Do-it-yourself sauna drain, odorless, step-by-step guide

Upon completion of the main work associated with the construction of the box, it is necessary to solve the problem of arranging a wastewater disposal system. In order to make a drain in a bathhouse with your own hands effective and, most importantly, reliably working, you will need to think in advance about its structure and the layout of the sewer pipes, otherwise you will have to regularly dismantle the floor and modify the system.

Classic bathhouse washing area with benches and pouring floor

Is it worth making a collection for draining water?

Sewer drain
Sewerage, as a rule, is done at the initial stage of construction. In our case, this project should be tackled as early as possible, for example, after pouring the foundation. Sewer pipes should be used, preferably polypropylene, with a diameter of at least 110 mm.

When laying pipes, they must always be laid downhill. There should be no horizontal sections so that the water does not stagnate in them, but flows directly into a well or pit. In the bathhouse itself, in a pit on the floor, it is advisable to install a sewer drain with a mechanical anti-freeze and odor-blocking device. This fashionable and practical gadget will help get rid of unpleasant odors and cold winter air. In this case, the following important points should be taken into account:

• How many people is the bathhouse designed for?
• Soil structure and freezing depth
• Seasonal operating time of the bath (summer or all year round)
• Depth of groundwater

By answering all these questions, you can draw certain conclusions. If the steam room is used only in the countryside, summer version, then draining the water from the bathhouse is as easy as shelling pears. Although this also has its own characteristics. So, the simplest option is to drain the wastewater from the bathhouse into a drainage ditch. It often happens that shallow trenches called ditches are dug around their perimeter to dry areas. They are regularly monitored, that is, they are cleaned of debris, branches, and shedding. Such ditches can be an ideal place for draining water.

Here is another option without a collector for draining water - crash into the central sewer collector. True, here you need its presence, and this is not often seen, especially if the bathhouse is located in the country or outside the city. But whoever has such an opportunity, it is wise to take advantage of it.

If the soil is well absorbent and the bathhouse is used only in summer, you don’t have to worry about draining the water at all. To do this, a trench about a meter deep and 30-40 cm wide is dug at a distance of two to three meters from the bathhouse.

The length of such a trench is determined as water is absorbed and consumed. Then a so-called drainage cushion made of expanded clay, crushed stone or other similar material is filled in. The sewer pipe from the bathhouse is led into this pillow at an angle, and everything is covered with soil on top. Simple, fast, effective.

What needs to be done before construction begins

The neck of a hole filled with soil

Everyone knows that the construction of any object or communication must begin with design. The construction of a treatment plant for a bathhouse will not be an exception.

GWL assessment

First of all, you need to find out at what level the groundwater lies. If this level is high enough, then the construction of a traditional drainage pit will have to be abandoned, since it will be filled with soil water.

How can you determine at what distance from the surface soil waters lie? As a rule, to obtain this information it is necessary to carry out a hydrogeological study, including drilling ores. However, a preliminary assessment of the situation can be made using ancient folk methods:

Brick drain pit

Determining the volume of chambers and other construction nuances

The volume of the receiving chambers depends on the size of the bathhouse - the drainage pit should be larger the larger the number of people who will use the washing room.

If the volume of the pit is insufficient, the wastewater simply will not fit in it and will flow over the edge. Also, you should evaluate the quality of the soil on the site; this determines whether it will be necessary to strengthen the edges of the pit.

The location of the treatment tank should be determined in advance. As a rule, it is recommended to place the pit at a distance of 2-2.5 meters from the bathhouse. Otherwise, it will be difficult to build a pipeline with the required slope.

Advantages and disadvantages of sewer drain devices

Today, there are a huge number of devices for arranging a drainage system for a bathhouse. They have both positive and negative sides. These include:

Drainage well. It is a deep pit, the walls of which are filled with filtrate. For this, sand, small crushed stone, and pebbles are used.

Drain well. This is a large container for collecting sewer liquids, in which waste from the bathhouse gradually accumulates. As it is filled, it is cleaned using special equipment or a machine.

