Initially, sauna users would improvise heat shields using materials such as rocks, bricks, and metal sheets, placing them strategically to protect the structure and users of the sauna. However, as metal stoves became more popular in the late 1900s, the need for more formatted heat shields became apparent.
Modern heat shields are constructed out of aluminum or stainless steel. Each manufacturer has their own heat shields that are specifically designed for specific stove models. Along with sauna heater guard rails, sauna heater guards are the second most wanted sauna safety accessory available.
How does the heat shield protect your sauna against fire hazards? Heat shields have reflective surfaces that deflect the heat away from combustibles. All the materials used in these items are rated for high-temperature exposure. The gap created by heat shields that are placed across the stoves also allow air circulation and reduce heat transfer to surrounding materials this way.
How can you install your sauna heater heat shield? How do you know if you even need one in the first place? First, read the manuals of your sauna heater. You can always locate the manuals from the product pages, or if you already have the sauna heater at your place, you should have one on site. The manuals will talk about the safety distances a specific sauna heater requires. Remember that not all sauna heaters require safety distances of heat shield, but some do. Secondly, measure if you meet these safety distances in your current or upcoming sauna, if you don’t you definitely need a heat shield. Then it’s just about finding the suitable one for your sauna stove. Lastly, we recommend getting one in any case, it’s better safe than sorry they say.
Do you need to replace the heat guard in case you replace your sauna heater? If you’re getting the same model, it’s highly unlikely that you need to replace the heat guard. Do a quick inspection and if it looks fine, you can safely continue with the same one, just replacing the heater.