FAQs

If the sauna heater has the right size, it raises the temperature by approximately50°F / 10 °C  within 8 minutes and heats the steam room to 176°F / 80 °C within an hour.

Let’s talk about sauna steam. The air of the hot sauna becomes dry, and hence traditionally water is thrown on the sauna stones to obtain a pleasant level of humidity. Throwing water on the hot sauna stones enables you to raise the humidity and the apparent temperature according to your preferences.

• Sauna stones must be hot

The time is right for throwing the water on sauna stones when they are hot enough for complete vaporization of the water. You can try this by throwing a small amount of water.

• Use clean and warm water to add the steam

It is wise to use hot tap water to prevent the stones from breaking from the abrupt temperature change. Water should be clean, and if possible, avoid hard water and water that has a high iron content.

• Use a small amount of water at once

We recommend throwing approximately 80 ml of water at a time. If you desire more steam, wait a few minutes and throw the same amount of water on the sauna stones. This allows the stones to dry in the meantime and regain their heat. If you notice that water runs out from the bottom of the heater, it means you have poured too much water or that the stones are not hot enough.

Between heating, when the sauna is not hot, but there is still a lot of humidity, unwanted bacteria may start thriving in the sauna. To avoid this, it is important to take care of the cleanliness of the sauna. Here are some useful tips for keeping your sauna clean.

• Take a shower before starting your sauna session.
• Before taking a seat on the sauna bench, put something on it – a towel or a special sitting mat that can be easily cleaned afterwards. This prevents the accumulation of sweat on the sauna bench.
• Clean the steam room, the sauna bench and the shower room regularly with a disinfecting detergent. Don’t forget drainage!
• The sauna bench, the walls and the floor should be thoroughly cleaned with a scrubbing brush and a sauna cleaning agent twice a year.
• Wipe the dust and dirt from the sauna heater with a moist cloth.
• After using the sauna, open the windows and doors, and let the rooms dry.

• Proper sauna stones accumulate heat and dissipate it slowly; they are durable and withstand high temperatures. Therefore, high-density and heavy stones should be used as sauna stones.
• We recommend using round sauna stones with variable sizes in HUUM sauna heaters. This ensures that water moves between the layers of sauna stones and evaporates gradually instead of vaporizing at once into the air from the top layer. In addition – the round and soft shape of sauna stones supplements the design of our sauna heaters.
• Our product range includes round olivine diabase sauna stones that are available with two diameters: 3–5 cm  (1.2-2 in) and 5–10 cm (2-4 in). Olivine diabase is a heavy stone, and its approximate density is 3.5 kg/dm3. It is very valuable as a sauna stone because of its durability and high thermal capacity.
• Of course, other sauna stones may also be used in HUUM sauna heaters, but in such cases, it is recommended to choose stones that are specifically meant to be used in sauna heaters and to avoid decorative stones as they may break easily. For example, granite fieldstones are perfectly suitable for sauna stoves.

• Wash the sauna stones before laying them in the heater

Rinse the sauna stones with water before placing them inside the heater. This removes dust from the rocks and provides you with more wholesome steam.

• It is advisable to temper the sauna stones before the first sauna session

Tempering the sauna stones before their first use is recommended to increase their durability. In order to do it, heat them once to the usual sauna temperature, and let them cool down slowly without throwing water on them.

And done!  Sauna stones are ready for subsequent sauna sessions!

Placement of sauna stones significantly affects the quality of the steam. In order to fill the whole space of the sauna heater properly, use smaller and larger stones.

• Sort out bigger and smaller stones

First, take all the sauna stones out of the boxes and separate the smaller stones.

• Fill the sauna heater layer by layer

Stack the sauna stones by layers – start from the bottom of the sauna heater and move towards the top. Stones should also be placed between the heating elements. If you first place sauna stones on one side only, the heating elements might deform or break. Start with bigger stones, and use smaller ones for filling the round parts of the heater and places where there is less space.

• Heating elements should not remain exposed

Leave sufficient gaps for air movement between the sauna stones, and don’t place stones too tightly around the heating elements. Ensure that the heating elements are completely covered and not visible from the exterior surface of the sauna heater. This is important as throwing water directly on the heating elements might damage them. It will also reduce the quality of the steam. Water should evaporate from the sauna stones and not from the heating elements. The top layer of sauna stones should be as dense as possible – this is where the heat arising from below accumulates.

Sauna stones don’t last forever. Contact with water and temperature fluctuations have an impact, and over time they eventually start crumbling. Therefore it is natural that every now and then they should be replaced with new stones.

Frequency of inspecting the condition of sauna stones and replacing them depends on:

• frequency of using the sauna, and
• the quality of sauna stones.

How frequently should sauna stones be exchanged?

• Check the condition of sauna stones once a year or after 300 hours of heating.
• If you heat your sauna three times a week on average, you should replace the sauna stones once a year.
• If you use your sauna less frequently, you should exchange the sauna stones once every couple of years.
• You should check the condition of the sauna stones when heating the sauna takes more time than usual or when the sauna heater does not warm up properly. This may be caused by small stone pieces that block air movement between the sauna stones.

How to check the condition of the sauna stones?

In order to inspect the condition of the stones, remove all the stones from the heater.

• Replace all the sauna stones that are eroded or have become remarkably lighter.
• Clean sauna stones that are dusty or covered with residues of iron-rich water.
• The most convenient solution is to replace all the sauna stones at the same time.

The required quantity of sauna stones depends on the particular HUUM sauna heater model.

