Chown Hardware Shares 14 Dos and Don’ts of Steam Showers

Tempted to add the feel-good magic of a steam shower to your home, but a bit foggy about the details? To clear the air, we reached out to expert Kaye Powell.  As vice president of the 130-year-old firm Chown Hardware in Portland, Oregon, Kaye has been advising homeowners about steam for 24 years. Here is her advice for home steam showers:

14 Dos and Don'ts of Home Steam Showers

1. Don’t pass up a home steam shower just because your gym has one.

Picture this: You’re coming down with a nasty cold. After a long day at the office, you head out into the cold and rain and drive to the gym. You struggle to find a parking spot, then trudge to the club. Finally you get into the steam room, which is crowded with people loudly chattering away. Really, how annoying! Finally you struggle into your clothes again, slog back through the cold and rain to your car, and fight the traffic home.

Or, it could go like this: Feeling miserable, you leave work, drive home, start up your steam shower, change, make a cup of tea, enjoy a relaxing private steam shower with your favorite music, wrap yourself in a luxuriously warm towel, slip into a comfy robe and curl up on your couch.

Kaye asks, “Which sounds most relaxing to you?” Point well taken.

2. Do consider a home steam shower if you are time-crunched.

Two careers? Kids? Need we say more? Who really has the free time to head to the gym? Kaye says that’s why she sees such an increased interest in home steam showers these days among people who have put down their roots.

3. Do opt for a steam shower if you need to relax.

“Once you relax, you begin to enjoy the rest of the health benefits of steam, such as improved circulation and better skin. It all starts with relaxation and good sleep,” Kaye explains.

4. Do create a beautiful, comfortable space with enough room for relaxing.

While it is possible to have a wonderful steam shower in a small space, Kaye recommends a minimum size of at least 48” x 30” or even better, 48” x 36.”  

“You can always replace a 5’ tub with a nice steam shower,” Kaye points out.

5. Do allow for a big enough bench in your steam shower.

“You want to be able to sit and relax,” Kaye points out, “so you want a bench at least 12” to be comfortable and 15” is ideal.”

6. Do plan for a ceiling sloped slightly away from the seat.

This way, you won’t be dripped on as the steam naturally condenses.

7. Don’t worry about where the steam generator will go.

“Many people don’t realize how small a steam generator is,” Kaye notes. “They think it’s the size of a hot water tank. However, it is really only the size of a briefcase or small suitcase. Also, people don’t realize that a generator can be up to 60’ away from the shower, in a closet or heated attic, so there is a lot of flexibility in design.”

8. Do locate the steamhead 6” to 12” above the floor, near the showerhead.

“Usually you don’t get too close to the showerhead,” Kaye explains. “The control should be on opposite wall of the steamhead since it should have a temperature sensor built in”  Of course, never have the steamhead near the bench or where you are getting in and out of the shower. By the way, there is only one steamhead in the typical home steam shower, unless it’s unusually large.

9. Don’t place a fan in the steam shower itself.

It’s not necessary, as the steam shower has to be a water tight enclosure. A no-threshold shower is OK as along as the door has a blade underneath. After all, steam rises. And once you turn on the shower, the steam condenses. Kaye recommends, however, a well made fan in the shower area itself for best air quality.

10. Do place controls inside the shower, where you can reach them while sitting.

“This way, you can change temperature, time, music and chromatherapy all without standing up,” Kaye points out. And she likes a digital screen such as the Mr.Steam iSteam “big enough so you can read it without glasses.” And don’t forget to color coordinate controls with your plumbing.

11. Don’t get hung up on instant steam.

“The reality is until the shower space is warm, you don’t want to get into it anyway,” Kaye says.  “And that takes a bit of time.  It all depends on the size of the room and materials, with stone taking a little longer.  Overall, plan on about 15-20 minutes for the shower to warm up, even with stone. That’s enough time to make your coffee in the morning, or undress in the evening.”

12. Don’t worry about using stone in a steam shower.

“Some people are concerned that a stone shower enclosure will take a lot more energy to heat. While you do need to take materials into account when sizing the generator, as the Mr.Steam VirtualSpa does, stone does not make a huge difference,” Kaye says.

13. Do consider all the perks.

Don’t try to save a few dollars now and later wish you had the benefits of aromatherapy or chromatherapy or music, Kaye advises. “After all, you are not going to remodel very often. All these elements make us feel pampered. They can either be energizing or relaxing, both great options. This is your own personal space, and it can set the mood for the day or the evening.”

“People sometimes don’t recognize how light affects mood, but restaurants get it. Think about how they use it,” Kaye adds.

14. Do visit a showroom with a working steam shower unit on display.

“This way you can really understand how it works and how inviting it is,” Kaye suggests.

And there you have it, the feel-good magic of home steam showers demystified. Thanks, Kaye.