Quick answer: A sauna is hotter and drier than a steam room: the North American Sauna Society, a trade association, on an undated page puts a sauna at about 150 to 195 degrees F and a steam room at 110 to 120 degrees F with 100 percent humidity, and Cleveland Clinic (August 12, 2024) gives the same 150 to 195 degree range for traditional saunas, with humidity "about less than 20%." NASS says a steam room enclosure is made of a waterproof material, and Tile Council of North America guidance (modified February 1, 2023) notes that grout, unlike glazed tile, is not vapor impermeable and calls for a waterproof membrane meeting ANSI A118.10. The national MLS standard (RESO Data Dictionary 2.0, as of October 24, 2026) has "Sauna," "Exercise Room" and "Gym" room types but no steam room or cold plunge value, and Florida's home inspection rule does not require inspectors to inspect "Recreational facilities," a term the rule does not define, so ask the inspector in writing whether these rooms are covered. The Florida Realtors/Florida Bar AS IS contract does not name saunas, steam generators, plunge tubs or gym equipment, so list each item by name. On health, Harvard Health (May 14, 2020) and Cleveland Clinic (August 12, 2024) tell people with certain heart conditions to check with a doctor before using a sauna, and Harvard Health (June 1, 2025) says anyone with a heart rhythm disorder such as atrial fibrillation "should avoid cold plunges," so ask a physician first.
A listing can name a sauna, steam room, plunge tub or gym in a few words; confirming it takes more. This guide makes no health claims; the cautions below are the named sources' own, and health questions belong with a physician.
What is the difference between a sauna and a steam room?
Heat and humidity. The North American Sauna Society (NASS), a trade association, on an undated page viewed October 24, 2026, defines a sauna as a room heated to about 150 to 195 degrees F. "A Steam Room is not a sauna, but rather a Turkish-style Bath," NASS says, where "the humidity level in a steam bath is 100%" and the temperature is "much lower than in sauna (110 to 120 degrees F)."
| Room | Temperature | Humidity (the sources differ) |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional sauna | About 150 to 195 degrees F (NASS; Cleveland Clinic, August 12, 2024) | NASS: "from as low as 10% (if no water is added) to 60%, or more"; Cleveland Clinic: "about less than 20%"; UL 875, for its heaters: "in the region of" 10 to 25 percent |
| Infrared room | 110 to 135 degrees F (Cleveland Clinic) | NASS: "There is no water (no steam) used in the infrared rooms" |
| Steam room | 110 to 120 degrees F (NASS only) | 100% (NASS) |
NASS calls an infrared room "Not a traditional Finnish sauna." Cleveland Clinic says only that "A steam room uses humidity," and I did not find a government, university or medical source for a steam room temperature. UL 875, the safety standard for electric dry-bath heaters (Edition 10, published July 8, 2024), does "not cover steam-bath heaters," so a sauna heater and a steam generator are different equipment.
How is a real steam room built?
Most of what makes a steam room work is behind the tile. NASS says the enclosure "is made of a waterproof material such as ceramic tile, glass, stone or acrylic." The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) FAQ on steam rooms (modified February 1, 2023) says, "While glazed tile is vapor impermeable, the grout is not."
| What the guidance says | Source |
|---|---|
| Use "A waterproof membrane meeting the standards of ANSI A118.10," rated by its maker for steam rooms; the Handbook's steam room methods are "SR613 and SR614" | TCNA FAQ |
| "There are no details in the TCNA Handbook that incorporate gypsum wallboard in a steam room assembly" | TCNA FAQ |
| The ceiling slopes 2 inches per foot "to prevent dripping of condensate" | International Masonry Institute (IMI), Steam Room Detail, TCNA Method SR614 (modified November 6, 2024) |
At a showing you can see the enclosure material and whether the ceiling slopes, but not the membrane. Ask the seller for the permit, the installer and the membrane product, and consider having a licensed contractor look at it.
