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There is a lot at stake when using an infrared sauna, which is
why it is critical that you purchase a sauna from a company that
has full sauna safety certifications such as ETL, CSA, or UL. Sauna
safety should always be a first priority. Infrared saunas are a
great tool for improving health and fitness, but if not properly
certified then there is a risk that they could do the opposite.
INFRARED SAUNA WIRING & CONTROLS
Safety certifications require that the wiring of the infrared sauna
meet specific high heat requirements. These wires, as is commonly
known, are surrounded first, by a sheath of ultra high temperature
insulation and then with a second layer of advanced polymers. The
control panels and other small electronic parts like transistors
in the control box (if there is a control box...) for the infrared
saunas may be constructed of polymers as well.
WHAT MARKS TO LOOK FOR ON INFRARED SAUNAS
Below are the different companies authorized to approve the sauna
safety standards in North America. Look for these when shopping
for infrared saunas, and always buy certified saunas.
Only one of the below certifications is required, not all
of them. The same certification standards are required
in order for any of the companies listed to approve, list, and mark
a product. However, it is important to note that the ENTIRE sauna
and ALL the versions being sold need to be approved. For example,
if a company sells models that operate off of different electrical
requirements (120V, 240V, 15 amp, 20amp, etc.) each version would
need to be approved as certified saunas. Pay very close attention
to this when reviewing a company's certification.
ETL - United States and Canada Safety Standards
Infrared saunas are just one of many products that ETL evaluates
and guarantees for public safety. At the same time, ETL has certified
products for more than 100 years, providing certification marks
that prove a product’s compliance to specific market requirements.
ETL has more than 30 offices and laboratories on six continents
and is a leader in global presence for product certification.
CSA - Canadian Safety Standards
CSA marks on infrared saunas mean that the product has been tested
and meets applicable standards for safety and/or performance, including
the applicable standards written or administered by the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI), Underwriters Laboratories (UL),
Canadian Standards Association (CSA), National Sanitation Foundation
International (NSF), and others.
UL - United States Safety Standards
UL is another trusted source across the globe for product compliance.
They have a range of customers - from manufacturers and retailers
to consumers and regulating bodies - and have tested various electronic
products, such as infrared saunas, for public safety for more than
a century.CE MARK?
CE - European and Australia Safety Standards
The CE mark is a mandatory European marking for certain product
groups to indicate conformity with the essential health and safety
requirements set out in European Directives. To permit the use of
a CE mark on a product, such as certified saunas, proof that the
item meets the relevant requirements must be documented. Sometimes
this is achieved using an external test house which evaluates the
product and its documentation.
News Alert: (click here to read the report)
Safety officials put out an alert on uncertified infrared saunas.
Read this before buying an infrared sauna. It highlights the importance
of sauna safety, and of buying a certified sauna. If a deal sounds
too good to be true it just might be. The primary message of the
warning is to make sure you're buying certified saunas.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Safety certification is essential, but there are also a number
of other things that are different among the many types and brands
of infrared saunas on the market. Next we'll take a look at the
different types of woods that are used in the construction of infrared
saunas.
PLEASE NOTE: The information in
this infrared sauna guide is free to print and distribute as long
as it is not modified in any way. Any publishing of this information
on the Internet does require a link placed back to this site.
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