What Are Steam Showers?
If you could sit down after a long hard day, and have one place that you could go to relax, knowing that after just 10 or 20 minutes you will come out refreshed, and having shed away your stresses and worries, what type of place would you imagine?
Most people would conjure up thoughts of being inside of an expensive spa studio, with the world’s top massage technicians and therapeutic aromas in the air. But you can have all this by installing a steam shower enclosure in your own home.
What can a steam shower do for you?
1. Provide you a spa experience. Your favorite spa can provide you with a steam bath, massage, and shower room – all at a cost. Now imagine having all that available right in your bathroom – without having to make an appointment. A steam shower, with its hot steam, pressure water jets, and shower heads makes it all possible.
2. Add an unsurpassed sense of luxury to your bathroom. The special shower enclosure used to house the steam shower appears elegant and gives your bathroom a look of opulence. What’s more, you can add all kinds of extras (depending on your budget) such as a built-in shower bench, timers, aromatherapy, music, extra shower heads, and more – all options that can add that touch of elegance to your bathroom.
How does the shower produce steam?
The process begins with cold water being run through heating coils. The coils heat the water to boiling. Just like a tea kettle, this produces steam, which is them is released through a steam head or jet in the shower wall.
Obviously, the shower wall must be constructed of special material that can handle the extreme heat the steam produces. The shower enclosure should also fit tightly together so the steam isn’t released into the bathroom itself where it can damage the paint or wallpaper.
Most units will have controls that let you adjust the steam temperature and for how long you want the steam to come out.
What steam shower options are available?
A basic steam shower enclosure includes a traditional shower with normal shower heads and fixtures. Then special jets are added which the steam comes out of. There will usually be controls that let you adjust the steam temperature and time.
But steam showers allow you to add many options that can take your spa-like experience to another level. Here are just some of the possible options that various manufacturers let you add to your shower.
Other options include mood lighting, hands-free telephone, fog-free mirrors, and headrests. If you want a specific option, it’s likely that some manufacturer can supply it.
Water and electricity use
You might think that by producing steam, you will be using a lot of water. But steam showers actually use less water than regular showers. A typical 20-minute shower will use about 50 gallons of water. A similar steam shower will use just 2 gallons of water. This means that while you are enjoying your soothing steam shower in the comfort of your own home, you also get the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping the environment by saving water.
However, the unit used to generate the steam uses electricity, so although you might save on your water bill, your electric bill may increase.
Steam Shower Costs
Yes, a steam shower is going to cost more than a regular shower. A standalone, ready to install enclosure can cost from US$2,000 to $4000 dollars – plus the cost of getting the plumbing and wiring attached. Building a unit into your current bathroom can cost double that depending on size, installation, and the options you choose. However, when evaluating steam shower costs, be sure to compare them to the cost of spa membership with additional fees for stress-relieving massages.
Precautions
Pregnant women and individuals with health problems (e.g. heart disease, epilepsy) should always talk to their health care provider before using a steam shower.
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