Do You Have A Steam Bath in Your Own Home?

Steam baths have been a popular form of bathing for thousands of years. Known to the ancient Greeks, they also have long traditions in both Turkey and Russia.

Steam baths can be found in most spas and gyms today. They are also becoming increasingly popular for home installation. Thanks to recent developments in steam generator technology, steam baths can be installed in almost any residential bathroom.

Are a steam bath, steam shower, and steam sauna all the same thing? Strictly speaking, a steam bath is an enclosure which is kept at about 45°C. It is fed with a steam generator that produces thick vapor mists. A steam shower is almost the same as a steam bath but on a smaller scale. Usually just big enough for one or two people, it can be installed in a standard shower stall. Steam showers are often used for residential steam baths.

A steam bath is sometimes called a steam sauna, but a true sauna is actually a different type of bath. A Finnish sauna produces a dry heat that is much hotter than a steam bath. Saunas are usually heated between 70°C and 100°C. Steam is produced in a sauna by pouring water over hot rocks, though the air is usually quite dry at about twenty percent humidity as compared to one hundred percent humidity in a steam bath.

Many people would like to have a steam shower installed in their house but are concerned about the build-up of humidity. If you have a fairly modern bathroom with an enclosed shower stall, a steam shower is feasible without any concerns about excess humidity. Without an enclosed shower, the room has to be fairly well sealed to prevent the steam from escaping and to prevent moisture damage to the surrounding structure.

Existing bathtubs can be modified to accommodate a steam shower if no enclosed shower stall is present. If you have a large bathroom, installing a separate steam shower is another alternative.

The steam generator does not have to be in the bathroom. It can be installed up to 40 feet away from the steam shower. The generator needs an adequate electrical connection, and some models also need to be connected to a drain. The steam generator is connected to a steam head which is installed in the bath itself. Some steam heads have built in controls while others are controlled by an external unit. It is more convenient to have the controls on the inside to be able to make any needed adjustments.

It is wise to install some kind of seating in a steam bath, since they are so relaxing and you are likely to spend more time there than in a traditional shower. The steam heads should be installed away from the seating area to reduce the possibility of being scalded with the hot steam.

All of this installation work requires specialized plumbing and electrical skills. Before making the decision to install a steam shower in your home, consult with both a plumber and an electrician to find out if it can be done within your budget.

By Mike Hirn

A Steam Shower Generator Will Customize Your Personal Space

You easily, inexpensively can convert any old ordinary shower into your own personal steam room with a steam shower generator. Small and adaptable, the generator tucks neatly inside an access panel or beneath a sink; you may install it in a crawlspace above the bathroom or in any hidden spot up to twenty-five feet from the tub. Nothing in plumbing installs easily, and a steam shower generator probably will require some wiring and soldering, but you can install the unit in an existing bathroom with relatively little muss, fuss, and bother. As long as the bathroom has a shower enclosure or a tub, you have plenty of room.

Think outside the box as you consider installing a steam shower generator.

You may, however, practically and realistically think well outside the box, putting your steam bath where you most want it. Of course, you want a little privacy and a modicum of practicality, but why not focus on the feel-good? If a room has space enough for a standard shower, you may install your steam bath anywhere in your home.

Imagine turning the basement into your own private health club, adding a steam bath where you lift weights and work on the treadmill. How good will that steam bath feel immediately after your typically brutal session with Jillian Michaels Muscle Tone DVD! And think of the poor children: no child ever should have to see a parent in exercise gear. Keep it private and convenient, add value to your home, and keep the old muscles supple by making a steam shower a key piece of your home gym design.

Imagine steaming and rinsing your yard-sore body, keeping the house and bathrooms clean by installing your sauna in the mudroom. Think how nice a cultured marble or rustic stone enclosure would look in there, and think how good the warm, relaxing steam will feel after a long day on the acreage-especially if you scent your steam with lavender and eucalyptus. If you have a greenhouse, you may vent your steam into the growing area; or you may set-up an easy recycling system for your gray water.

By Victor D Williams

Learn More the History of Shower Bath

Nowadays, most people in the Western world prefer showers over baths. It is necessary to take a shower once a day day. There isn’t time to take a bath before work or school every morning. This is a far cry from the phobia against bathing that existed during the Dark Ages.

