There you are!

The details that aren’t in the Sauna…

 
 

Sauna Set-up

What is included:

  • Fire extinguisher

  • dried floral decorations

  • 7 woven floor mats (you may put two on bottom sauna bench to feet)

  • Porch pillows

  • step box

  • Stove broom, shovel & glove

  • Ganesh (paves the way for us to move forward) & shells (from ALTÆR’s home in Fairhaven)

  • LED lights below porch. Turned on by clicker

  • Solar Lights on sides of Sauna (Take off the clear plastic and click the button up or down to turn on and off)

  • Metal Water Bucket & Ladle

  • Essential oil

Lighting the Stove

ALTÆR is accompanied by Red Oak. It’s known for their long burning times, giving off higher heat than other wood, and has a delicious aroma.

There’s a box of handmade natural fire starter, newspaper and double tree fatwood kindling. This will make starting the fire meditative with a dash of dopamine. No need to make this process difficult. Both fire starters are made of natural ingredients. Or so they say…

For Reference:

Here is the official KUUMA Stove Operating Manual

Directions:

  1. Start with a clean fire box. Pull the ash out of the firebox, down into the ash pan. Empty ash pan in metal bin with lid.

  2. Logs. Lay 4-5 logs into the firebox. Lay them in parallel like you would stacking your woodpile.  Ideally load firewood a bit higher on the sides, lower in the middle, creating a “U” or pocket. Sprinkle herbs from Earth as an offering to the flame, Sauna and the ones using the Sauna.

  3. Paper. Light a crinkled sheet of newspaper or handmade birch fire starter into the ‘U’.

  4. Kindling: Place kindling or smaller pieces of wood on top of #3, perpendicular to the larger foundational logs.

  5. Leave everything alone for 8ish minutes: damper up, main door closed and ash pan open slightly for some air. Keep an eye on the flame. Once the flame has momentum, close the ash pan door. NEVER LEAVE ASH PAN DOOR OPEN AND UNATTENDED. WHEN SAUNA IS ROARING THE ASH PAN DOOR SHOULD NEVER BE LEFT OPEN. (dramatic all caps because this can overheat and ruin the stove. :) )

  6. Tighten up. Make sure the ash pan and main door are tightly closed. Let the coals heat up.

  7. Pull coals forward. Then toss 1-2 logs on top of roaring flames.

  8. Damper down. When you see the coals becoming more red and leaning towards blue, then you’ve reached ideal Sauna. You can lower the damper, which will keep more heat in the stove rather than moving towards the stars. **The Damper is the middle lever on the stove. Call Kayla with ANY questions.

Cleaning Routine

Kayla will visit the Sauna once every 5 weeks to offer a deep clean. Dates are below, and can be adjusted upon request. She will provide a deep clean post events. Black out dates can also be found below.

Directions:

  1. Begin cleaning right after Sauna use. This is important because the wood needs time to open up its pores to accept the soap. Cedar is the most porous wood. Do not clean a cold sauna. This will not clean the wood properly.

  2. Sweep

  3. Vacuum

  4. Use warm water with the soap. Read directions on the soap container.

  5. Scrub scrub scrub.

  6. Use a clean clothe to collect any excess dirty water. :)

  7. Apply ashes from the stove to a damp paper towel. This will clean the soot from the stove window.

  8. Use the stove broom to sweep the ashes to the front of the stove. Then empty out the ash pan below into a metal bucket with lid.

  9. Clean windows and vents.

  10. Sweep front porch.

Cleaning materials:

  • Wireless Vacuum

  • Sauna soap (Please do not use any other soap for sauna. The wood can become damaged and we have to be careful of certain chemicals because they can’t withstand high heat)

  • Bristled brush

  • Rags

  • Glass Cleaner

You are alchemizing with ALTÆR
for yourself, your community, and Earth.

Thank you.

a Steward of ALTÆR