The advantages of such a system are: ease of installation and arrangement of the drainage pit, low cost. Negative qualities include: frequent cleaning, inconvenient location of the drain well. As a rule, installation should be carried out at the lowest point of the site.

Pit. It is located under the floor covering of the bathhouse. Drain waste is collected in this pit and undergoes independent cleaning through a filtrate of fine materials.

The positive qualities of the system include: low cost of materials, easy installation. The disadvantages of such a structure are: low throughput; it can be used on sandy and sandy loam soils.

Ground filtration. This is a system that consists of a septic tank and several pipes. Purified water passes through them. The pipeline is laid at a certain angle, due to which all the liquid will drain on its own and be absorbed by the soil.

The advantages of such a system are considered to be: it can be used for the entire sewer network; with its help, the liquid is thoroughly cleaned of harmful impurities. A photo of a bathhouse drain shows the process of filtering sewage waste.

Tips for choosing material

Polypropylene pipes for sewerage installations

To install the drainage system in the bathhouse, modern high-strength plastic pipes of the required diameter are used. The average service life of the product, subject to installation technology, is 50 years.

Depending on the requirement, pipes made of materials such as:

• PVC - polyvinyl chloride;
• PVC - chlorinated polyvinyl chloride;
• PP - polypropylene;
• HDPE - low-density polyethylene.

Pipes made of PVC, PP and HDPE are not afraid of moisture and are not subject to corrosion. Thanks to the intuitive mounting, they are easy to install. Most manufacturers of plastic pipes have a wide range of products, which allows you to select products of the desired length, diameter and shape.

PVC pipes for laying communications in the ground

The use of cast iron pipes is impractical - they are expensive, difficult to deliver to the work site and difficult to install, although the products are highly durable and reliable.

Asbestos-cement pipes are also not the best choice for drainage in a bathhouse. In addition to low strength, they have a rough inner surface, which does not have the best effect on the natural flow of water. This is especially noticeable for highways longer than 10 m.

The cross-section of the drain pipe is selected taking into account the water intake points in the bathhouse. For a typical bath with a steam room and a washing room, a pipe with a diameter of 11 cm is sufficient. For small baths with a single flush, a pipe with a diameter of no more than 7 cm is allowed.

Bath drainage device

In different rooms of the bathhouse, it is customary to make drainage devices that differ in design and operating principle. There are three options for constructing a drain in a bathhouse:

• Raised floors with sheer floorboards. Often used in a steam room, where there must be a warm wooden floor to ensure a comfortable stay in high temperature conditions. Whereas the wash compartment traditionally uses tiles with a slope and a shower drain;
• Leak-proof floors. All liquid and dirty water remains on the floor and is washed off from the surface through a standard drain with a bellows into a septic tank or collection container;
• A combined version, used only in small baths or in full-fledged washing departments of baths. In modern projects, baths are used to a limited extent, as they do not comply with sanitary standards.

The choice of a specific scheme depends on the structure of the foundation, the method of insulation and the arrangement of the water seal. For small steam rooms and washing sections of the bathhouse, a double floor system is used, this is convenient, especially when the building is installed on a pile foundation. If you plan to build a bathhouse box as an extension to the house, then the most suitable option would be a non-leakage floor with a drain through a drain. This will simplify the connection of the bathhouse sewerage system to the general wastewater disposal system of the building.

Leaking floors

Similar options for draining a bathhouse with a wooden floor were also called pour-over drains. The essence of the design was that the upper part of the floor consisted of boards laid with a gap of up to 10 mm, so most of the water simply flows through the cracks and collects on the lower tier or is absorbed into the ground. At the same time, the floorboards themselves, as a rule, were made with a slight rounding of the surface, which ensured normal water drainage and its discharge to the lower level in the subfloor. One of the options for draining water in a bathhouse with wooden floors is shown in the diagram below.

The gap between the floorboards helps to dry the floor

The advantages of such a device for collecting and draining water include:

• Simple room cleaning;
• No puddles or residual water on the surface of wooden floorboards;
• Durability of joists, insulation and wooden parts of the floor and drainage system.