It is speculated that the modern shower’s origins lie with waterfalls. People were already bathing in rivers and streams, so they utilized the pressure from the falling water in order to wash away the dirt and grime on their bodies.

The Ancient Greeks also had a sort of shower. Servants would pour buckets of cold water on the bather as they scrubbed themselves clean. This was not quite as relaxing as the other types of baths that the Ancient Greeks were known for, like their steam sauna, communal sauna, and other types of sauna therapy. The Ancient Greeks would also shower in the cold water that spouted off of the side of large city fountains.

The Ancient Egyptians had a shower room that was very similar to the Ancient Greeks’, where slaves dumped vases of cold water over the bather’s body.

Ancient Babylon had aqueducts and waste pipes about two and a half thousand years before Europe managed to develop them. Thus, wealthy and important Babylonians had access to water in their private bathrooms. King Nebuchadnezzar had a personal shower room, where he would slather his body with soap made from tallow and ash while his servants poured water onto his body.

During the Dark Ages of Europe and among early Christians, bathing was associated with vanity and therefore declared as unholy. Bathing became more popular when the queen made a request for a bathtub installation of her own bathtub in a time where bathtubs were apprehensively looked upon. In spite of this, bathing was still considered a frivolous waste of time for many years afterwards.

The first and most elaborate shower apparatus was the English Regency Shower, created in 1810. It stood twelve feet tall, with a round basin at the bottom for the bather to stand in and a tank at the top to hold water.

The tank had a drain inside of it and was attached to the basin with ten foot long poles. The entire device was made out of metal, painted to imitate the texture of bamboo. Water would be dumped onto the bather’s head, drained from the basin, and pumped back up to the tank via a hollow pole. The water would be showered upon the bather’s head once again.

The bather wore a precursor to the shower cap- a tall, conical hat made out of an oily cloth to protect their hair. Even the wealthier class was apprehensive of the shower, most of these new devices used cold water, so their innovative merits did not surpass the relaxing and comfortable feeling of a hot tub spa or an outdoor hot tub.

Hot tubs were not as common as hot baths, but they both had the advantage of warm water. The ice cold water that most showers used, in addition to the strange new method of bathing, caused most people to be completely disinterested in using them.

The 1800s finally led to the development of indoor plumbing, and heated tap water followed closely behind. In 1889, JL Mott Iron Works invented a new showering apparatus. Exposed pipes sprayed jets of water at the bather from every angle in a similar way to the modern power shower.

Steam shower enclosures are a recent innovation in bathing. Steam showers usually come in stand-alone steam shower units. A type of humidifier/steam generator produces a warm mist around the bather’s body.

Steam showers are much like ordinary steam rooms or saunas, but they have many components of a personal shower. Most steam showers are kept in enclosures so that the walls and paint of the bathroom are protected from moisture damage.

By Allison Ryan

A Steam Bath Generator Provides the Steam For Your Shower

These days steam bath showers are now understood as something that can highly enhance the beauty of your home-décor, besides providing you with a great fun-filled journey to a relaxing bath. A hot shower soothes every part of your body and you would feel like there is nothing more comfortable than having a sauna bath and probably, you will not want to get out of the shower enclosure. But all of this is not possible without a generator that is the core part of a steam shower.

With a suitable generator you can completely makeover your present shower installations by changing it into a steam shower. Whatever material has been used for the construction of your shower enclosure, a generator is always needed to create the water vapour. The generator can be installed outside or nearby the shower, but never inside the unit itself. For proper installation of a unit you will need to connect a supply of water to the steam generator’s intake portal as well as a flow pipe or vent from the generator to the shower itself. Besides, you will be a need an electrical connection to run the steam bath generator.

The placement of the generator, for some, depending on their building or home layout, is not an easy task. The unit can be installed in the basement, in the attic, in a vanity cabinet or other such places. But whatever be the place, it should have a proper drainage system as well as access as in a service door and space around it for servicing. There is a vapour head or heads that are installed within the shower enclosure, with which the unit is connected. This head(s) serves the purpose of spreading out the steam into the shower enclosure. The place where the vapour generator is installed should be an insulated spot if in a cold climate as this will help with it’s cost effectiveness.

