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Installing Steam Bath Part One
by Norman Fleming
Do you love steam baths? Feel that you can't survive without
them? If you are one of those who live for steam, consider
getting a steam bath installed in your home. Having your own is
the ultimate for many steam bath lovers and getting one may be
easier (and less expensive) than you think.
There are two basic choices when installing a steam bath in
your home. You can convert your existing bathtub or shower or
you can install a modular steam bath. There are several steam
bath designs which are self-contained and simply need
appropriate plumbing and electrical connections.
Converting an existing bathtub is also fairly easy. A steam
proof door must be installed and a steam generator must be
connected to the bathtub enclosure.
Preparation
Steam is a highly penetrating form of moisture, so any room
that has a steam bath must be properly prepared to prevent
moisture damage. If steam gets into the infrastructure of your
house it can cause serious structural damage.
If you are in the process of constructing a new house, it is a
simple matter to have the builders use the proper materials to
steam proof your bathroom. If you are installing a steam bath
in an existing house, you must verify that the bathroom can
withstand steam.
The basic principals in safe steam bath installation are to 1)
prevent the steam from escaping, 2) collect the condensed water
without dripping on the bathers, and 3) allow the water to
drain. To achieve these three goals, the steam room must be
completely sealed and insulated, it must have a sloping
ceiling, and it must have proper drains.
To prevent steam from escaping beyond the steam bath, the
structural materials should be waterproof and have an
underlying vapor barrier of thick plastic. Sheetrock or plaster
must be designed to withstand moisture or covered with a
waterproof finish.
The walls and ceilings of the steam room must be covered in a
impervious material like ceramic tile or glass. All the joints
and connections must be sealed with silicone to prevent any
moisture from escaping.
Once the underlying structure has been prepared, the next thing
to consider is the height of the ceilings. In order to maximize
steam build-up and prevent cold spots, the ceiling should be
lower than 8 feet high. It should also be slanted to allow
condensation to slide down the ceiling rather than drip on the
bathers. A slope of 2 inches per foot is appropriate for a
steam bath.
If you are converting a bathtub into a steam bath, you need to
enclose it with a suitable door. Small steam areas (the size of
the bathtub) should have a narrow gap at the bottom of the door
to allow for airflow. Larger steam rooms can be made airtight.
The bathroom should still be constructed to contain steam even
if you are installing a modular steam shower. These units
contain steam pretty well but still release moisture into the
surrounding bathroom area. Modular steam showers have the
advantage of having extra features such as multiple shower
heads, built-in seating, lighting, and even CD players and
telephones.
But no matter whether you are installing a modular steam shower
or converting an existing bathtub into a steam shower, you still
need to select and install a steam generator and all the
connectors and make sure that everything is working correctly.
That is the topic of our next article.
Please Visit http://www.bath-guide.com
for more information
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