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Can an Infrared Sauna Go Outdoors? What You Need to Check Before Putting One Outside

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Summary

An infrared sauna can go outdoors only on the manufacturer's terms, and those terms differ. Sunlighten says its saunas are not designed to be placed outdoors, while Clearlight says all of its models can be used outside with its optional waterproof cover. A patio roof helps with rain, but it does not solve freezing temperatures, wind-driven moisture, UV exposure, insects, or outdoor electrical requirements. If the manual says indoor use only, treat that as the answer.

Check what the manufacturer allows

Before thinking about a cover, roof, or enclosure, check what the manufacturer says about outdoor placement. Sunlighten's warranty requires its separately sold sauna cover for any outdoor placement, roofed or not, and says the cover has to stay on the sauna, including during use, or the warranty is void. Clearlight builds separate Sanctuary Outdoor models for weather resistance.

If the manufacturer limits the sauna to a dry indoor location, adding sealant or putting it under a covered patio does not change the product's rating.

A roof does not solve every weather problem

Outdoor equipment has to deal with more than rainfall from above. Wind can drive water into doors and joints. Snow can block vents. Sun can age finishes, seals, and plastic parts.

The base matters as well. A freestanding sauna needs a stable, level surface that does not trap water underneath the floor.

Cold weather affects more than comfort

An outdoor cabin may begin a winter session at a very low temperature, and infrared heaters do not warm the air much. Clearlight says only about 20% of its heaters' output goes into the air, and it does not recommend putting the sauna outside where the temperature drops below 40°F, because the cabin takes much longer to warm up and does not get as hot.

Outdoor electrical work is a separate project

The electrical setup that works in a spare room may not be appropriate outside. Receptacles, circuit protection, disconnects, cable routing, and weather-resistant enclosures can all change once the equipment moves outdoors. The supply itself may differ too: Clearlight's Sanctuary Outdoor 2 plugs into a 240-volt outlet (NEMA 6-15P). Sunlighten's warranty is void if the sauna is not plugged directly into the required dedicated outlet.

If outdoor use is the goal, buy for outdoor use

An outdoor-rated infrared cabin, or a weatherproof sauna structure designed around an approved infrared system, avoids retrofitting weather protection around an indoor cabinet. The Sanctuary Outdoor 2 shows what that involves: a weather-resistant DriftwoodTec finish, a roof cap with a 9-inch overhang, and a weight of 765 pounds.

Sources

  1. sunlighten.com/customer-service/warranty/
  2. infraredsauna.com/infrared-sauna-faq/
  3. infraredsauna.com/product/sanctuary-outdoor-two-person/

Specifications, prices and installation requirements are as the makers published them on these pages on the date above and can change. Check the current manual and the retailer before you buy.

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