• DROP electric sauna heater: approximately 121 lb / 55 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in / 5–10 cm
• HIVE electric sauna heater: approximately 595 lb / 270 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in  / 5–10 cm
• HIVE electric sauna heater with air tunnel: approximately 529 lb / 240 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in / 5–10 cm
• HIVE Mini electric sauna heater: approximately 375 lb / 170 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in / 5–10 cm
• HIVE Mini electric sauna heater with air tunnel: approximately 309 lb / 140 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in / 5–10 cm
• CLIFF electric sauna heater: approximately 165 lb / 75 kg of stones with a diameter of 1.2-2 in / 3–5 cm
• CLIFF Mini electric sauna heater: approximately 132 lb / 60 kg of stones with a diameter of 1.2-2 in / 3–5 cm
• STEEL electric sauna heater: approximately 331 lb / 150 kg of stones with a diameter of  1.2-2 in/ 3–5 cm
• STEEL Mini electric sauna heater: approximately 132 lb / 60 kg of stones with a diameter of 1.2 -2 in /3–5 cm
• HIVE Flow wood-burning stove: approximately 330 lb  / 150 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in / 5–10 cm
• HIVE Flow Mini wood-burning stove: approximately 231 lb  / 105 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in / 5–10 cm
• HIVE Wood 13 wood-burning stove: approximately 198 lb  / 90 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in / 5–10 cm
• HIVE Wood 17 wood-burning stove: approximately 298 lb / 135 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in / 5–10 cm
• HIVE Heat 12 wood-burning stove: approximately 198 lb / 90 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in  / 5–10 cm
• Stone cage: approximately 88 lbs / 40 kg of stones with a diameter of 2-4 in  / 5–10 cm

Remove some stones from the sauna heater to verify that all heating elements are in proper working order and turn red when the heater is switched on. If a heating element does not turn red, it is broken and needs to be replaced promptly. Otherwise you risk with damaging other heating elements as well. Only a competent electrician may replace the heating elements.

The condition of the sauna heater should be checked every now and then. This is particularly important when the sauna heater has not been used for a while.

• If the sauna heater does not function properly (for example, the heater does not warm up or the sauna room warms up too slowly), you’ll find advice and guidelines on our support page “Troubleshooting” section.
• Before cleaning the sauna heater or performing other tasks, disconnect the sauna heater from the power supply and ensure that the heater is not hot.
• Check the condition of sauna stones once a year or after 300 hours of heating.
• Clean the stones when necessary. Replace sauna stones that have started to erode or have become remarkably lighter. Remove all small stone chips from the sauna heater.

Heating elements require replacement only when they are broken. Remove some stones from the sauna heater to verify that all the heating elements are in proper working order. Heating elements should become hot when you switch the sauna heater on. If the heating elements do not turn red, they are damaged and must be replaced.

No. A prerequisite of using HUUM electric sauna heaters is a controller that has a temperature adjustment function. Our sauna heaters are not equipped with an ON/OFF button.

The sauna control panel must be installed outside the steam room. It is recommended to mount it at the user’s eye level next to the door of the steam room.

The main module must be installed in a dry place that is easy to access. It is not recommended to mount the main module in the steam room – the user is solely responsible for installing the main module in the steam room.

When installing a UKU WiFi sauna control system, it is vital to ensure that WiFi coverage is available at the location chosen for the main module.

• Empty the ash drawer before using the sauna stove.
• Light the fire with something small and flammable – for example, with a newspaper or small pieces of dry wood. Gradually add the wood.
• HIVE Wood and HIVE Heat sauna stoves may only be heated with wood logs. Logs with the length of 11,8 in / 30 cm are most suitable for HIVE Wood 13/HIVE Heat. It is recommendable to use logs with the length of 15,7 in / 40 cm in the case of HIVE Wood 17.
• You can adjust the amount of oxygen in the combustion process by opening and closing the ash drawer. Ignition requires more oxygen, so it is advisable to keep the ash drawer open by approximately 10 mm (0,39 in). When the wood is already burning, close the ash drawer a bit, so that about 2–3 mm  (0,12 in) of the drawer remains open. Air flow of HIVE Heat can be regulated from the choke that is located above the door.
• Keep the furnace door closed during heating, and open it only for adding wood.
• Have your eye on the fire and observe when more wood needs to be added.
• When the sauna feels hot enough, it is ready for use.
• Continue adding wood for as long as you wish to keep the sauna hot.
• Avoid overheating the sauna stove. You are overheating your stove if the furnace casing starts glowing red. Overheating causes deformation of the metal, and in such cases, we are not responsible for the resultant damages.
• In case of overheating, close the ash drawer and the furnace door completely to stop the combustion process. If possible, occlude air inflow into the room.

• Choose the right stones for your sauna stove. Natural granite stones or special sauna stones sold at hardware stores are suitable for wood-burning HIVE Wood and HIVE Heat sauna stoves. Our product range includes round olivine diabase sauna stones with a diameter of 2-4 in (5–10 cm) that are suitable for these sauna stoves.
• Empty the ash drawer before each heating since it is used for adjusting the draft.
• Clean the heating surfaces of the furnace regularly, at least once after 20 uses.
• Check the condition of sauna stones once a year or after 300 hours of heating. When necessary, replace the stones.
• At least once a year ask a specialist to clean the chimney and the flue.
• If the sauna has not been used for a long time, the furnace ducts, the grate, and the ash drawer should be checked and cleaned before heating the sauna stove. It is also recommended to inspect the condition of the chimney and the flue and to ask a specialist to clean them when necessary.