Why does water change how sauna heat feels?
Throwing water on hot sauna stones creates vapor and temporarily raises humidity. As that hot, moist air reaches cooler skin and surfaces, heat transfer changes and the löyly can feel much more intense even though the room thermometer may not rise.
Where the energy is stored
The heater, stones, benches, walls, and air all participate, but their thermal mass differs. Stones buffer short bursts of water and release heat at the surface; a well-designed enclosure limits losses while ventilation maintains a usable environment.
Wood and electric heat are system choices
A wood-burning sauna couples combustion, chimney draft, fuel moisture, and local air quality. An electric sauna couples heater sizing, controls, electrical infrastructure, and the grid mix. Neither label alone determines lifecycle impact.