Important! Despite the fact that the lower tier, on which moisture and dirt accumulated, actually remains closed with finished wooden floors, the entire water drainage system from the bathhouse is well suited for ventilation and drying of the subfloor.

As a rule, ventilation ducts from the stove, located either in the steam room or in the dressing room, go to the lower tier. Upon completion of the bathing procedures, the channels were opened, the ventilation windows in the steam room itself or in the washing compartment were uncorked, and the warm air from the stove quickly dried and removed traces of water, if it was not removed through the drain system.

Non-leakage floor

It is clear that the manufacture of pouring or deck floors requires quite significant costs associated with the manufacture of two levels of water collection, installation of a drainage system and connection of a sewer pipe leading to a pit or septic tank.

It is much easier during the construction process to make classic concrete floors in the bathhouse with a slight slope towards the drain. The concrete screed must be insulated with foam plastic or extruded polystyrene foam. To ensure water flow through the system, a classic version with an elbow and a corrugated pipe is used, or a more modern shower drain can be installed.

Scheme for a drain with a heated floor for a bathhouse - extensions to a house

At the same time, the floor of the bathhouse does not have to be covered with tiles; the surface can quite realistically be covered with wooden floorboards. This solution is most often used for steam rooms. The amount of water discharged through the drain system is relatively small, so you can get by with a small drain pipe installed in the corner of the room.

Combined water drainage scheme for a bath

This option for organizing water drainage is traditionally used for large bathhouses with an insulated base and a concrete strip foundation.

The essence of the drainage system is that water is collected in the center of the room in a special gutter or pit. The channel is covered with a protective grating, and the drain surfaces are usually covered with gratings.

A drainage channel or gutter usually has an additional slope along which water flows directly into the ground or into a septic tank located in the underground bathhouse. The design is quite simple, so it is often used for summer cottages of steam rooms and bathhouses built with one’s own hands.

Draining water from the bathhouse

Traditionally, three main schemes are used to drain water from a bath:

• Discharge of dirty water into the ground directly into the subfloor of the bathhouse
• Drainage into a tank or septic tank installed next to the bathhouse;
• Use of a sewer system with complete removal and recycling of wastewater.

The first option can be considered the most common, since it is used in most cases in the construction of small steam baths 2x3 m and 3x3 m. In this case, there are practically no sewer pipes, dirty water almost always flows onto the sand cushion of the columnar foundation.

For a small bathhouse on a strip foundation and a sand bed, the drain is made into the ground without a septic tank

For full-fledged warm bathhouse buildings, it is more convenient to equip the water drain into a nearby septic tank. The sewer pipe must be insulated and discharged either through the ground or through the wall of the bathhouse. This helps prevent the drain system from freezing.

Drain from the bathhouse directly into the septic tank

To cut off odors in the steam room or in the washing department, a water elbow or drain ladder is usually used. The latter option is considered more preferable, since most models have the function of closing the drain hole with a built-in valve.

How to make a drainage hole for a bathhouse

It is worth starting the construction of a drainage pit only if the groundwater is located deep. Otherwise, the pit will always be filled with groundwater, and the drains simply will not fit into it.

First you need to decide on the sizes. They depend on the number of people who will take a steam bath. The more people there are, the larger the tank will be needed. If there are 3-4 people maximum, the water consumption is approximately 50-60 liters, respectively, the volume of the pit should be slightly larger.

The most optimal shape for drainage from a bath is cylindrical

Then you need to decide on the place where you will install the tank. From experience we can say that the most optimal distance is 2 meters from the bathhouse. It’s not worth it any further - it will be difficult to organize the required slope of the pipes so that the water drains by gravity, closer is also dangerous - the foundation may sag or get wet.

To determine the amount of materials that will be needed to construct a drainage pit, you need to know the type of soil. If the soil does not crumble, there is no need to strengthen the edges of the hole. You just need to dig it up and fill it with filter materials.

At the same time, it is important that the soil absorbs moisture well. Then the treated wastewater will be absorbed, which is very convenient

In this case, crushed stone, expanded clay or broken brick are poured onto the bottom of the pit, and then sand. But such conditions are rare.

