Using Our Harvia Green Flame Sauna Oven at Mad Goats Sauna
At Mad Goats Saunas we use Harvia’s most environmentally-friendly sauna oven – the GreenFlame. These ovens have 70 % lower carbon monoxide emissions and 20 % lower small particle emissions BUT to achieve this they need to 1. Generate a lot of heat in the fire place and, 2. Have a longer and skinnier chimney than other less environmentally friendly saunas. What this means is that lighting our sauna ovens requires more patience and diligence, but if you do it right they function as well as any other sauna oven and can get VERY HOT – 100+ degrees!
Watch this short video about how to light a sauna oven.
Read more to find out how to light a sauna oven properly – and keep it hot!
- Our Sauna ovens have long, skinny chimneys for effective smoke filtration but need a hot fire to push smoke up and out.
- Rushed fire-starting or improper steps may cause smoke to return into the sauna room.
- Patience is crucial for a smoke-free and hot sauna experience.
Please watch this short video showing how to use Mad Goats Sauna in Tjuvholmen.
Fire starting tips:
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- Make sure the ashtray is empty.
- Start fire with small bits off wood (6 pieces max).
- Light them and close oven door.
- Make sure ashtray is pulled out at least 3cm while oven door is still closed.
- Wait 10 minutes.
- Add 3-4 bigger bits of wood.
- Close oven door and wait 10-15 minutes for proper heating.
- Do not forget to add more wood to maintain and increase heat (but never so full that the oven cannot breathe).
Common mistakes:
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- Filling oven too fast with big pieces of wood.
- Adding water too early, cooling down the oven (never put salt water on the oven)
Other helpful info:
- Stay in the sauna for at least 20 minutes per sitting to avoid cold air entering the sauna.
- Saunas are self-service most of the day. You can always call us if you have an urgent, non-life threatening issue.
- Our staff check fires, wood, cleanliness, and water levels twice daily – 0630 and 1430.
- Always sit on a towel when in the sauna and wear swimwear.
- Be nice to one another, stay hydrated, and do not drink more than two alcoholic beverages.
Hope to see you at Mad Goats Saunas soon for a hot sauna, good conversation, and a refreshing swim in the wonderful Oslofjord!