An infrared sauna: Luxury at a price you can relax with

By Barbara Ruben - Special to The Washington Post
The Washington Post
Real Estate Section
February 6, 2010

Lyme disease left Kathy Fowler's hands so stiff that she couldn't type. She couldn't remember simple directions. Intravenous antibiotics helped, but Fowler, a health reporter for WJLA (Channel 7), wanted to explore alternative treatments as well.

So she bought a sauna.

"It is an amazing tool. I felt better in a week than in the months taking antibiotics," she said. "It also makes your skin look fabulous."

TYPICAL COST: The price varies widely depending on the type of sauna purchased. Fowler bought a prefabricated two-person, infrared sauna on sale from a pool company for $915. Her husband put it together in the basement workout room of their Rockville home in about three hours.

"I was kind of shocked how nice it is because it was so inexpensive," Fowler said, noting that her sauna came with a built-in CD player and radio.

Retailers such as Sears and Wal-mart also sell infrared saunas in the $1,000 to $1,200 range. Depending on size and features, they can cost up to about $7,000. Most are made from softwoods such as cedar or hemlock.

Infrared saunas use radiant heat to warm the user's body directly, and the sauna itself remains relatively cool. Conventional saunas warm the air, either from water poured over hot rocks to create steam or via an electric heater.

Conventional saunas that are built into homes are much more expensive. A 6-by-6 cedar sauna with a glass door requires about $3,500 in materials, said Jay Irwin, president of Irwin Design and Build, a residential improvement firm in Potomac. Labor and electrical work add another $4,500 or so, for a minimum cost of $8,000. Irwin notes that while his company put in four saunas in 2008, he installed only one in 2009, probably because of the recession.

HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE: Adding a sauna will not increase homeowner's insurance rates, said Matt Bordonaro, a spokesman for Travelers Insurance. However, he recommended reviewing coverage to make sure it is adequate to include the cost of the sauna should the house be destroyed.

PROPERTY VALUE: "It's sort of a wash," according to Melissa Brown, a real estate agent with Evers and Co. in the District. "It's like getting a pool.

If you want it, it's a plus, but if not, it's a big negative." Home buyers might be concerned about maintenance and worried about their children using them, she said.

OF NOTE: Some health insurance plans may reimburse the cost of a sauna.