The Ultimate Luxury: How to Install a Steam Shower

We all love a good shower. Make that a steam shower and you're in for absolute bliss. Steam opens up the skin pores, resulting in clearer skin and improved circulation. Inhaling steam is also a great way to treat respiratory infections and stress, and to increase the metabolism to boost weight loss. There's no better time to install a steam shower than right now.

A steam shower is a self-contained shower unit, meant for the purpose of showering, which is unlike a sauna. Steam showers use moist heat with high humidity, whereas saunas make use of dry heat at high temperatures and low humidity. When you decide to invest in a steam shower, you have 3 options:

➔ Retrofit your current shower with a steam mechanism
➔ Build a new shower room in your home
➔ Buy a modular steam unit

A steam shower requires 3 components:

1. Access to plumbing to deliver water to generate steam, and to remove the condensed water.
2. Access to electrical supply to heat the water to generate steam.
3. A steam generator unit to convert water into steam and uses pipes to push the steam into the shower stall or room.

Installing Your New Steam Shower

It is relatively easy to install a steam shower unit in your bathroom. Consider these points when you decide whether you will install your own steam shower, or whether you should hire a plumber.

Waterproofing

The room in which you install the steam shower unit must be waterproof in order to avoid structural damage from mold and mildew. Proper ventilation will also help to reduce excess moisture, so consider installing an extractor fan in your bathroom.

Building Code

Bathroom plumbing and electrical installations are regulated by the City Building Code and therefore, you should hire someone with plumbing and electrical licensing to handle the installation of a GFCI protected electrical supply. Steam generators vary in size from 3000-6000 Watt, and it would require 40 Amp or 240 Volt line.

Step By Step Steam Shower Installation

Once the waterproofing, plumbing and electrical installations have been completed, you can easily complete the rest of the job by following these simple steps:

1. Set aside about 2-4 hours and find someone to help you.
2. Follow the assembly instructions included with your steam shower.
3. Connect your hot and cold water supply to the steam shower to feed the shower heads, jets and the steam generator.
4. Connect the steam shower unit to the drain using 1.5 inch flexible hose. You can use your existing drain.
5. Adjust the leveling legs of the steam shower to provide a stable base.
6. You may use silicone or caulk to finish around the edges of the steam shower and to ensure it matches its environment. However, be sure that the materials you use in this room are mold resistant so as to avoid mold growth.

Additional Features for Your Steam Shower

When visiting showrooms to buy a steam shower unit, you will be spoilt for choice. From chromatherapy to aromatherapy, fast-start warm ups, wireless steam controls, in-shower music or radio to steam shower, whirlpool and sauna combinations, there's something for everyone.

Why risk messing up a sizable investment by going the DIY route? Rather call Anta Plumbing to install your steam shower unit. We have the tools and the experience and we can give you the advice you need to get the most from your unit.