But before the installation of the generator, you will need to purchase this critical component first. For purchase, you will have to know the specs of the generator and match that to your requirements. You need to know about your shower enclosure or room size. So what are the compatibility factors that should be taken care of?

• Size of the shower enclosure.

• The enclosure material, with which it is made of.

• Cost factors (service period, capacity, extra features).

Besides the above general factors there are certain case specific factors like, an iron tub, mud wall tile, whether the height is 8 feet or higher of the shower area, number and sizes of the glass panels and outside walls. There are steam bath generators that have only basic or essential features that cost less than a unit that has some extra features like a timer for switching it on or off at a preset time, design details, gadgets (radio, stereo, phone, etc). The cost can also be affected if you get the time saving unit, one with an auto flush system that automatically drain out the water after each session.

By Victor D Williams

How to Design a Steam Shower

Steam showers are gaining popularity currently because they provide relaxation and are said to promote weight loss by getting rid of body toxins as well. These types of showers work like a traditional steam room but while also dispersing water vapor around a person’s body like a traditional water shower with steam instead of water.

There are many different designs of steam showers available, and if you search enough you can find a great deal on a do it yourself steam shower for your own home. One important thing to consider when creating or installing your own shower is how you will insulate the whole unit in order to promote the most steam and heat for your relaxation. Insulation is what helps enclose the steam shower and helps keep steam within the area it is supposed to be.

Next, think about what shape you want your shower to come in. Where are you going to place this steam shower? How will it fit into that space? Measure the space where you want your steam shower to determine what size and shape of you may need before you begin looking at different options. Further, determine what size of shower you want. This will be determined mainly by how much space is available for you to use, but also by the number of people who will be using the shower as well.

Is your shower going to be for personal use only, or are you wanting to provide a place for guests to come and use the shower as well? It is all up to you to decide, but those are important factors when trying to determine what kind of shower you want to install. Further determine what kind of theme or shape you want your shower to take. How will your shower be incorporated into the overall look and theme throughout your house?

A steam shower’s design can be left completely up to you, the designer, but if you need help there are many informative websites available that can help you define your personal taste and decide what kind of design you want for your steam shower.

By Ian Jamieson

Seven Essential Facts You Should Know Before Buying a Steam Shower

If you’ve ever wanted to replace your ordinary shower with a luxury steam shower, you’re not alone. Steam showers are growing in popularity as an elegant add-on to any master bathroom. Here are a few things you should know about steam showers before you make the decision to buy.

What is a steam shower? A steam shower is a watertight enclosure the size of a normal shower—or a bit bigger, depending on the model you buy. Steam showers have steam converters that heat the water in your pipes to a boil before ejecting the warm water vapor through nozzles inside the steam shower stall. Most steam showers also have normal showerheads that allow you to rinse off after using the steam feature.

Why should you buy one? Steam showers are similar to steam rooms, which are common in spas and health clubs. Some health practitioners and healers believe that steam has many health benefits, from detoxification to improved respiratory function. Steam can help with muscle fatigue and joint pain, improve circulation, and possibly boost your immunity. In spas, it’s often used in conjunction with aromatherapy—and some steam showers allow you to insert your favorite essential oils for a scented steam bath.

What features are included? Most steam showers include a showerhead, steam jets, jet massagers, and aromatherapy fixtures. Other features include phone and iPod hookups, built-in radios, and foot massagers. Some steam showers are quite large and include benches and jets to accommodate two people. Others allow you to receive incoming calls while in the shower.

Steam showers are not for everyone. Pregnant women are generally advised not to use steam showers, because they can raise the body temperature to a point that may be unsafe for the baby. Young children should also avoid steam showers, as should people with diabetes and high blood pressure. If you have a medical condition or any doubt about whether or not a steam shower is right for you, check with your doctor before buying one.

You don’t have to buy a new shower. You can buy a conversion kit to transform your old shower into a steam shower. However, this will still require significant electrical, plumbing, and construction work. Your shower stall must be made to be completely watertight on all sides, including the ceiling. Tile walls may need to be replaced.

