FAQs | Sauna | Heater & Electrical

All electrical wiring must be performed by a qualified and licensed electrician with complete knowledge of local codes and regulations. Costs of hiring an electrician can vary greatly depending on several factors such as your sauna’s distance from your electrical service box, the state you live in, and the cost of materials. We recommend you get quotes from 2 to 3 different licensed electricians before you begin the installation.

General Electrical Requirements: 

• 240V power  
• Use copper wire with 90C insulation (never aluminum)   

Heaters must be hard wired by a licensed electrician. Consult with your licensed electrician to ensure compliance with national, state, and local codes.  

 Homecraft - Digital Control Heaters These heaters use a wall-mounted control panel (not Wi-Fi enabled). 

• 9kW → Two-pole 50A breaker, 8/2 wire 

 Harvia - Manual Control Heaters   

These heaters have control dials built into the heater (not Wi-Fi enabled). 

• 6kW → Two-pole 30A breaker, 10/2 wire (use 8/2 if distance >90 ft) 
• 8kW → Two-pole 40A breaker, 8/2 wire 
• 9kW → Two-pole 45A breaker, 8/2 wire 

Harvia Digital Control Heaters (Wi-Fi Enabled)  These heaters use a wall-mounted control panel with Wi-Fi connectivity. 

• 6kW → Two-pole 30A breaker, 8/2 wire  
• 8kW → Two-pole 40A breaker, 8/2 wire  
• 9kW → Two-pole 45A breaker, 8/2 wire 
• 10.5kW → Two-pole 50A breaker, 6/2 wire  

✅ Tip: If installing a heater with lighting, use 3-wire (e.g., 10/3, 8/3, or 6/3) instead of 2-wire. 

⚡ Note: Only Harvia Wi-Fi models support connecting a sauna light to the control panel. Non-Wi-Fi models cannot control lighting. 

For manual control heaters, the interior sauna light will require a separate 120V power line, and a switch must be wired in-line. The light switch can be installed wherever is convenient for your property; however, the switch cannot be inside the hot area of the sauna.

For digital Wi-Fi heaters, you do not need to run a secondary 120v line for the sauna light. When wiring a digital Wi-Fi heater your electrician will run a single 240v line from your panel to the Power Unit that comes with the heater. The Power Unit has different voltage outputs which will feed both your sauna heater and the sauna light. The sauna light will be controlled from your digital touchpad and/or myHarvia App.

Harvia heaters are crafted in Finland, the birthplace of sauna culture, by the world’s leading sauna heater manufacturer. Considered the gold standard for performance and durability, Harvia heaters are imported directly from Europe and meet the strictest safety and quality standards. 

Homecraft heaters are proudly made in Canada by a family-owned company with deep expertise in electrical design. Created by a master electrician, Homecraft heaters combine reliability, safety, and ease of installation, making them a trusted choice for modern sauna owners. 

Every sauna heater we carry is certified for use in the United States, so you can enjoy the perfect balance of heritage, innovation, and peace of mind. 

Our heaters are hardwired. They must be directly connected to a power source by a qualified and trained electrician.

The unique mounting requirements of the different heaters means that each sauna design is only compatible with certain heater types. For example, the only heater that mounts compatibly in our Extra Wide Barrels is the KIP heater family.

In our larger saunas, an 8kW or higher wattage heater is advised so we do not offer the 6kW heater as an option.

Yes. For properties located above 4,000 feet, heaters may require additional time to heat up or may not reach maximum temperatures due to reduced air pressure. 

The Harvia KIP heater is the only model that requires special calibration for high-altitude use and must be special ordered.  

For properties at high elevations, please contact Redwood Outdoors customer support or sales staff for guidance on selecting, ordering, and optimizing your heater for peak performance. 

Harvia Wi-Fi sauna heaters require 240v and must be hardwired to your electrical panel.  

Your heater package will include a Xenio Wi-Fi Remote Kit which is required for installation and contains the following: 

• Power Unit 
• Control Panel w/ 16’ Cable 
• Temperature Sensor w/ 13’ Cable 

Installation & Waterproofing: 

The Control Panel, Temperature Sensor, and heater will all connect into the Power Unit (see diagram below). 

❗Note: The Power Unit and Control Panel are not weatherproof and must be housed in weatherproof protection or installed in a dry area. Do not install the Power Unit or Control Panel inside the sauna.  

The cables provided for the Control Panel (16’) and Temperature Sensor (13’) must not be spliced, so it is important to plan where these will be installed in accordance with those lengths. If a longer cable is needed, it may be specially ordered in lengths up to 82' for an additional cost. 

Wi-Fi Signal: 

The Control Panel must be located where it has a strong Wi-Fi signal to allow for remote control from your smartphone or tablet. 

It is not possible to upgrade manual control Harvia heaters to Wi-Fi control. If you decide to change to Wi-Fi in the future, it will mean replacing the heater itself.

Wi-Fi sauna heaters require a 2.4GHz connection. 

If you have 5GHz internet set up on your property, many modern internet routers have dual band capabilities allowing users to create a separate 2.4GHz network to pair with your heater. Sometimes a router upgrade is needed to achieve this. If you have questions about how to set this up, please contact your internet provider for support. 

Wi-Fi heaters require a strong (full bar) signal strength for connection. If you have a weak connection where your sauna is located, a Wi-Fi extender may help with this.