![]() ![]() Installing A Steam Shower Requires Careful Pre-Planning, A Few Extra Steps, And Often Special Parts And Professional Installation, But The Final Result Can Add Significantly To The Value Of Your Home (by Markay Johnson Construction)īuilt in steam showers, on the other hand, absolutely must be part of a larger project, as they need to be built from the subfloor up. In fact, other than needing an electrician to wire in the heater, the whole process of building a sauna is extremely straightforward and minimally invasive. They can be installed indoors or out, and are frequently sold in kits that can easily be assembled by a moderately experienced DIYer. With few exceptions, they don’t need drainage or additional ventilation hookups, they’re largely heat tight, and don’t produce enough moisture for water damage or mold or mildew to be a concern. Saunas are designed to be totally freestanding. While the experience of using saunas and steam baths is superficially similar, the practical aspects of installation begin to vary widely. Installation Home Saunas Can Be Custom Designed And Built, But Basic Sauna Kits Are Very DIY Friendly, Can Be Installed Almost Anywhere, And Often Custom Cut To Fit The Space (by Paoli Design Center) On the other hand, the high humidity of a steam bath can help address respiratory issues, improving breathing and clearing out the throat and sinuses. But the higher heat and drier conditions of a sauna encourage more sweating than the steam bath. Both saunas and steam baths encourage sweating, which can help the body detoxify and improve skin health. But differences in temperature and humidity levels do matter. Both help promote circulation and muscle relaxation, and both can help ease aches and pains. Health Benefits Saunas Provide An Intense, High Heat For Improved Circulation And Detox, While The Lower, Wet Heat Of A Steam Bath Promotes Respiratory Health (by Advanced Renovations Inc.)īecause both saunas and steam showers rely on heat, they do share many of the same health benefits. The humidity makes the body perceive this moist heat as hotter than it really is, making steam baths feel about as hot as a sauna, despite the lower temperature. Because steam showers hover at about 100% humidity while in use, they have to stay at a lower temperature (generally between 110 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit) to prevent scalding. When the steam shower is in use, the generator fills with water and boils it, pumping steam into the shower enclosure through a small steam head generally located near the base of the shower. While sauna heaters are located within the sauna, steam generators are typically placed outside, in a cabinet or closet within about 25-60 feet of the shower. What Is A Steam Shower? Steam Baths Are Typically Fully Tiled And Designed To Be Water And Steam Tight To Trap Water Vapor Inside And Prevent It From Causing Damage (by Alderson Construction, photo by Mathew Millman)Ĭonversely, steam showers are typically made of non-porous materials like tile or glass, and generally incorporate regular shower functionality into the design. This dry heat allows saunas to be safely raised to much higher temperatures than a steam shower. Water can be poured over the rocks for a burst of steam, but humidity levels generally stay between 10-30%. ![]() An electric or gas (or, for traditional versions, fire) powered sauna heater topped with volcanic rocks is used to raise the temperature inside the sauna room to between about 150 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Saunas are made entirely of wood, with wood planked walls, floor, and ceiling, as well as wooden benches along the walls, and are designed to be freestanding. What Is A Sauna? Saunas Are Made Out Of Wood And Sometimes Glass, With Hot Rock Electric Heaters That Produce A High, Dry Heat (by Markay Johnson Construction) So today I want to clear up a little of the misinformation out there and take an honest look at the factors you should consider when choosing between the two. But the similarities between the two essentially stop there: the experience of using them is different, the health benefits are different, and even the installation, construction, and cost vary widely. Steam showers and saunas are often talked about in the same breath, lumped together as a heat-based, health-beneficial spa treatment that you can install in your home. ![]()
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