Steam Shower

Steam Shower Costs

It's the end of a lengthy day. You are tired, or achy, or just wish to chase away the winter chill. So you push a button in the steam shower stall, plop your self down on a bench, and melt into a soothing cloud of eucalyptus-scented steam shower. Twenty minutes later, you emerge feeling relaxed, renewed, and in the pink.

That type of indulgence utilized to require a trip to a health spa. But much more and much more homeowners are opting to re-create the experience at home by turning their ordinary shower stalls into warm, vaporous havens known as steam showers. Along with the benefits to your skin and sinuses, there's no standing around waiting for any whirlpool tub to fill or a sauna to heat up—and when you're done steaming, you just turn on the shower for any refreshing rinse.

To summon steam, you merely hit the digital controls in the steam shower stall. That triggers an electric valve to fill the steam generator with about a gallon of cold water. Then, just like a plug-in teakettle, the generator's electric element brings the water to a boil. A pipe channels the hot vapor to the steam shower head, or disperser, which fills the stall with tropical moisture that never gets above a safe 118 degrees Fahrenheit.

Steam Shower

Steaming for 20 minutes consumes a mere 2 gallons of water. By that reckoning, steam is a "green" method to bathe. (Even a water-saving showerhead sprays about 50 gallons of water within the same period.) Your electric bill is bound to go up, nevertheless. Steam units are sized based on the stall's volume in cubic feet, its shape, and what it is lined with. A typical 4-by-5-by-8-foot stall (160 cubic ft) covered with ceramic tile demands at least a 7-kilowatt generator. For any stall tiled in stone, you will require twice as a lot steam-generating capacity.

Steam Shower Installation and Costs

Installing a steam shower at home demands the services of a few pros. Initial, you'll need a seller; you can find one locally through the websites of major steam generator makers, such as Mr Steam, Steamist, and Thermasol. The dealer will discover the best spot to hide the generator, which must be within 25 or so ft from the shower stall. (A linen or walk-in closet will do nicely, as long as the equipment is easily accessible for maintenance.) Then you'll need a tiling contractor and steam shower door installer to build you a steam proof enclosure. When that's ready, the dealer can bring in a plumber to connect all of the pipes and an electrician to hook up the generator's 220-volt electric cable and digital controls. All told, the system should run you about $2,500, installed, plus the cost of the new stall and door. Or for about $2,000 to $4,000, you are able to get a stand-alone, steam shower enclosure that just needs to have the wiring and plumbing hooked up, though the space-capsule look of such units may be a bit out of place in your elegant master bath.

Steam shower makers are betting their products will eventually nudge out the tub—claw-foot, jetted, or otherwise—as the preferred place to luxuriate within the American bathroom. There's some evidence to support the claim: A survey by the National Association of Home Builders found that more home buyers wanted separate steam shower enclosures with temperature controls and multiple shower heads like whirlpool tubs. At that rate, it might not be lengthy prior to steam shower rises towards the top.

Steam Shower Tips