It is necessary to strengthen the walls of the pit only when the soil is loose

If the soil is loose, you will have to strengthen the edges of the hole. You can line it with brick (half a brick is enough) or wild stone, leaving gaps for water outflow, you can use slate, or you can bury an old (or new) barrel made of metal or plastic, make holes in the walls for outflow and remove the bottom. The holes should not be large so that rubble does not get stuck in them.

You can make the body of the drainage pit out of brick

If we talk about the shape of the tank, then the best option is a cylinder. In this case, the pressure on the walls is uniform, and besides, a pit of this shape will require repairs much less often. The walls of the pit should not reach 30-40 cm from the ground surface, and the hole should be covered with a lid (iron or concrete).

After the walls of the pit are ready, crushed stone, broken brick, expanded clay are poured, and everything is covered with sand. Drain pipes are connected to the pit from the bathhouse at a slope sufficient for gravity flow of water. As a rule, a difference of 10 mm per meter of pipe is sufficient. Water passing through filter materials is purified and then absorbed by the soil.

Pour crushed stone, broken brick, expanded clay, etc. into the bottom of the drainage hole.

If a square hole is dug to drain the bath, it can be filled with wave slate sheets. Each sheet is placed so that the waves of the previous one are perpendicular (at an angle of 90°).

There are several more options for making a drainage pit from scrap materials. You can take old tires (tires from KAMAZ trucks), make holes in them for better drainage and partially cut off the side surfaces. Next, place the prepared tires one on top of the other in the dug hole, and then cover them with filter materials.

An example of draining a bath from old tires

Basic parameters for choosing a sewer system for a bathhouse

How to drain a bath? Before proceeding with the construction of an external sewage system, it is recommended to consider several main factors:

• intensity of use of the bathhouse;
• dimensions of the building;
• the type of soil composition in the area where the premises will be located;
• the level of soil freezing in winter;
• connection to the central sewerage.

These factors are an integral part in the initial stages of bathhouse design. For frequent use of the premises, it is necessary to design a complex sewage drainage system.

For this purpose, ground filtration is additionally carried out. In addition, it is enough to use a waste pit here. The waste will gradually be absorbed into the thickness of the soil cover.

If sandy soil predominates on the site, then drainage rings are used for reliability. For clay soil, the optimal solution would be to strengthen the internal walls. As the pit fills with waste, it must be cleaned with special equipment.

Installation of a ground filtration system

A septic tank operating in autonomous mode is the main element of a soil filtration system. It simultaneously functions as both a sump tank and a well that distributes water. Pipes emanating from it distribute filtered water throughout the area.

There are ready-made septic tank designs, but they are quite easy to assemble with your own hands. Typically plastic or metal elements are used for this. A septic tank made of concrete or brick would also be an excellent choice.

In order to make a septic tank with your own hands, you will need concrete rings with a diameter of 1 m.

The process of making a septic tank is not complicated, but a certain sequence should be followed:

1. First, a hole 2-3 m deep is dug. The distance from the wall of the bathhouse should be at least 1.5 meters;
2. Next, you need to pour a layer of sand at the bottom of the pit, as well as a layer of natural filtrate. Broken brick is suitable as a filtrate;
3. Concrete rings are lowered into the pit.

The finished tank is immersed in the ground to a depth of 1.3-2.7 m. Next, a sewer pipe is connected to it, which should be below the soil freezing level.

Next, the pipes are prepared. Usually their diameter does not exceed 10-12 cm. Ordinary sewer pipes can also be used as drainage pipes; you just need to make holes in them.

Important! It is necessary to ensure that the diameter of the holes gradually increases from the beginning of the pipe to its end. This will ensure a uniform outflow of moisture. In order to properly set up a ground filtration system, you must follow the basic rules:

In order to properly set up a ground filtration system, you must follow the basic rules:

1. Each drainage pipe should not be longer than 0.25 m;
2. Pipes must be laid below the freezing depth of the soil;
3. Drains should be located at a distance of 1.5-1.6 m from each other;
4. The trench for laying the pipe must be at least 0.5 m wide.

