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What To Consider When Installing a Steam Shower

Ron Nanberg | Tue, Oct 9, 2012 | Bathroom Remodeling

Have you considered installing a steam shower as part of your bathroom remodeling project? Many of our customers ask us about these luxury amenities, and are surprised to find that steam showers are becoming more and more common in new and renovated homes today. If you would like a bathroom that can give you a private spa treatment, look no further than a steam shower system.

Knowing what a steam shower is and how it works is all part of the necessary research you’ll need to do before buying one. Once you understand what it does, how it works and why you’ll love it, you’ll be ready to pick the steam shower solution that’s right for you and your luxurious new bathroom space.

What Is a Steam Shower, Anyways?Steam Shower

Steam showers and saunas are often confused. Although they use similar equipment, the end result is fundamentally different. Saunas work by simply heating a room, usually with electrical or gas-fired elements. Saunas induce perspiration by creating a dry, high-temperature heat throughout the room, with very little humidity.

Steam showers are more or less the opposite of this. Steam showers use a heating unit designed to convert water into highly-compressed steam, which is then piped in to the steam shower room. This produces a moist, humid heat that isn’t necessarily as harsh as a sauna, but just as relaxing if not more so.

What Your Bathroom Steam Shower Will Need

There are a variety of amenities you’ll need to consider in order for a steam shower to function properly in your bathroom. First and foremost, you’ll need to have a steam shower space that is enclosed in glass, from the floor to the ceiling to capture and retain all that heat and steam. You’ll also need to have the ceiling and walls tiled within the shower room to protect the inner layers of the ceiling structure from water damage, and a proper exhaust system that will help you keep the steam shower clean after each use.

With the proper finishings selected, you will then need to choose an adequate steam shower generator. Our design and installation teams can recommend top brands and generator capacities for your bathroom size, ensuring that you’ll get the best performance and reliability for your money. We will help you research generators, or you can choose from generators we select based on your needs.

Many steam generators today include dual digital control systems: one installed within the shower, and one installed outside. This way, you can start the steam shower before, during, or after bathing, and enjoy your steam shower at your convenience. You might also look into having a seat or bench custom-fitted and installed by our designers as part of the inside wall, or freestanding in the shower. This way you can sit back and relax in your steam shower without having to worry about standing.

Additional Amenities You Can Consider

Since we specialize in fitting steam shower systems into custom designed bathroom and shower facilities, we highly recommend a combination shower and steam shower installation together. We work with luxury bath fixtures and unique shower systems that can provide you an incredibly luxurious shower experience. We highly recommend adding body spray heads along the wall as a compliment to your shower head, as well as ceiling-mounted “rain heads” that provide a luxurious waterfall directly above you as you shower. There are a variety of other amenities you can also consider, ranging from aromatherapy infusers, sealed lighting, and special fog-free mirrors.

We want to make sure that you are happy with new bathroom for years to come. We have years of experience adding luxury amenities that create the ultimate in-home spa experience for clients all around the Chicago area and across Illinois. When you call us, your new bathroom design will reflect your needs, and any extra-special luxury “wants” you’ve always dreamed of.

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