914.1 Location and guard
Place the heater to reduce the possibility of accidental contact. Provide an approved guard or barrier of low thermal conductivity that does not substantially affect heat transfer to the room. A remote location is not, by itself, a substitute for the required guard.
914.2 Selected equipment
Verify the heater is listed and labeled to UL 875, and coordinate its installation with the listing and manufacturer instructions. Review the guard and benches with the chosen heater rather than a generic enclosure detail.
914.3 Service access
Panels, grilles and access doors removed for normal servicing must not be attached to the building construction. This concerns the removable service components; it does not prohibit an otherwise permitted heater mounting. Trace the panel-removal path around the guard and benches.
What changes in the field
Review the heater, bench, guard, entry and service envelope together in plan and section. A guard that blocks the heater or a bench that blocks a service panel can undo otherwise sound equipment selection.
Field check
Review the heater, guard, benches and entry together.
Confirm the guard's low-conductivity material and heat-transfer relationship.
Trace the removal path of service panels and grilles.
Where to show it
Sauna plan and section
Guard and bench detail
Heater product data
Code basis
2024 IMC Sections 914.1–914.3 model-code education. Confirm the locally adopted edition and amendments, the selected product listing and manufacturer instructions, and the authority having jurisdiction. Read the ICC 2024 IMC Chapter 9 for the complete model-code provisions.