Draining a bathhouse with your own hands - a step-by-step guide:

1. First of all, trenches are dug with a slope of 1.5-2 degrees. This is done to ensure that the pipes being laid are on a slope;
2. Next, a base for the pipe is laid at the bottom of the trench. It is different for each soil type. For example, for clay soil, sand 10 cm thick is laid at the bottom of the trench, and a layer of gravel of the same thickness is placed on top;
3. After the pipe has been laid, it should also be covered with a layer of gravel on top;
4. A ventilation pipe is installed at the end of the drain, the height of which does not exceed 0.5-1 m. A protective fungus is installed on top of it to prevent debris from getting into the pipe.

Preparing for drainage installation

The design and installation of the bath drainage system occurs together with the installation of the floor. It is optimal if the work is carried out in the warm season, when the soil is driest. This will allow you to test the functionality of the drain and make adjustments if necessary.

Design of the internal part of the drainage system

Construction of a concrete floor with a drain in a bathhouse

The design of the internal part of the drainage system takes into account the rules that apply to the installation of sewage systems in residential premises. If necessary, a ventilation riser is erected or a shut-off valve is installed. For example, installation of a riser is required when organizing drainage from several rooms at once.

The general layout of a concrete floor with a drain consists of the following:

• 1 - internal wall cladding;
• 2 - vapor barrier of the wall;
• 3 - foundation waterproofing;
• 4 - load-bearing base;
• 5 - crushed stone cushion;
• 6 - concrete layer with thermal insulation;

  Diagram of a wooden leaky floor in a bathhouse

• 7 - cement-sand screed for covering;
• 8 - floor covering;
• 9 — sewer drain pipe;
• 10 - wooden gratings;
• 11 - drain hole or grate;
• 12 — water seal partition;
• 13 - drain pipe or gutter.

The layout of a wooden floor depends on its design, but in general it has a similar appearance. The drain pipe with a branch pipe is placed in the center of the room at the lowest point of the floor. For natural drainage, the sewer pipe is mounted with a slight slope. When installing drainage in the washing room of a bathhouse and steam room using one pipe, the drainage chute should be located between the rooms under the floor structure.

Design of external drainage area

General diagram of various types of sewage systems in a bathhouse

The calculation and design of the external sewerage section is carried out taking into account the size of the bathhouse, the frequency of its operation, the type of soil and the design of the water intake. As stated above, a filter well is optimal for use for private purposes. The design is designed to purify a large volume of water, sufficient for a family of up to 6 people to visit the bathhouse.

It is optimal if the well design is carried out by professionals. This will allow you to select the required size of the tank for receiving water without overpaying for useless volume.

Septic tank-based drainage systems are available in a ready-made version. Their volume is calculated depending on the number of people simultaneously visiting the bathhouse in a short period of time. For a family of 7 people, a tank with a throughput capacity of 1.5 m3/day is sufficient.

Related video: planning sewerage in a bathhouse

Construction of a pouring floor

When installing a drain, it is not necessary for the floors to be warm. This means that they do not require laying a thermal insulation layer inside the structure. Installation of flooring boards consists of fastening them around the perimeter using additional cranial bars. The created structure can, if necessary, be easily dismantled and taken outside for ventilation and drying, which will extend its service life.

Lags

Before you start laying the logs with your own hands, you need to prepare a place for them. Be sure to put a double layer of waterproofing

Particular attention should be paid to the installation technology: these elements must be installed strictly horizontally with a slight slope towards the waste water collection site. The slope is made by cutting down the logs, gradually reducing their height by 2-3 mm in the direction of the wastewater collection point

Ultimately, the required floor slope should be obtained, which should not exceed 10°.

When laying floorboards on leaking floors, there is no need to use fasteners. To properly carry out this work, it is necessary to take into account a number of important points, which are determined by the specifics of pouring floors:

• It is unacceptable to begin laying boards of a leaking floor until a water receiver has been installed.
• The flooring used simultaneously serves as a waterproofing material for the bottom floor of the bathhouse.
• When laying boards, it is imperative to maintain a gap size, which should be at least 5 mm. This will be enough so that water can naturally drain down even if the flooring swells significantly.
• It is mandatory to wrap the support posts for the logs with a double layer of waterproofing.

