Wednesday, November 2, 2011

How Do Steam Showers Work?

What is a Steam Shower

For years, people would leave their jobs after a hard day and head to a gym where they could relax for a bit inside a steam room. The steam helped clear their heads, soothe their muscles and refresh them for the rest of the evening. As bathroom technology has progressed, people have begun to forgo the trip to the gym, instead deciding to place a steam room right in their home. Basically, a steam shower is an enclosed space in the bathroom which acts as both a shower and a steam room. The area is enclosed so the steam doesn't get out and ruin your bathroom. Many of these enclosures have room for one or two people to sit down and relax. As they also act as a shower, it is easy to get clean after relaxing in the steam.

The Steam Shower Experience

A steam shower works by having water from your plumbing pumped into a hidden holding tank somewhere in the bathroom. When you get into the shower and turn it on (there are usually digital controls that help you set aspects of the shower such as temperature, lighting, scent and rate of steam), the water gets heated by a heating coil in the tank. As the water gets hot it becomes steam, which is released out of a steam valve in the shower. The shower needs to be completely enclosed so the steam remains in the shower area and doesn't get into the rest of the bathroom (it can cause damage to wall paper and exposed wood). Some steam showers also have a valve that releases aromatherapy scents to help you relax.

Benefits of a Steam Shower

The main benefit to using a steam shower in your home is the amount of water you save. You can actually use a steam shower to get clean and it takes 96 percent less water than a conventional shower. The reason is that less water is used to create the steam to fill the shower than a conventional water head uses. The steam then condenses on your body, providing water to clean with. While your electric bill may go up a bit, depending on the steam generator you get, the water savings will more than make up for the electric increases. You can also save money on a spa membership if you only go to use a steam room. The steam shower will add to the value of your home, especially if it has been installed with a full bathroom addition. Finally, you will have the convenience of being able to relax in a steam room in your own home.
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The Bath Showcase in Peabody, North Andover, Waltham, North Chelmsford and Kingston, NH is the designer showroom of the Peabody Supply Company; one of New England’s leading suppliers of plumbing & heating products.
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