What does a home sauna heater need?
NASS says "the vast majority" of saunas "use electric sauna heaters." UL 875 covers equipment "rated 600 volts or less" intended to be "installed in accordance with the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70." I found no Florida code section written for saunas or steam rooms and did not read the electrical code, so the circuit and breaker are questions for a licensed electrician.
Check the equipment against recalls. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recall 26-349, dated March 26, 2026, covers "DIY Sauna Heater Kits" sold at diycoldplunge.com because "Electrical conductors within the sauna heater kits can overheat, posing a fire hazard and risk of serious injury or death." It involved about 675 units in the U.S., with "12 reports of units overheating. No fires or injuries have been reported."
What do medical sources caution about saunas?
Harvard Health Publishing (page dated May 14, 2020) says "people with uncontrolled high blood pressure and heart disease should check with their doctors before taking a sauna," to avoid alcohol and medications "that may impair sweating and produce overheating," to stay no more than 15 to 20 minutes, and "if you feel unwell during your sauna, head for the door."
Cleveland Clinic (August 12, 2024) says "One of the biggest risks with sauna use is dehydration," says to avoid sauna use after a "recent heart attack or stroke" or if you have "been drinking alcohol," and lists situations in which to check with a provider first, including "certain heart conditions," "certain neurologic conditions such as epilepsy," pregnancy and "taking medication." A 2018 review in Mayo Clinic Proceedings lists contraindications including "unstable angina pectoris" and "recent myocardial infarction," and says "There have been reports linking sauna baths with sudden death."
What do medical sources caution about cold plunges?
Harvard Health (June 1, 2025) says the cold stress response "speeds up your heart rate and blood pressure," that "anyone with a heart rhythm disorder such as atrial fibrillation should avoid cold plunges," that people with peripheral artery disease or Raynaud's syndrome should also avoid them, and that there is "no consensus" on temperature, timing or duration.
Cleveland Clinic (May 8, 2026) says cold water "raises your blood pressure and forces your heart to work harder," which "can be dangerous for people with heart conditions, hypertension or elevated stroke risk." It lists conditions to discuss with a provider first, among them heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, pregnancy and poor circulation; says to avoid going below 40 degrees F; and says "A session should never go longer than five minutes."
The National Weather Service, on a page about open water (metadata dated March 21, 2025), warns that "Cold Shock" "can cause dramatic changes in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure" and that gasping "can be triggered by water as warm as" 77 degrees F. The Mayo Clinic Proceedings review says rapid cooling after a sauna is "not usually recommended" for people with cardiovascular disease and that "Case fatalities have been recorded as a result of people diving head first into cold water right after a sauna bath." The sources do not agree on one temperature or time limit; ask your physician.
If the room includes a hot tub, CPSC said in a December 31, 1979 release that hot tub water should never exceed 104 degrees F; I did not find a newer CPSC statement of that figure.
Is a cold plunge tub a swimming pool under Florida law?
No source I found answers that. Section 515.25(11), Florida Statutes (2026), defines "Swimming pool" as "any structure, located in a residential area, that is intended for swimming or recreational bathing and contains water over 24 inches deep," including "hot tubs; and nonportable spas." Section 515.25(8) defines a "Portable spa" as "a nonpermanent structure intended for recreational bathing, in which all controls and water-heating and water-circulating equipment are an integral part of the product and which is cord-connected and not permanently electrically wired." So the water depth, whether the tub is a self-contained, cord-connected unit or a permanent, wired one, and whether it was permitted are questions for the local building department. If a tub were treated as a swimming pool, the safety feature rules in my guide to buying a Florida home with a pool would be the next question.
How does the MLS show a sauna, steam room, plunge or gym?
