and the control centre are always type approved with each other.

  Is the connection of a new control centre to an old sauna heater permitted?

If you have a Tylö heater: If you have an older model heater, even if it’s  from the 70s or 80s or later, it's usually possible to connect it to a more modern control like relay box Commercial lite with Pure or Elite control panel. Contact your Tylö dealer for more information. 

  Why does the temperature shown in the electronic control centre differ from the sauna's own mechanical thermometer?

Answer: The electronic control centre is more accurate than the mechanical thermometer. The measurement locations are not the same.

  Is it permitted to install the control panel inside the sauna?

Answer: Control panel Pure and Elite can be placed inside the sauna provided it is a Tylö built sauna room. Follow the instructions given in the manual for each product on installing the control panel inside the sauna room. 

  Can the control panel be installed inside the steam room?

Answer: Control panels Pure and Elite are both approved to be placed inside the steam room.

  Where should the temperature sensor be placed?

Where the temperature sensor should be placed is depending on what model of control panel you have. The sensor should never be placed directly above the heater nor to far from it. Follow the instructions given in the manual for each product.

In a steam room, the sensor should be about 180 cm from the floor and well away from the steam head.

  The sensor cable is too short

Answer: The sensor comes with a four-meter-long cable. If necessary, it can be elongated with a two-wire cable. 

Combi Sauna and Steam

  My Combi heater is not producing steam

Answer: The temperature limit for the steam production function has probably tripped. This sometimes happens when you take a traditional dry sauna without water in the tank because of the radiant heat that is produced. The temperature limiter reset button is at the bottom of the Sense Combi models. Press the button firmly until you hear it click. It can also be for Sense Combi Pure models that the temperature level is set too high. To activate steam function from start set temperature setting to max level 5.

  How much water should I have in my Combi heater?

Answer: The tanks of the larger Combi heaters (6-10 kW) hold about 5 liters of water. The smaller Sport Combi 4 tank holds about 2.5 liters. The 6-10kW heater emits an audible signal when the tank is full. 

  The buzzer on my newly-installed Combi Compact H1 sounds continuously when I turn the heater on

Answer: The very first time you start the heater, you have to select Combi Compact from the menu on the control panel (the options are Combi Compact, Sauna, Steam). If you choose Sauna, the buzzer will sound continuously. You have to re-set the control panel to default settings in order to be able to select Combi Compact from the menu. The buzzer may also sound continuously if the connection between the control panel and heater is wrong.

  Only two of the three heating elements come on in my Sense Combi heater
  My heater shuts down after about 15 minutes

Answer: There is probably something wrong with the temperature sensor if it is an older Tylö Combi model older than 2011. If the control panel does not receive the correct values from the temperature sensor, the heater shuts down automatically after 15 minutes. If it happens to a newer Sense Combi model, check the run time setting in the control panel. 

Steam Room and Steam Showers

  I can no longer regulate the temperature on my Tylette shower

Answer: Contact your nearest Tylö dealer We have spare parts for models of Tylö steam showers and shower cabins, with integrated mixer tap, manufactured after 2003. We have a limited stock of spare parts for earlier models.

  Where can I get spare parts?

Answer: Contact a Tylö dealer. You can find your nearest Tylö dealer using the dealer search function on our website.

  There is water trickling from the steam head

Answer: Some water droplets will always come from the steam outlet since part of the steam will condense to water so it is not a sign of any problem. But if more water than usual comes from the steam head, the most likely reason is a coating of limescale (calcium) on the electrodes which sense the water level. It is also possible that the extractor hose to the electrode pipe is blocked so steam generator needs service 

  What is the difference between a steam room and a steam sauna?

A steam sauna is a sauna with a lower temperature, a slightly higher humidity, but the heat is still generated by a sauna heater.

A steam room has a temperature of about 50 degrees and the humidity level is 100%. Steam is produced by a steam generator and this heats the room and keeps the humidity level high.

  Do you need to have ventilation in a steam room?

Answer: Yes and no.

In general, steam rooms for private use, or that are used for shorter periods of time, do not need their own ventilation.

However, for reasons of hygiene and performance, all steam rooms that are used for more than two hours at a time must be connected to a mechanical air extraction system.

This should be designed for an air exchange rate of 10 to 20 m3 of air per person per hour. Without this ventilation, the steam room's heat losses are reduced, which also means reduced production of steam during periods of continuous operation.

Steam Generator

  Can I use Prisol tubing to conduct the steam to the steam room?

Answer: You can use Prisol tubing, but the plastic coating around the tube may become brittle and crack after some time due to the high temperatures which reach 95-98 degrees. We recommend using rigid, insulated, copper tubes. Make sure there are no sharp, angular bends in the tubes.

  Can I install the steam generator inside a cupboard?

Answer: Yes, you can. Provided there is sufficient space around the steam generator so that it can be serviced and maintained. You must also make sure that it is well ventilated. There should be about 50 cm of space all around a VA steam generator to allow for it to be serviced. We recommend 30 cm of space around the sides and 50 cm above a VB steam generator.

  Can I install the steam generator inside the steam room?

Answer: No, you can't. It must be installed in a dry, well-ventilated space.

  Does the steam generator need descaling and why?

Answer: Yes, the steam generator has to be descaled. How often will depend on the water quality and how long the generator is in operation. You can find specific instructions in your product manual. When water boils, the steam that leaves the generator is pure water vapour. Any calcium and minerals that are in the water remain inside the generator and form a layer of deposits that can eventually damage the generator if not removed.

Infrared sauna

  How hot does it get in a infrared sauna from Tylö?

Answer: The temperature varies depending on the size of the room and the ambient temperature. The temperature inside an infra-red cabin does not matter a great deal because you feel the infra-red rays warming your body.

  Can I have an infrared sauna made-to-measure?

Answer: Unfortunately, we do not offer custom-made cabins at this time. Our infrared cabins are available in four sizes. 

One alternative is the possibility to add infrared panels to your sauna room to be controlled together with Sense Elite heater. 

See the Infrared product page on our website for more information. 

  How long is the connecting cable to the infra-red cabin?

Answer: It is two metres long and has a 230V plug.