What Is a Steam Shower? How It Turns an Enclosed Shower Into a Steam Room
Published
Summary
A steam shower is a normal shower enclosure that has also been designed to contain steam and connected to a separate steam generator. It still works as an everyday shower. When steam mode is used, the enclosure holds the vapor while a control operates the generator. Adding a generator to an open shower is not enough; the walls, ceiling, door, waterproofing, drain, and fixtures all have to suit steam use.
The generator normally sits outside the shower
Residential steam generators are installed in a dry, accessible location outside the steam enclosure. A dedicated steam line then runs to a steam head inside the shower.
The generator does not need to be visible, but its location has rules. MrSteam says it should never go outdoors or inside the steam room, and neither the generator nor its plumbing lines belong in an unheated attic or anywhere else water could freeze.
The enclosure does the containment work
A steam shower needs a ceiling and a door or transom arrangement that keeps most of the vapor inside during use. MrSteam treats an operable transom above the door as optional: it can stay open for everyday showers and is closed during a steam session.
The enclosure also sets the generator size, and the brands do not agree on how. MrSteam recommends a ceiling between 7 and 8 feet and says marble, other natural stone, glass, or concrete need a more powerful generator than ceramic, acrylic, or porcelain. ThermaSol's PRO Series page says wall materials do not affect generator size, but a 9-foot ceiling means sizing up one generator.
Steam controls and shower plumbing are separate systems
The steam control manages the generator and steam session. The shower valve, shower head, hand shower, or body sprays remain part of the home's ordinary hot-and-cold water system.
Some premium products combine the interfaces, but the underlying systems are still doing different jobs. The generator also needs its own power: ThermaSol's PRO Series generators require a 208 to 240V single-phase supply with a dedicated breaker.
Why steam showers fit residential bathrooms well
A dedicated steam room needs extra floor area. A steam shower uses space the bathroom already needs for bathing, and it does not have to be large: MrSteam's recommended minimum enclosure is 3 by 3 by 7 feet.
Sources
- blog.mrsteam.com/frequently-asked-mrsteam-plumbing-questions
- blog.mrsteam.com/the-anatomy-of-a-steam-shower
- blog.mrsteam.com/pillar-page/steam-showe…ing-your-bathroom-with-steam
- thermasol.com/products/pro-series-iii
- blog.mrsteam.com/your-top-mrsteam-installation-questions-answered
Specifications, prices and installation requirements are as the makers published them on these pages on the date above and can change. Check the current manual and the retailer before you buy.