As of October 24, 2026, the RESO Data Dictionary 2.0 RoomType list includes "Exercise Room" ("A room that is specifically geared to contain exercise equipment"), "Gym" ("A room that, in addition to exercise equipment, has other characteristics of a gymnasium") and "Sauna" ("A small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities"). RESO does not say what separates a Gym from an Exercise Room beyond "other characteristics of a gymnasium." The list has no steam room or cold plunge value, so a listing may describe either only in the remarks.
RESO's AssociationAmenities list also has "Fitness Center," "Sauna" and "Spa/Hot Tub," each meaning the homeowner association "includes use of or access to" it, so a sauna in that field belongs to the community, not the house. I did not check the field list of the local MLS behind any given listing, so I confirm the room in person. For the gym itself, I found no authoritative source on flooring, mirrors or structural loads; if heavy equipment sits on an upper floor, ask an engineer.
Will a Florida home inspection check these rooms?
Not necessarily. Rule 61-30.807(3), F.A.C., says the inspector is not required to inspect "Recreational facilities," and Rule 61-30.806(4) says the inspector is not required to "Test shower pans, tub and shower surround for leakage." The rules do not define "recreational facilities" or name saunas, steam rooms or plunge tubs, so ask your inspector in writing what they will look at. My post on what happens when a home fails inspection under the as-is contract covers the rest of the process.
Does the sauna, plunge tub or gym equipment stay?
The Florida Realtors/Florida Bar AS IS Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase, form ASIS-7x, in the version Florida Realtors posted in February 2026, includes in paragraph 1(c), Real Property, "all existing improvements and fixtures, including built-in appliances, built-in furnishings and attached wall-to-wall carpeting and flooring." Its 1(d) list of included personal property does not name saunas, steam generators, plunge tubs, hot tubs or exercise equipment, and the form does not define "fixture" or "built-in." Whether a built-in sauna counts as a fixture, or a cord-connected plunge tub as personal property, is not settled by the form or any source I found.
So write each item that should stay on the 1(d) line for "Other Personal Property items included in this purchase," and anything leaving on the 1(e) line for excluded items. Ask a Florida real estate attorney about any disputed item, and for the seller's side, see what Florida sellers must disclose.
How do I confirm these rooms at a showing?
- Which MLS field lists the feature: a room type, or an association amenity?
- Sauna: a traditional heater or infrared?
- Steam room: what is the enclosure made of, does the ceiling slope, and who installed the membrane?
- Plunge tub or hot tub: how deep is it, is it a self-contained, cord-connected unit or permanently wired, and was it permitted?
- What are the brands and models of the heater and plunge equipment, and are they on a CPSC recall list?
- What permits cover the electrical and plumbing work?
- Which items stay? Name them in 1(d), and anything leaving in 1(e).
More guides to rooms in luxury homes: butler's pantry vs butler's kitchen, the butler's room and staff quarters, wine rooms and wine cellars, summer kitchens and cabana baths, primary suite morning kitchens and dressing rooms, safe rooms and home theater vs media room.
Questions people ask about home saunas, steam rooms and cold plunges
What is the difference between a sauna and a steam room?
The North American Sauna Society (undated page, viewed October 24, 2026) puts a sauna at about 150 to 195 degrees F, with humidity from as low as 10 percent if no water is added to 60 percent or more, and a steam room at 110 to 120 degrees F with 100 percent humidity. Cleveland Clinic (August 12, 2024) puts traditional sauna humidity at about less than 20 percent.
What is an infrared sauna?
Cleveland Clinic (August 12, 2024) says infrared sauna temperatures typically fall between 110 and 135 degrees F. NASS calls an infrared room "Not a traditional Finnish sauna" and says no water or steam is used in it.
How is a steam room built?
The Tile Council of North America (modified February 1, 2023) calls for a waterproof membrane meeting ANSI A118.10 and rated for steam rooms, and its Handbook has no steam room details that use gypsum wallboard. The International Masonry Institute's SR614 detail (modified November 6, 2024) slopes the ceiling 2 inches per foot to prevent dripping condensate.
What do doctors caution about cold plunges?
