5 Keys to a Successful Steam Shower Installation

Are you considering a home steam shower and don’t know where to start? In this guide “5 Keys to a Successful Steam Shower Installation” we will share with you the most important aspects to consider when installing a steam room in your home. This guide has been developed by our steam shower experts as a starting point to help you avoid potentially costly mistakes and to ensure you get the long-lasting experience you desire out of your steam shower investment.

#1. Know the Difference Between a Steam Shower Kit and a Custom Steam Shower

Perhaps the first step in a home steam shower installation is determining the type of steam shower that is right for you. A home steam shower can be custom built or installed as a steam shower kit.  Building a custom steam shower often requires much more planning and prep work than a steam shower kit. This can include removal and replacement of existing bathroom walls, installation of floor and wall tile, custom glass installation and construction of benches, grab bars and storage shelves. Custom steam showers may also require installation of additional ventilation, water supply lines, drainage lines, and ventilation. Custom steam showers are permanent fixtures in your bathroom and are designed to meet your unique spacing and functional needs.

Custom Steam Shower Built In Place and Designed as a Permanent Fixture

Steam shower kits on the other hand are free standing and may not require additional prep work to the walls or ceilings in the space you intend to install the shower because they are pre-sealed enclosures usually consisting of glass or acrylic panels. Steam shower kits are also pre-plumbed thereby eliminating the need for additional water supply and drainage lines; using the existing water supply and drainage instead. Another key benefit to steam shower kits is that many models already come pre-equipped with the most sought-after features such as aromatherapy for using essential oils, enhanced lighting (e.g. Chroma therapy) and Bluetooth sound systems. These features are considered add-on’s in a custom steam shower thereby requiring more planning and design work.

 Steam Shower Kits Are Free Standing Offering Flexibility in Location and Design

In summary, a custom steam shower may offer a more permanent structure for your steam room however it will be much more costly and time consuming to construct. Steam shower kits offer more flexibility to the homeowner at a fraction of the cost of building a custom shower. This guide primarily focuses on the 5 Keys to a Successful Steam Shower Installation when using a steam shower kit.

If you would like more information on planning for a custom steam shower installation you can click on the article below: https://steamshowers4less.com/index.php?route=extension/ciblog/ciblogpost&ciblog_post_id=2

#2. Space and Clearance Considerations

Steam shower kits come in a variety of shapes and sizes designed to fit into most bathrooms. Walk in steam showers that do not have a bathtub are typically rectangular or neo angled in shape and come in sizes from 32 inches wide to 60 inches wide making them suitable for left wall, right wall or corner installation.

Combination steam showers that include a tub are also rectangular or neo-angled and range in size from 48 inches to 66 inches in size. Steam showers that are 54 inches or more in width can typically accommodate two adults.

Ensure you have enough clearance between vanities and toilets to easily enter your steam shower. 

When determining the size of the shower you want to install in your home you will need to consider the following.

a.)   Make sure you have enough clearance through doors and hallways that lead to your bathroom. Most walk in steam showers will fit through any door opening, however, combination steam showers that include tubs need a minimum of 26 inches of opening space for the tub to fit through. If your bathroom is at the end of a hallway, upstairs or downstairs make sure the pathway provides plenty of clearance to the turn the steam shower tub so that it will go through any doorway or turns that need to be made in route to the area you plan on installing it in. 

b.)   When installing the steam shower kit around a toilet or vanity make sure you have enough space between them to be able to walk through. A good rule of thumb is to have a minimum of 24 inches of clearance between the steam shower and any other bathroom fixture. You should also keep in mind the outward sweep of the steam shower door to make sure it can open fully to provide access to the inside of the shower. A good option for tight spaces is to utilize a steam shower kit with sliding doors. 

c.)   Ample ceiling height should also be taken into consideration when installing a steam shower kit. Most steam shower kits require a minimum of 90 inches of clearance to properly secure the top to the side walls of the steam shower enclosure. This also helps with proper ventilation as most steam showers have a ventilation fan in the ceiling. If you choose to externally vent the ceiling fan outside of the house so you will need to make sure you have ample ceiling height for the ductwork. In most cases however, the existing bathroom fan is sufficient to handle the steam that is exhausted from the shower after the steam session is over. As a rule of thumb, a typical 8-foot ceiling height is sufficient for most steam showers.  

d.)   Finally, most steam shower kits have all the plumbing and electrical components pre-mounted to the steam shower walls, therefore you do not need additional square footage for the steam shower components. We recommend choosing the largest steam shower that your space will accommodate since some of the footprint of the shower itself is dedicated to housing the electrical and plumbing components. For example, a 60-inch-wide steam shower provides 54” or less of internal width with the remaining 6” of width dedicated to housing the shower components.

