Steam shower installation cost

[vtec260]

Did a quick search and could not find a thread on this topic.

We have a newer house with steam shower roughed in (piping, control unit and dedicated electrical with breaker in the basement) the master bathroom. Just wondering if anyone put in a steam generator recently and how much it cost for both installation and hardware.

Any references would be much appreciated.

[MacGruber]

im waiting for the star trek sonic showers

[Rathji]

For those of us living in the hovel's of Calgary...

WTF is a steam shower?

Hits of products on Google seem to be alternating between either a normal shower that adds lots of steam or like a sauna, but in the shape of a shower?

[TylerSVT]

Former^^^^

Lucky OP, i heard they are very expensive.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by vtec260

Did a quick search and could not find a thread on this topic.

We have a newer house with steam shower roughed in (piping, control unit and dedicated electrical with breaker in the basement) the master bathroom. Just wondering if anyone put in a steam generator recently and how much it cost for both installation and hardware.

Any references would be much appreciated.

My builder advised me against steam room/shower, he is of the opinion the rooom needs to be hermetically sealed to avoid mildew and rot problems down the road and most manufacturers and builders are just fooling their customers suggesting it can be put in a normal bathroom without a major (ie stripped to the studs and then rebuilt) reno.

[Shin Pad]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

My builder advised me against steam room/shower, he is of the opinion the rooom needs to be hermetically sealed to avoid mildew and rot problems down the road and most manufacturers and builders are just fooling their customers suggesting it can be put in a normal bathroom without a major (ie stripped to the studs and then rebuilt) reno.

I agree. If you really wanted a steam shower, you should have put in a vapour ######er (such as the 6 mil poly that they use on your exterior walls) on all the the walls and on the ceiling in the washroom (prior to installation of the gypsum board), and then used a fibre glass faced, mould resistant gypsum board - such as Georgia Pacific Dens-Armor (where you don't have tile), and Georgia Pacific Dens-Sheild, where you do have tile. You can get similar products from CGC and from Certain-Teed. This would be as a minimum. You definitely don't want to use a paper faced gypsum board product (they will sustain mould growth).

[vtec260]

Unfortunately, we are the second owner of the home and bought it when it was a year old. The shower is all tiled, including the ceiling with a seating area, glass walls and door with decent silicone seals so only time moisture would escape is when the door is open(and fan is right above the door to vent). I don't want to assume anything, but I would expect all the precaution would have taken as it's not a retrofit of old bathroom.

I would be interested in other people who have steam shower in their home already and have used it enough times to justify the cost involved along with touted benefits.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by vtec260

I would be interested in other people who have steam shower in their home already and have used it enough times to justify the cost involved along with touted benefits.

Well, I can't speak to the cost/benefit aspect, but my parents do have a steam shower/room that was built into their house. They absolutely love it, and have raved about it to my wife and I several times. They say they use it "very frequently" and really enjoy it. I'm told that it really shines in the winter, when you put it on for a few minutes (5-10) before you get in, then turn it off have your 'regular' shower.

When we were house-sitting for them, my wife used it 3 times (once a week) for about 20m a go. I found I didn't like the heat (never have liked sauna's, personally) so didn't enjoy it.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by vtec260

Unfortunately, we are the second owner of the home and bought it when it was a year old. The shower is all tiled, including the ceiling with a seating area, glass walls and door with decent silicone seals so only time moisture would escape is when the door is open(and fan is right above the door to vent). I don't want to assume anything, but I would expect all the precaution would have taken as it's not a retrofit of old bathroom.

What matters is what is behind the tile. Grout is porous, so moisture WILL pass through the grout and into whatever is underneath. If that material is not 100% water tight, it will degrade and eventually fail. And even if it never develops mould, it could still stay permanently wet, and that water could leech into the studs. There are grout sealers and they work very well, but they need to be re-applied every few months which is a hassle.

For a steam shower, whatever backing material is used, it absolutely must be 100% water proof, such as the Kerdi membrane. Mapei makes a roll or brush on material that will create a water proof barrier. And although a vapour barrier is needed to prevent air movement, it won't do anything to prevent moisture problems. If water has gone through the backing material to the point where it is contacting the vapour barrier, you already have bigger problems.

Bottom line is if you are going to do a steam shower, IMO you have to water proof all the walls, floor, and ceiling with a water proof membrane or coating. Retro fitting an existing bathroom is not a good idea unless you know how it was constructed and contains a water proof barrier on all surfaces. Don't under estimate the ability of water to leech into any and all cracks and through anything even slightly porous, which can create a very expensive mess.

And of course you must have good room ventilation, Panasonic makes by far the best ceiling fans in my experience.