Don’t try to install it yourself. Installing a steam shower, or even a conversion kit, is a big job that requires extensive electrical and plumbing expertise, not to mention shower-construction skills. Beware of any companies that claim their conversion kits are “easy to install” or that you won’t need a contractor. When choosing a contractor, hire someone with previous experience installing steam showers—and test the shower before they leave.
 
Choose your vendor with care. It’s very unwise to buy a steam shower from an individual or unknown vendor. You’re likely to get a product without a warranty or any customer support, and it may not look anything like you expected it to. Cheap steam showers are often shoddily constructed and likely to leak steam, which can cause mold problems. This will cost you a great deal more than you saved by getting a “great deal” on a steam shower.

When buying a steam shower sight-unseen, ask for pictures of the shower installed in a bathroom. This way, you can get an idea of what it will look like in yours. Ask about warrantees, too—it’s best to get one that lasts from one to three years. Some steam converters are covered for life. Choose a vendor with a long history of satisfied customers—not an unknown brand with an unknown reputation.

In addition, don’t buy a used steam shower from an individual. Poor-quality steam showers can cause a great deal of trouble and expense to owners, and they’re probably selling it for a reason. Even if there’s nothing wrong with the shower, you won’t get a warranty, replacement parts, or any other support from an individual, and you may need it.

A steam shower can be a wonderful addition to your bathroom. But there are a few things to consider before buying. Know the facts about steam showers, and you’re sure to make the right decision for your bathroom.

Relaxation, Health and Lifestyle Benefits of Having Your Own Steam Shower

Most people like to indulge in a steam shower and a sauna every chance they get, unfortunately most of us do not have the ability to indulge as often as we would like. Hotels, gyms, and friend’s homes are often what turn us on to a steam room or sauna first, but many of us end up really enjoying it to the point that we would consider investing in our own home steam shower and sauna set up. Saunas have been around for a long, long time with the original sauna’s being built in Finland. When those that lived in Finland would relocate to other areas of the world the tradition and the awesome technology behind the sauna followed. The sauna caught on because most people find that they can reap lifestyle and even health benefits from their own steam room.

If you indulge in the steam room at your gym every time you work out, you’ll probably find that you would indulge just as often if not more often if you had one available to you at home. Building your own home steam shower may seem like an extreme indulgence, but it is worth it. After a long, stressful day at work you can come home and take a sauna or steam bath and find that all of your problems are put into perspective. As you sit in your steam shower you will find that all of the tension leaves your shoulders and your back. Just 20 or 30 minutes will change your whole outlook on life and may even be able to help you deal better with your stresses in your home life and your professional life. When you are able to de-stress you may find that you are more productive because you aren’t as frazzled.

Your own steam shower is also a great way to nurse your own health problems. If you suffer from dry skin, arthritis, cancer, and many other illnesses you may find that a steam shower or sauna is a great way to deal with your disease. Dry skin and arthritis will often feel much better when you take a sauna daily, and cancer symptoms and stress will often subside when you indulge in a daily steam shower. A stream room won’t actually cure most ailments, but it will definitely help you relax and just enjoy a few moments to yourself every day, or even a couple times a week.

If you are worried about the price of a home steam shower you can always invest in a discount steam shower, which you will find plenty of. Often, the best places to shop are online because they can offer you near wholesale prices on your steam shower. You can pick from portable steam showers, infrared or electric steam showers, and more. You’ll find that a home steam shower can come in a variety of styles and sizes so that you can have it built or added to your home no matter what the configuration of your home or space allotment. When you purchase your steam shower it may seem like an excessive purchase, but when you realize how much you’ll use it and how much you benefit in all aspects of your life you’ll realize that your sauna or steam shower is worth its weight in gold.

There truly is nothing like a home steam shower. Once you have one and get it set up and functioning, you’ll find that your friends and even your neighbors are coming around more often to take advantage of the health and lifestyle benefits that come along with daily or even weekly saunas.