Support posts

For the manufacture of lag support columns, 250 x 250 mm bricks are used. These supporting elements are installed on a sand or concrete pad, maintaining a step of 0.8-1 m between them. Upon completion of installation, they must be plastered, and the ground between them covered with roofing material.

If everything is done correctly, then the distance between the lowest point of the surface of the leaking floor and the roofing felt laid below will be at least 300 mm. This requirement can be met due to the logs, which are laid on support posts.

Features of the in-house system

Internal sewerage must provide drainage in all bathhouses where there are sources of water, and drainage of liquid to the outside

Particular attention is paid to ensuring drainage from the floor of the steam room and shower, drainage from sinks and sinks, and removal of sewage from the toilet. Further, all drains of individual premises can be combined into one outlet or have individual connections

The internal part of the sewer system ends at the point of connection to the external drainage system. You can run the sewer system under the foundation or lead it outside through holes in the basement or foundation. The first option is preferable because it does not damage the structure and helps to bypass the freezing zone. However, this is only possible if the groundwater level is sufficiently deep.

How to remove moisture in a steam room

The most important room in the bathhouse is the steam room. Here, water spills on the floor when pouring over the body and steam condensation accumulates. The task is to collect and remove all moisture, preventing it from accumulating on the surface or underground.

To solve the drainage problem, the following options are used:

Drains play an important role in the internal sewerage system. It is best to use standard, ready-made devices that can have dry or wet type valves. A grill is installed on top of them, preventing debris from entering the pipe and creating an attractive appearance.

Arrangement of other premises

The washing (shower) room is different in that here the water flows in streams, and therefore the floor, as a rule, has a waterproof coating (tile, concrete). The water collection system is similar to the design considered, when the floor is sloped in the direction of the drain hole in which a drain with a shutter is installed. The sewer outlet of the toilet and sinks (sinks) is based on a standard design, similar to that used in a house (apartment). A siphon is installed on the outlet pipe, providing a water seal to protect against odors from the sewer.

To equip the internal sewer system, standard metal or plastic pipes are used. A pipe with a diameter of 50 mm is usually used for one drain, and a pipe with a diameter of 110 mm is used for a general drain under the floor. Adapters 50 by 110 mm and tee couplings for lateral outlets allow them to be connected to each other.

Specifics of installation of internal sewerage

The underground drainage system inside the building is carried out at the stage of erecting the bathhouse foundation. It is possible to install pipes with outlets on drainage drains.

Installation is carried out in the following order.

1. Preparing a trench for a pipe with digging under the foundation strip.
2. Backfilling the cushion with sand and crushed stone at least 20 cm thick to form the required slope.
3. Installation and connection of pipes leading outside under the foundation. If a pipe is intended to pass through it, then a corresponding hole is formed in the concrete in advance.
4. Insulation of pipes and backfilling with soil, securely fixing them in the desired position.
5. Pouring a concrete screed to form a slope towards the drain.
6. Installation of a drain with a water seal. The drain grate must be installed strictly at the level of the floor covering. No steps allowed.

Internal sewage system

Collection of wastewater in a bathhouse can be carried out in different ways. The choice of the optimal option depends on what kind of floors you plan to lay. They may or may not leak. In the first case, it is assumed that a special reservoir will be installed to collect water, from which the wastewater will go into the sewer system. In the second case, an inclined floor is installed, and gutters and ladders are installed through which the water will drain.

Option for arranging a drain in a bathhouse

In any case, the drainage system must be installed before laying the floors. The general installation diagram is as follows:

How to choose a wastewater disposal method?

There can be many options for organizing an external bath sewer. When choosing one of them, be sure to consider the following points:

• expected intensity of use of the bathhouse;
• dimensions of the building;
• type of soil on the site;
• soil freezing depth;
• the presence or absence of a sewerage system on the site;
• Possibility of connection to a centralized sewerage system.

These are the most important aspects that will determine the optimal method of drainage. For example, for a small bathhouse where two or three people will wash once a week in the warm season, it is not worth equipping a complex sewer system using ground filtration. A drainage hole or even a pit under the building will be quite sufficient here. Whereas for a bathhouse in which you plan to wash all year round, you will need a more complex drainage system.

