How to Winterize Your Sauna and Cold Plunge

How to Winterize Your Sauna and Cold Plunge

As the leaves fall and the air turns crisp, it’s the perfect time to prepare your sauna and cold plunge for winter. If you live in a region where temperatures dip significantly, a little preparation goes a long way. Winterizing protects your investment, extends the life of your equipment, and ensures you can keep your wellness routine steady all season long. To help, we’ve put together a simple checklist to guide you through the process.

First, we’ll walk you through seasonal maintenance and tips for your Redwood Outdoors sauna. Then we’ll run down how to prepare your cold plunge for cooler weather.  

Winterizing Your Sauna

It’s sauna season! Your Redwood Outdoors sauna is built for year-round use, but many of our customers find themselves enjoying it most during the cooler months. Sauna sessions offer a cozy way to warm up while supporting heart health by improving circulation and easing blood pressure. The gentle heat also helps combat winter inflammation and boosts overall resilience, keeping you feeling balanced and energized through the colder months (PubMed, PubMed).

Before the weather turns, you’ll want to check on your exterior and, if you have a WiFi heater, your electrical junction boxes. As the seasons change, explore our tips for keeping your sauna performing at its best.  

Protecting the Exterior

  • If you've decided to stain or seal the exterior of your sauna, fall may be a good time to reapply if needed, so you maximize the benefit of the product.
  • Inspect your roof before the snow flies. Make sure your shingles are secured and check for any damage.

Electrical & Heater Considerations

  • Make sure the weatherproof boxes for your WiFi heater components (if applicable) are sealed properly.
  • If you have a Harvia KIP heater, now is a great time to pull out all of your rocks and assess the situation so you can purchase a fresh box of rocks if needed. Make sure you have lots of large rocks on hand to replace broken chunks inside the heater for the next few months. Higher usage during colder weather means you'll need to attend to rock replacement more often.

Performance in Cold Weather

  • Heat-up times will naturally be a bit slower due to lower ambient temperatures, so your pace of pre-heating might shift. Pay attention to your heat-up times as the weather shifts so you can update your pre-heating schedule as needed. 
  • You might play around with keeping your vent holes closed more often to fine-tune your interior temperature and air circulation in colder temps.

Above all, make time to enjoy your sauna this winter! It’s the perfect retreat from chilly days, giving you a moment to relax, recharge, and build resilience so you can show up fully for yourself and your loved ones during the busy season.

If you find you’re not using it as often, running the heater for 30–60 minutes once or twice a week will help prevent moisture buildup. And if you’ll be away for the holidays, placing trays of desiccants or a small dehumidifier inside can keep your sauna fresh and ready for your return.


Winterizing Your Cold Plunge

All-In-One Denali and Alaskan Cold Plunge Systems

Your Denali or Alaskan All-In-One Cold Plunge is designed to be left outdoors year-round, only if the following precautions are adhered to.

The minimum operating temperature for our All-In-One plunge tub systems is 23°F. Anytime temperatures are between 32°F and 24°F, you must ensure the tub is on and running consistently.

The All-In-One systems have a freeze protection feature, but it can only work if the chiller/heater is on and nothing is preventing it from working. If the tub is off with water in it and the temperature is below 32°F, water will freeze and damage the equipment.

Once temperatures drop below 24°F, or if you want to turn your tub off when temperatures are below 32°F, you’ll want to initiate the winterization process.

  • Steps for Winterizing:
    • Open the air lock and remove the filter canister lid
    • Remove the filter from the canister
    • Leave the system open so water has room to expand if any remains
    • Drain the system completely
    • Clean the filter, let it fully dry, and store it indoors

You should not use the unit at all while winterized. Once temperatures stay consistently above safe temperature thresholds for the All-In-One systems, you may set your tub back up and get back to plunging!

*Please consult your product manual for full step-by-step instructions on winterization! If you cannot find your manual, reach out to us at support@redwoodoutdoors.com, and we’d be happy to resend it.

Pacific, Alaskan, or Yukon plunge tub with Standalone Chiller Systems

If you purchased an Alaskan or Yukon Cold Plunge tub from us, you’ll want to identify whether you have the Standard or Deluxe Chiller. This designation would be reflected on your order invoice or by checking the product tag on the back of the unit.

  • Model: CHL-SD will be a Standard Chiller
  • Model: CHL-DX will be a Deluxe Chiller

If you purchased a Pacific Cold Plunge tub from us, you have the Deluxe Chiller.

  • When to bring the chiller inside
    • Standard Chiller: anything below 35°F
    • Deluxe Chiller: anything below 5°F (start acting when temps hit ~10°F)
  • Steps for winterizing:
    • Drain the tub completely
    • Remove your hoses and drain completely
    • Remove and empty the filter compartments from the Chiller
    • Tip the chiller on its side to fully drain
    • Remove and clean all filters, let them fully dry, then store indoors
    • Move chiller inside (garage, shed, or home)

If you still want to use your tub during the winter, you’ll want to keep the hoses disconnected and replace them with the cap fittings. It’s also important to swish the water regularly to prevent a complete freeze-over.

Once temperatures stay consistently above safe temperature thresholds for your chiller, you may bring your chiller back outside and connect it to your tub.

*Please consult your product manual for full step-by-step instructions on winterization! If you cannot find your manual, reach out to us at support@redwoodoutdoors.com, and we’d be happy to resend it.


Make sure to bookmark this page so you can come back to it when you need it. With a few simple steps to winterize your sauna and cold plunge, you can keep your wellness routine going strong all season long. A little preparation now means uninterrupted hot and cold therapy through the winter - so get ready, stay consistent, and enjoy every moment.

 

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