By Chris Robertso

Eight Things to Look For When Buying a Steam Shower

A steam shower looks like a normal shower, but it’s not—it’s actually closer to a sauna with a showerhead included. A steam shower is a watertight, enclosed glass stall with a steam generator included. The steam generator heats water to the boiling point, and then the steam is forced into the stall through several steam jets lining the walls. The entire stall, including floor, ceiling, and sides, must be made of a waterproof material that can withstand a moist, warm environment without damage. Most steam showers include a normal showerhead, and some come equipped with aromatherapy, benches, radios, and more.

But not all steam showers are as great as they seem. Before you buy, here are a few things to look for.

All-in-one or conversion equipment? You have a lot of options when it comes to installing a steam shower. You can convert a regular overhead shower into a steam shower by buying equipment piecemeal, but don’t expect to install it yourself unless you are a competent electrician and plumber. If you buy an all-in-one model, make sure it’s of high quality by looking for the following qualities.

The right frame for the job. The frame that holds the glass panels in place should be made of thick, sturdy aluminum—not plastic. Some companies use a plastic frame coated in metal to save costs, but the metal can wear away from the plastic and weaken the frame. Look for a solid aluminum frame instead, of a thickness of about 1.5 mm. Some companies use aluminum frames as thin as 0.5 millimetres, but these dent easily.

Quality fixtures. As with the frame, watch out for fixtures made of chrome-plated plastic. The chrome wears off easily, the fixtures look and feel cheap, and the plastic is easy to break once it’s exposed. Instead, choose showers that have fixtures made of chrome-plated metals.

A company that tests. Some companies do product tests of each shower they sell to examine how their shower components hold up over hundreds of thousands of uses. And some don’t.

When buying a steam shower, ask the company whether they do product tests, and how rigorous they are. Some companies test their door rollers, fixtures, electrics, steam jets, and other features over thousands of consecutive uses, and the best companies test each shower before it leaves the plant. Ask your company about its testing practices before you buy.

Blinding brightness is bad. The floor of the shower is usually made of a sheet of acrylic material over some layers of fiberglass. You’ll want this later to be thick, and you’ll want the acrylic to be of good quality. Low-quality acrylics often have a bright white color. They’re bad for any steam shower—most importantly because they’re more vulnerable to fire than higher-quality materials. If your shower floor looks too bright, it may be using a bad-quality acrylic.

Safety first. The doors and walls should be made of tempered safety glass about 5-6 millimetres thick. The edges should be covered by the frame, as safety glass edges are most vulnerable to cracking.

Steam showers have heavy electronics—everything from the steam showers to the radio and foot massagers are run by electronic circuits. Look for a company that product-tests its electronics for safety. It’s also a good idea to buy steam showers that have received approval from an independent third-party electronics assessment firm, such as UL, ETL, or CE, depending on the country you’re buying from.

Check the weight. If you get a high-quality shower, it should be heavy and sturdy. All-metal frames and fixtures, thick glass and acrylic all add to the weight and the feeling of sturdiness. If your new steam shower feels flimsy, it probably is made from low-quality materials.

Get a warranty. You never know what will grow wrong. When buying a steam shower, choose a vendor that offers a warranty. Discuss how long the warranty will be active, and what it will cover, before purchasing a shower.

A steam shower can add luxury and value to your home, and it can transform your bathroom into a spa retreat at the same time. But if you buy a cheap steam shower with a lightweight frame, low-quality acrylics, substandard fixtures, and no safety assessment, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Take your time when choosing a steam shower, and you’re sure to find a good one.

Ten Reasons to Take a Steam Bath

Burn Off Your Fat

Shower with steam increases the temperature of the body and fat has a property to become soluble in water above 110° F. So, taking a shower with steam helps your body sweat out a major part of the fat. Moreover, your body can get the same benefit as with a short exercise set.

Detoxification

Having a shower with steam naturally accelerates the biochemical process going on in the body and helps the specific biochemical processes that are working continuously to remove the toxins out of the body. Having a steam shower opens up all of the skin’s pores, the sweat glands start secreting sweat with which the accumulated toxins and other metabolic wastes are removed from the body.

Dead Skin Removal

It also helps in reducing the cellulite level of the body. When you take a steam shower your dead cells of skin get softened and start exfoliating automatically. You can also increase the rate of this exfoliation with the help of some essential oils & detoxifying mud.

