Get the Sexy of Steam with Mr. Steam :: A Steam Shower Installation Primer
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Ironic perhaps that my final post from Design and Construction Week happens also to be on the final company we visited with – Mr. Steam. Not that I was following any sort of chronological path, only that’s just how it all fell out. Spinning it another way – I saved the best for last. Right? Right.
For our final activity in Vegas, we took a delightful steam at the Spa + Salon @ the Aria.
Now, let me stop you here. Doing a “steam” isn’t really something that Mr. Moxie has ever been known to, well, do. Hot-tubing – yes, an occasional sauna – well, okay, but truthfully, a “steam” – I’m not sure that I’ve ever. (Mrs. Steam, our hostess Martha Orellana, beautifully captures the day’s experience in a blog, here.)
Obviously, the steam bath at the Aria is a little different than what you might expect to see in a residential bath. But sitting there, breathing in a soothing eucalyptus mist, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would take to install something similar in my house. I mean – it’s become a thing.
The author having a steam ;~)
Fortunately, I had Mr. Steam’s “Mr. Steam” – Dan Reinert wrapped in a towel, and sitting right next to me … so I asked. “Surely I couldn’t integrate a steam shower in a small master bath?” (Especially one with a history of ventilation challenges (ha!), like mine.)
Dan was quick, however, in setting to ease my preconceptions. He said, “Steam is a GREAT addition to ANY size bathroom. Take Steam@Home – it fits in small enclosed shower and uses just 2 gallons of water for 20 minute steam.”
According to their specs, a Steam@Home system is suitable for showers in a space as small as 3′ x 3 ‘ x 7’. And okay – that’s roughly the size of the shower we did our master bath. (With ours integrating a bench, it is in fact a little larger and a little taller.) Really? Can you just squeeze a steam shower into any old shower stall? Well … yes. I mean – well, kinda.
Small Bath Steam Shower Installation Primer
While I can find more on Mr. Steam’s Steam Therapy blog for installation in a small bath – here, I decided to explore a little more with Dan. He points to these factors and says you basically need:
* A fully enclosed, floor to ceiling, space often incorporating a “steam door.”
* An enclosure that is insulated and steam-tight.
* All surfaces, including the ceiling, finished with quality tile and/or an acrylic or solid surface.
* The ceiling to be slightly sloped.
* & Fixtures, like fixed benches, to be sloped too to shed water.
Things to Consider When Installing a Steam Shower
Call that a good start to his steam shower installation primer, but a few more things go into it. This page, again from the Steam Therapy blog, may be a good place to start >> 15 Things to Consider before Installing a Steam Shower. From it:
* The ideal steam shower has a maximum ceiling height of eight feet.
* The Steam head should be located approximately 6-12 inches above the floor on a wall opposite from any seating area, away from the entrance/exit area.
* Plumbing connections include a water line to the generator, a steam line from the generator to the steam room and a drain line.
* 240v household electric power is required to operate the generator. All in-shower controls, however, operate on low voltage.
* Steam generators may be installed in a closet, vanity, or heated attic or basement, but must be within 60 feet of the steam room.
If you were wondering, the Steam@Home package starts at a list price of only $1250, but as you can see – requirements associated with installing a steam shower are not limited to the generator and related steam components.
For more information on the proper installation of steam room enclosures, see this page from the Tile Council of North America.
I’ll note here that the company has plans this Spring to release a new steam enclosure system, dubbed aptly – FORM. (No public facing details just yet.)
Now with the Sexy of Steam
I mean – to this point I really have talked about the health benefits of steam. Mrs. Steam, Orellana, says its an healthy indulgence – “a little bit like dark chocolate.” While not really the spirit of this article, I wanted to leave myself a little room to discuss – Aromatherapy, Chromotherapy or some of the other features, like in-shower audio, that Mr. Steam also offers.
In the article Steam Bathing 101, Orellana lays out many of the reasons to choose steam. Is it Sexy? idk … But is it me? “Sexy” – the first word that popped into my head when I first visited their site, Mr. Steam || Feel Good Inc. ha! Really? I mean – Yes!
Check out their Virtual Spa design tool, here.
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Mr. Steam & @SteamTherapy was a sponsor of BlogTour Vegas, of which I was a part. (All images except below via Mr. Steam.) Cheers. ~jb
Mrs. Steam, center. Image via Chasen West for Modenus
