General Infrared Questions
Quality and Construction Differences
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GENERAL INFRARED QUESTIONS
What is an Infrared Heat Therapy Room?
A Finnleo Infrared heat therapy room provides soothing heat, directly radiated to the body, with almost no time waiting for preheating. The amount and positioning of the heat sources is specially harmonized to the particular Infrared room’s design and size. The heat radiates in a wide angle from each heater so the heat is spread evenly within the cabin space.
What is the difference between a traditional Finnish Sauna and a Finnleo Infrared Heat Therapy Room?
In an Infrared Heat Therapy Room, the ambient temperature is much lower than a traditional sauna, humidity levels are at normal household humidity's, there is less heat-up time, and the heat is directed at the bather. Please visit our infrared information page for further differences between the two types.
How do you decide if you should buy a traditional sauna or an infrared sauna?
There are 2 primary considerations on which type of sauna someone buys. The first is the application. A traditional sauna can come in any size, shape or style. The options are only limited by your imagination and most of the traditional saunas require 240 volts (except for our Theraport sauna). The Infrared saunas come in 3 predetermined sizes and have the 120 volt plug in advantage. The second consideration is the usage and what feels better. If possible, try both types of saunas to decide what is best for you. The traditional sauna offers the high heat and steam option where the infrared can offer perspiration at a much lower temperature. If you still can't decide, then consider the Finnleo 2-in-1 Infra Sauna. This 6' X 6' model combines a 6KW traditional sauna heater with 9 infrared heaters all in one unit. Two digital control units are wired in to operate this unit. The Infra Sauna is perfect for the person that can't decide.
What is the difference between "infrared" and "far infrared"?
Most of the infrared saunas on the market are selling far infrared. The only difference is that some are trying to claim that they have farther far infrared which is not the case. The few trying to make this claim are actually the ones which have the shortest elements, which translates into more energy in a smaller length, thus a hotter element. The higher the heat, the shorter the wavelength, not longer. Far infrared is considered longer wavelengths, or a wavelength closer to the sun's wavelength, which is about 8 microns. The closer you are to 8 microns, the greater your body absorbs the energy. Thus, these claims are actually different from reality. In reality, all of the infrareds on the market are going to penetrate your body and cause you to sweat profusely. The big difference is heater locations (most don't even bother to put any of the front of side wall. They either put them on the sides or front and back, but not on all four walls like we do) and the comfort of the heat. Since our "Gentle Balance" heat cuts back the power rather than shutting off the elements once it reaches power, you will actually sweat more without having hot or cold spots. Others will have you open the door, so the elements kick back on or they deliberately try to lose heat from the room so the elements stay on without the room getting too hot.
How is infrared measured?
Infrared is measured differently in different parts of the world. In Europe, infrared categories are named as A, B or C. In the US, infrared is often referred to as near, mid and far. There is no standard of how to label Infrared wavelengths. Different institutions will give different names to the same wavelength groups.
What infrared does the body absorb?
The body absorbs between .50 and 25.0 microns. Doctors administer between .50 and 1.5 by with a license. A Finnleo IR room produces 5 micron wavelength energy and that can be absorbed by the human body.
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QUALITY AND CONSTRUCTION DIFFERENCES
How is your infrared therapy room different and better than the others I have seen on the net?
The biggest difference is in the delivery of the heat. The Finnleo infrared element design and control design allows the radiant heat to penetrate the body fully, but not having to operate at 100% power. The key difference in infrared heat is when the elements are on and when they are off. Infrared feels cold when the elements are off, but with our Gentle Balance control system the heat doesn't shut off, but rather cuts back power still giving you the full benefit without any cold or hot spots.
What are the biggest differences between a Finnleo Infrared room and other brands?
The Finnleo Infrared room differs from other brands in many categories
including:
· Room Height
· Doors
· Infrared Heaters
· Controls
· Wood Choices
· Flooring
· Lighting
· Safety Listing
Height: Finnleo rooms are 80" tall vs. most competitors which are 70" or 72". This provides a more open feeling and gives more head room for our taller customers.
Doors: All Finnleo rooms come standard with an all glass door as opposed to horizontal T&G with Plexiglass windows offered on most competitor models.
Infrared Heaters: Finnleo offers long Long length Stainless steel emitters which translates into a softer, more desirable heat and the proper wavelengths to maximize absorption.
Infrared Controls: The Gentle Balance is an exclusive Finnleo feature which allows a reduction of power without turning all of the elements off completely which can cause cold spots. For more information, please see the Infrared Controls page.
Wood choices: A Finnleo Infrared room offers many wood choices including the popular Nordic White Spruce and Abachi combination. Also, Finnleo rooms have vertically hanging wood vs. horizontal. The horizontal is cheaper and tends to look busier to the eye.
Flooring: Finnleo offers a water and sweat resistant vinyl floor which will not absorb sweat and moisture like the cedar or plywood floors offered on the competitors.
Lighting: Finnleo offers flexible lighting with or without a lampshade for reading or for mood changing effects.
Safety listing: This is one area that companies have taken liberties which hold no water. While many companies claim to be U.L. or CSA listed, most in fact are not. Ask for their U.L. or CSA file # and verify with each agency if they are in fact listed. Most will finally admit that their units use CSA listed components but are not CSA listed as a complete unit. Finnleo's infrared rooms are listed as complete units with CSA-US and carry the US listing as well. This ensures safety and satisfaction knowing your Finnleo unit is built to perform and give you years of enjoyable use.
What makes Finnleo infrared elements different from any other manufacturer?
The Finnleo elements are Stainless steel sheathed elements, not ceramic. Our elements are also the longest on the market which translates into a fuller swath of radiant heat and much more comfortable sweating. Smaller elements tighten the radiant zone and is what gives hot spots on the elbows, back, thighs, etc. The wattage of the element versus length of the element determine the density and how warm the element will reach. The higher the density, the warmer the element surface, and the shorter the infrared wavelength.
Can the infrared heaters be bought separately?
Our Infrared heaters are not sold separately. Great care is taken to ensure all the products sold in a Finnleo Infrared heat therapy room are completely safety tested and listed in the U.S. They are listed only as installed.
What are the differences in the wood choices that Finnleo offers and other brands?
The biggest difference between using Nordic White Spruce or Nordic Pine (our two most popular choices) and using Poplar/Aspen or Cedar is the look. The Nordic Whitewoods show more grain of the wood, but stay the lightest and are the easiest to keep clean of all the woods. The Poplar/Aspen has relatively little grain but is also very bright white like the whitewoods. Poplar is very popular among users who have environmental toxicity or have sensitivity to some woods especially Cedar and Redwood. Cedar is the darkest of our wood choices, but is still quite popular in North America. Cedar will show sweat stains and absorb dirt the fastest of all the wood types, but it has a nice cedar aroma.
What is the "Gentle Balance" system and why would I want that?
The biggest difference with our product and all others on the market is our Gentle Balance Heat, the "Secret to the Heat". This feature cuts back the power once temperature is reached instead of shutting off the elements entirely other infrared rooms shut the power off which is what gives infrared rooms their notorious cold feeling since you are heating the body directly, not the air. With Gentle Balance, the heat does not stop, yet the temperatures can be maintained at a very comfortable level.
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Combination Sauna and Infrared Room
If interested in receiving the benefits of both a Finnleo Infrared Heat therapy room and a traditional Finnish sauna, consider the Finnleo 2-in-1 InfraSauna.
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