Harvard Health (June 1, 2025) says anyone with a heart rhythm disorder such as atrial fibrillation should avoid cold plunges, and Cleveland Clinic (May 8, 2026) says cold water raises blood pressure and makes the heart work harder. Ask a physician before using one.
Will a home inspector check the sauna or steam room?
Not necessarily. Florida's Rule 61-30.807 says inspectors are not required to inspect "Recreational facilities," a term it does not define, and Rule 61-30.806 says they are not required to test shower pans or surrounds for leakage, so ask your inspector in writing what they will check.
Does the sauna or plunge tub come with the house?
The ASIS-7x contract (posted February 2026) includes existing improvements, fixtures and built-in appliances as Real Property, but it does not name saunas, steam generators, plunge tubs or gym equipment. Write each item into paragraph 1(d), or exclude it in 1(e).
Talk with William. Looking at a home with a sauna, steam room, plunge tub or gym, or getting ready to list one? Send me the address or listing link and the items you expect to stay, and I will ask the listing agent for the permit history and the brands and models of the equipment, then list each item to name in paragraph 1(d) or 1(e) so you can review them before an offer. Call or text (772) 800-2274 or send a message.
General information, not legal, tax, engineering, electrical, medical, lending or insurance advice, and not a guarantee of any price, fee, feature or outcome. Nothing here is a health recommendation: the cautions are the named medical and government sources' own, the steam room temperature comes only from a trade association, and I did not confirm whether a plunge tub is a swimming pool under s. 515.25 or which permits these rooms need. Ask a physician about health questions, a licensed electrician or contractor about the equipment, and the building department about permits. References are as reviewed on October 24, 2026. William Merchant, REALTOR®, RE/MAX Gold. Each RE/MAX office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Sources
- Florida Statutes 515.25, definitions of swimming pool and portable spa (2026)
- Florida Realtors/Florida Bar AS IS Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase, form ASIS-7x, paragraphs 1(c), 1(d) and 1(e), redlined copy (posted February 2026)
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 61-30.807, Standards of Practice, Interior Components (Cornell LII)
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 61-30.806, Standards of Practice, Plumbing System (Cornell LII)
- RESO Data Dictionary 2.0: RoomType lookup, including Exercise Room, Gym and Sauna (generated October 19, 2026)
- RESO Data Dictionary 2.0: AssociationAmenities lookup (viewed October 24, 2026)
- UL 875, Electric Dry-Bath Heaters, Edition 10, scope (published July 8, 2024; ANSI Webstore listing)
- CPSC recall 26-349: DIY Sauna Heater Kits, fire hazard (March 26, 2026)
- CPSC release 79-071: CPSC Warns Of Hot Tub Temperatures (December 31, 1979)
- National Weather Service: Cold Water Hazards and Safety (page metadata March 21, 2025)
- Harvard Health Publishing: "Sauna Health Benefits: Are saunas healthy or harmful?" (page dated May 14, 2020; first published March 9, 2014) (cited for its cautions only)
- Harvard Health Publishing: "Cold plunges: Healthy or harmful for your heart?" by Julie Corliss (June 1, 2025) (cited for its cautions only)
- Cleveland Clinic: "Get Your Sweat On: The Benefits of a Sauna" (August 12, 2024) (cited for its temperature and humidity figures and cautions only)
- Cleveland Clinic: "Are 'Cold Plunge' Ice Baths Good for You?" by Dominic King, DO (May 8, 2026) (cited for its cautions only)
- Laukkanen, Laukkanen and Kunutsor: "Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence," Mayo Clinic Proceedings (2018; author accepted manuscript, University of Bristol repository) (cited for its cautions only)
- North American Sauna Society: Sauna types (undated, viewed October 24, 2026)
- Tile Council of North America: FAQ, steam rooms (modified February 1, 2023)
- International Masonry Institute: Steam Room Detail, TCNA Method SR614 (modified November 6, 2024)