Relief from Respiratory Conditions

It also works wonderfully in treating many respiratory inflammations, allergies, and infections. You help your respiratory tract to stimulate the secretion of mucous from your lungs & throats by loosening the mucous and moistening the throat and nasal cavity. Even patients with asthma and chronic bronchitis have reported its effects in relieving their conditions.

Strengthening Of Immune System

Shower with steam raises an artificial fever temporarily in your body and this artificial fever increases the rate of production of white blood cells and their release in the blood circulation. Besides, other agents of immune system like, interferon & other antibodies, also starts producing at a faster rate than normal. Thus, shower with steam boost the immune level of the body.

Relief from Body Inflammation

It also helps in controlling the effects of edema and in turn the resulting inflammation. The steam increases the peripheral circulation of the body and this type of circulation is very important in countering the effects of edema. Moreover it also helps in alleviating the pain and in accelerating the healing process.

No More Joint Pain

It also works wonder in cases of joint pains, whether it it joint stiffness, arthritis, muscle or rheumatism. In this context, the shower with steam acts by dilating the blood vessels, which in turn increases the blood circulation resulting in an increased level of oxygen into the body. This increased level of oxygen softens the stiff muscles and joints and make them recover faster.

Very Effective against Skin Problems

There are several skin problems that can be effectively eliminated with the help of a regular steam shower. This happens because of the increased blood circulation, removal of toxins and exfoliation of dead skin cells through the process. The major skin problems addressed include: acne, tanning, dryness and wrinkles.

Relief from Muscle Pain
 
It acts as a steam therapy session. A single session can reduce the muscles stress and pain to such a level that it can sustain one for several days in a stretch. It has also been found that regular sessions show significant results in patients suffering from chronicle headaches, menstruation pain and other injury related muscle pains.

No More Suffering from Stress

Regular use can refresh your mind and soul, re-energizes your body. Several studies have supported this view on the shower with steam that it helps in elevating the mood and reducing the stress level of the body as well as mind.

By Victor D Williams

Where to Locate a Steam Shower Generator

The location of a steam shower generator can be as varied as the distance from the steam shower or steam room. It should be realized that there is no support in the notion that the placement of steam generator close to the steam shower enclosure is better. There is no reduction in the effect of a unit if it is placed a distance away from the enclosure providing it is a quality machine and installed properly. But, yet it is advisable to install the it within a limited distance of the steam area and the best distance for the installation of the generator is found to be no more than 25 ft. The next thing that should be taken care of is that the surface on which the generator is going to be installed should be leveled and is made up of a solid material. The place of installation should also be free from any excess of moisture or freezing and should also be easily reachable for the service needed that might be needed in the future.

It is always a good to examine the floor placing well before the installation of the unit to avoid any post installation difficulty. Measure twice and cut once is the phrase that can be applied. But if you are not able to find a place within 25 ft. of the steam room, there is no reason to lose heart, as there are professionals available to take care of this situation. They will certainly find a suitable place for the installation of your unit without compromising with the quality of the steam coming to the enclosure. Moreover, there are some that are available that are of various sizes and models and you are sure to find your required specifications, likely you’ll need more power if you are further away.

Some of the popular places where a steam bath generator is installed are closets, cabinets, crawl spaces, utility rooms, walls, basements, heated attics. A typical steam making unit weighs about 30 pounds. It can be attached to the wall or can be mounted on the floor, as required. The nice thing is that it does not need any kind of external cooling, as there is no requirement of any fresh air or ventilation. The external surface of the unit never gets hot enough to need any kind of ventilation, still the pipes going in and out from it becomes quite hot and thus one should always avoid keeping anything inflammable near it. You should always review the manufacturer’s suggestion before hand and try to follow the installation guidelines provided by the company.

If possible try to install the unit in a rust-resistant stainless steel compartment with drainage so that any kind of water leakage, if any, will get drained to a the discharge exit. This will ensure safety against any kind of damage to the unit and will avoid any kind of accident as a result of water leakage. You should also provide enough space around the steam shower generator, so that, you or some mechanic could easily reach to it for any kind of service needed.

By Victor D Williams