Simple Tips for Building Your Dream Steam Shower

Ahhh, vacation. It’s an idyllic time of sumptuous hotel duvets, fluffy pillows and sleeping as late as you want. A time of decadent room-service meals, wheeled in via a fancy cart and emerging—voila!—from under a silver dome. And those trips into the resort’s steam room, when every pore felt reborn and the worries of the outside world completely melted away...

After vacation, it’s back to harsh reality, right? Wrong. You can’t take the room service cart home with you (someone might notice), but that five-star steam room experience is yours for the taking. Installing an at-home steam shower allows vacation sensations of holistic wellness and relaxation to become part of your daily life. Imagine sleeping like a baby, thanks to your at-home steam shower unwinding knots in both mind and muscles. Or having that glowing skin you got on vacation. Steam showers provide these and many other benefits.

Best of all, installing a steam shower is actually less complicated and more affordable than most people think.  

Planning Your Ultimate Home Steam Shower

Incorporating a steam shower into your home can be part of a bathroom remodel, put in during the build out of a new home, or can be a simple retrofit on an existing shower. Investing time into the initial planning process ensures that the project will go smoothly, giving you results you’ll enjoy for years to come. Here are a few things to consider during the planning process:

Overall Mood

What’s the vibe going to be in this glorious at-home steam oasis? Contemporary all-white tile, with a glass steam shower enclosure? Organic and beachy, with a pebble tile floor and Boho teak bench? Are you more of the urbane type, with clean lines and traditional features? Consider a broad range of bathroom design ideas, then hone in on the elements that resonate most with you.

Measure Here & There

Pull out the tape measure, ’cause this is getting real! Determine…

• The size of the steam shower space. Measuring the length, width and height of the space will determine what size steam generator is needed. Other factors may also come in: a larger generator is recommended for steam shower enclosures with windows or skylights; rooms that are large or have a very high ceiling; and certain materials the steam shower enclosure is made from. This step is a snap, though, using the Virtual Spa tool.
•  The size of the humans who will be enjoying the steam shower. That’s because the placement of the steam head, benches and controls will all be arranged for maximum comfort and utility.
• The location of the steam generator, which is roughly the size of a large briefcase. It can be situated as far away as 60 feet from the steam shower enclosure. It can be installed inside a bathroom cabinet or vanity, or even cleverly built into the shower bench or in spaces you might not have thought of, such as an insulated attic or tucked into a closet. Basically, a steam generator can happily live anywhere that is dry and where there are at least 12 inches of ventilation space.

For more information, see 15 Tips to Consider Before Installing a Home Steam Shower.

Choosing the Right Components for Your Steam Shower

Botanical fragrances, color and sound, one-touch controls… oh la la! Designing a steam shower feels like being in front of a delicious buffet, picking out what appeals. It’s time to make some decisions. Think about:

Steam shower controls. Choose from a variety of award-winning steam shower control, which easily moderate steam temperature, start time, and other commands, including mood lighting and sound.

Steam shower steam heads. Brass? Glass? Low profile? The choice is yours. All offer a quiet, even distribution of fluffy steam that wafts up to cocoon you in serenity.

Steam shower therapies. AromaSteam (the use of scents, such as eucalyptus and lavender), ChromaTherapy (colored light to improve mood), and MusicTherapy—ah, this babbling brook makes it feel just like a high-end spa in here—can all be incorporated in an at-home steam shower. Mix and match to get the steam therapies that suit your needs.

Have a seat. Bench seating allows the user to completely relax and let go of stress during a steam session. This might be a built-in seat or a separate teak shower bench, or, for smaller areas, choose a fold-down seat to maximize space.

For more information, see Planning Your Steam Shower Project.

Call in a Pro

You’re ready to start enjoying the benefits of steam bathing, and you’ve gone through your checklist. Now it’s time to hire a building professional who will help you make your dream steam shower come true. Because a steam shower involves water and power, it’s a good idea to work with a qualified, licensed electrician, plumber or contractor who is familiar with steam shower installations. It’s not complicated—a steam shower requires standard household electric power, and on the plumbing side, a water line, steam line and drain line—but it’s still a good idea to work with someone with the right training and expertise.  

Don’t have a go-to in your contacts list? No problem. A MrSteam dealer can hook you up with a recommendation for a pro in your area. And if your contractor has never installed a steam shower before, the dealer can help walk them through the process, providing support every step of the way. There are also steam specialists available who can answer any question you or your contractor have.

Ready, Set, Go!

Visiting a dealer allows you to touch and feel the options, get a sense of scale, and see how the pieces will come together to create your home steam sanctuary. For even more help, download the free eBook, Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Home Steam Shower.

Now there’s only one thing left on the list: Get your plushest robe ready, because you’re about to have a steam shower in your very own home.