A steam shower represents a touch of luxury as well as having tremendous health benefits like clearing sinuses, opening blocked respiratory pores, expelling toxins through perspiration, and lowering high blood pressure naturally.
Due to so many advantages, many people want to install a steam shower at home to enjoy the sauna-like experience casually. But how to make it true? This guide will tell you the necessary steps of the steam shower installation. Read on!
How Does the Steam Shower Work?
Although the steam shower looks very luxurious, the principle of it is straightforward.
First, when you open the steam generator, the cold water will be heated to steam temperature. And then steams will flow over the pipes, where they will be channeled into the chamber by the steam heads or disperser. Usually, the steam temperature will not go beyond 118 degrees Fahrenheit hence ensuring the the safety of the consumer.
How to Install A Steam Shower?
Measurement of shower space
Before starting to install a steam shower in your bathroom, it’s crucial to realize the size of your rooms. Because if your room is too large and the steam shower generator isn’t powerful enough, you cannot enjoy the ideal steam shower experience; And, if your room is too small, you may feel chest distress when having a steam shower.
Generally, the whole setup should have a maximum ceiling height of 8 feet. And a much bigger space will require a much stronger steam generator to fill up the enclosure with steam. 3 feet by 3 feet by 7 feet is the ideal size which most steam generators can comfortably accommodate.
Insulation
Once the steam is generated, it should be contained in the chamber so as not to lose the heat.
Thus, the shower doors should be watertight but not airtight. This means that the partition should be made out of non-porous and mold-proof material like ceramic tiles or porcelain. Usually, more porous material like marble or granite is absorbent and absorbs the steam making it hard to retain heat and fill up space with steam.
Besides, you should also make sure to add a floor drain and use double-paned windows as they prevent the heat from escaping and the cold from getting into the chamber.
Also, you could use a glass transom above the door to let out excessive heat while taking a shower.
Power
Make sure to use a separate circuit breaker for the setup. This is because the controls may operate on a lower voltage than the generator. The generator consumes a good amount of electricity of close to 3000 watts to 6000 Watts at 240 volts. For this reason, make sure to separate the circuit breaker in case of an overload.
It is also important to note that due to the proximity of the electrical equipment to water, it is necessary to make sure that it is Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter protected. (GFCI interrupts power supply when moisture is detected)
It is highly recommended to allow the electrical work to be done by a licensed professional electrician to avoid any accidents.
Plumbing pipes
It is recommended to get a skilled plumber because, if there is any faulty pipework then the entire setup will not work properly as it should.
All pipes which pass the hot water and cold water to the steam generator should always be counter checked to ensure longevity and safety of use.
Steam generator location
Do not install the generator in the actual steam room. Anywhere from within 20 feet to 60 feet of your steam enclosure is ideal, and it can even be in the closet, attic, or basement. And you should make sure the location is warm so as the pipes supplying the water may not freeze during the cold season.
It is recommended to leave 12 inches of space at the top and around all the sides at the location of installation for maintenance and servicing accessibility.
Regulator location
Usually, the most convenient space for the regulator location is inside the steam enclosure. You can put them 4-5 feet above the floor, as this height allows most people access it easily.
Besides that, the controls should be far from the direction of direct steam flow. This setting can prevent the control system from the high temperature of steams.
Lighting
Use lighting equipment and fixtures that are vapor sealed. This prevents one from getting in touch with the lighting circuit because it could condense the vapor, plus water and electricity can cause electrocution.
Look for circuitry with a GFCI, which disconnects the power when moisture is detected.
Anti-Slip material on floors
Always take safety measures when it comes to floors, the last thing you want to do when relaxing in a steam bath is to slip and fall. There are anti-skid strips you could attach to the floor to help boost the grip, preventing any accidents.
Exhaust fan
An exhaust fan is used to blow away steam and hot air outside the house once you are done taking a shower. Any ordinary bathroom exhaust fan does the job just fine.
It should be installed outside the steam chamber but within the bathroom.
Follow manual
Make sure to follow the guide that comes accompanied with the steam shower to the latter. As different companies may have different methods of assembly and it would do you good to go through the manual.
It is comprehensive enough for a two-man work team to be done in 3 to 6 hours.
Conclusion
A steam shower is a must-have in most modern homes because it increases the home value by 30%. Installing a steam shower can be quite costly however with all the benefits it comes with, makes it worthy.