3. Plumbing Requirements for Steam Shower Kits?

Steam shower kits are pre-plumbed with the steam shower components all connected to a central water diverter valve responsible for delivering water flow to each component of the shower. For example, the water diverter valve lets you choose between turning on the ceiling shower, handheld shower wands or any body massage jets that are typically located the sides of the steam shower kit.

Water diverter valves come standard on most steam shower kits.

This water diverter operates just like a standard shower water valve and uses the same pre-existing water lines that are part of your rough in plumbing. The steam generator or any other components in a steam shower kit do not require any additional plumbing since they are pre-plumbed to the water diverter valve. A steam shower kit therefore does not require any additional water supply lines; it can be installed just like a normal shower.

For drainage, steam shower kits come with a drain assembly that includes a flexible drain hose that will attach to your existing plumbing located beneath your sub-floor. While this is convenient for installation purposes, we do not recommend using a flexible drain hose as it may deteriorate over time. We recommend that you hard-plumb your steam shower into your existing rough in drain to ensure you will have a reliable and stable drain configuration. Hard plumbing simply means that you connect the steam shower pan directly to your existing in house plumbing. Make sure the pan of your steam shower kit uses a standard size drain fitting and that you have access to the drain location of the steam shower from the space beneath the shower (e.g. basement, crawlspace, etc.).

In summary, you do not need to move the existing drain location in your bathroom if the steam shower kit is located over the existing plumbing and you choose to use the flexible drain hose. This will make it easier to slide the steam shower in or out if you need to access the equipment. However, we do recommend the more permanent drainage solution of connecting directly to your existing plumbing where applicable and this may require that you relocate some of your existing drain line to connect directly to the steam shower pan.

4. Electrical Requirements for Steam Shower Kits

Due to the power requirements of the steam generator, all steam showers require a dedicated electrical outlet. (e.g. it cannot be used on a shared circuit). Most steam shower kits require a 240V power source. The size of the steam generator on the shower will determine the size of wire and breaker that you need to power the shower. It’s important to confirm that your main house breaker box has enough capacity to handle the additional power the steam shower will require. While many modern homes with newer circuity may have sufficient capacity you should still confirm with an electrician that your breaker panel has sufficient capacity to handle the additional power load required, especially in older homes.  Most steam showers require a 20-50 Amp power supply.

A standard junction box located behind the shower it is typically all that is required for the steam shower electrical components.

Steam shower kits do not need additional electrical wiring for the lights or other electrical components that are included in the shower kit. They use a transformer inside the control box of the steam shower to convert the voltage over to low voltage therefore eliminating the need for additional power (e.g. for lighting, ventilation etc,). In summary, only one dedicated power connection is typically required for steam shower kits.

5. Ventilation Requirements for Steam Showers

Ventilation should also be a key consideration when installing a steam shower kit. The humidity in the air generated by the steam engine should be properly vented to prevent the buildup of condensation in your bathroom. While the ventilation fan that is included in most steam shower kits will pull the steam out of the steam shower, it is not powerful enough to exhaust the steam as quickly as an existing bathroom fan.

Most bathrooms already have a ceiling fan installed to remove the moisture generated by the existing shower. We can use the existing bathroom ventilation fan if it is located within 6-8 feet of the steam shower and provides an exhaust rate of 110 CFM or more. If the intended location for your steam shower is more than 8 feet from an existing bath fan, we recommend installing a separate exhaust fan with an exhaust rate of at least 80-110 CFM as close to the steam shower as possible.

In summary, there will be a variety of factors you need to consider when installing a new steam shower kit in your home. However, once you decide on the size and style of steam shower that best suits your requirements, following these guidelines will help you to avoid the pitfalls that many homeowners make by not properly planning ahead.

If you would like further information on how to plan for a steam shower installation in your home, or have specific questions related to your bathroom,  please contact one of our steam shower experts today at 800.791.8232.