Sewage system designed for year-round use

The type of soil is also important. For highly absorbent sandy soils, a drainage well is the optimal solution. This is not suitable for clay soils. Here, the best option would be to install a drainage pit, from which wastewater will be periodically removed. When installing the system, do not forget about the level of soil freezing. If this is not taken into account, the water in pipes laid above this level will freeze in extreme cold and destroy the sewer system.

Methods for arranging wastewater disposal

There are several effective and relatively low-cost ways to organize the drainage of water in a bathhouse. All of them are quite easy to do on your own. Let's look at their main advantages and disadvantages.

Drain well

• simplicity in arrangement;
• It does not require special care;
• low cost.

Construction of a drain well

The disadvantages include the following:

• the need to regularly call a sewer truck, which entails certain costs.
• organizing convenient access for special equipment to the well;
• the drainage well should be installed at the lowest point of the site.

Dimensions and location

There are many variations on the theme of a window in a steam room: the size and location depend on the goals, preferences and even “beliefs” of the owner.

Number of windows

There is an option to make not one, but two windows in the steam room, but both are small. The first, which can be called the main one, is the one discussed above - a small window where you can stick your head out to cool down a little. And the second, even smaller in size, can be made next to the shelf - to improve the ventilation of this particular area, which is usually stagnant for moisture.

Here is another option for placing a window above the shelf

Number of glasses

There is no reason to install single glass. Firstly, even heat-resistant ones will be subject to strong temperature changes in winter. Double or double glazing is separated by the already mentioned layer of air. Due to this, the difference is significantly reduced.

RECOMMENDATION! The first glass can be made tempered - it is not afraid of high temperatures (however, in real Belarus there are none), and if it breaks, it will break into fragments with a non-sharp edge. The outer glass can be made mirrored with one-way visibility.

Should they open and in which direction?

Fixed windows (without the ability to open) are installed solely for the sake of light and space. We believe that they are not very profitable in a bathhouse. It's still better when the windows open.

REMEMBER! Regarding the side: the door from the steam room always opens outward, and the windows always open inward. (Although we also came across categorical statements that the window should open outward.)

Geometric shape

Here the owner has complete freedom of choice - squares and rectangles, oriented vertically and horizontally, with different ratios of length and width. For the sake of beauty, you can even install a round window.

There are no restrictions or rules associated with the form. Everything is purely at your discretion.

Dimensions

A window whose area is calculated using the following formulas is considered optimal:

However, there is no prohibition on making larger windows. For example, when choosing a size, some base it on the possibility of using the window in the steam room as an emergency exit in case of fire. Then everyone determines the dimensions of the person crawling through.

A small window next to the shelf, easy to open and ventilate

Location

Usually a window in a steam room is made above the top shelf. It can be located either in the middle above the shelf, or closer to the head, or even on the wall where the end of the shelf rests (that is, directly behind the head of the person being steamed).

Well, since it is above the shelf, then you need to know how the top shelf itself is counted. You can count from the ceiling: down 210 cm - this is the level of the shelf for the feet of the soarer, and from it up 75-80 cm - the height of the upper shelf. In other words, 130-135 cm from the ceiling.

Consequently, the window is made a little higher (= a little closer to the ceiling).

Another option: align the top edge of the window with the height of the top edge of the door to the steam room.

Regarding the door and stove: since it is recommended to place the door and stove on the same wall, the window is located on the opposite side of both. This is good for burst ventilation. It is also possible to place it on a perpendicular wall relative to the one where the door and stove are.

Orientation by cardinal directions

There are no strict recommendations in this regard. In practical terms, it is usually recommended to orient the bathhouse with the entrance door to the south. And if you don’t want to change the front door too quickly, then it should be positioned so that it doesn’t rain, but this can easily be solved with a canopy or veranda.

So it depends on the project where the outer wall of the steam room will go. But if you have a choice and a desire to admire the setting sun, then design it on the western side. However, this is pure aesthetics.