Avoiding Drippiness (I hate getting hit on the head from a dripping ceiling)
First, avoid 15 psi models that work at lower pressure if you don't want excessive drippiness and you don't want high condensate wet steam that sticks to the walls and has a higher micron size that will make it fall to the floor and not linger in the air long. 20psi steam generators make the difference but only if they have a 3/4 or larger pipe line. Definitely avoid 1/2 inch pipes if you want a dense, dry steam. The 15psi models have less pressure and release more water with the steam. Also, these are much louder. You would think they would be quieter since it has less force but the lower the psi the more water that comes out. The loud noise is the water hammer it causes. Not a big deal but if you like it quiet, avoid 1/2 inch pipes and 15 psi. Also, if you get a 20 psi model, make sure the pipes are 3/4 inch otherwise it can blow steam too hard and burn your feet when the steam comes out. I hate having to lift my feet every time steam comes on. But, it does work your abs doing all those leg lifts.
As far as steam sticking to the walls and ceiling, 15 psi models cause quicker water bubbling on the ceiling and loss of steam in the air, especially if you have ceramic or anything more porous. If the wrong psi and wrong piping, you are going to get a wet steam from the start and it will be drippy and less comfortable during your steam session. Drippiness can be avoided if you adjust the room size correctly but more importantly balancing the psi of the steam with the piping size and also having the steam generator as close as possible to the steam room, not 25 feet away like some people do.
Brownian Motion - must read if you are buying a steam generator
Condensate in steam will rise much faster to the ceiling and stick to the walls and ceiling if the steam generator is producing too wet of a steam. I try to avoid the effects of brownian motion and I know how to counter act it by having a dryer steam, a higher psi generator (not the cheap 15 psi models), and avoiding steam pipes lower than 3/4 inches. Generators with 1/2 inch pipes give a wetter steam with a higher micron size and can cause the steam to get trapped at the ceiling unless it is blown down with a fan.
Steam that is dryer stays in the air longer and you feel it more than having a hot steam room that feels more like a sauna. Wet steam is less steam. Dry steam is more steam. Dry steam has less condensate so you feel the steam rather than just being hot in the room. If you take a spray bottle and spray water the entire time in a room with dry steam, it will make it wet and this what the single tank and low psi pressure cooker type steam rooms feel like.
see video here. Tajk abiout how you are adding condensate to the air. Talk how the heat makes brownian motion take a bigger effect. The wetter the steam makes it either rise to the ceiling and stick or fall to the floor when it becomes too heavy and you get a room with very little steam cloud, just a hot room. Talk about how the brands that typically output 2 gallons of steam in a 30 minute session instead of 1.5 gallons will usually have less steam even though it is putting out more water. I try to avoid wet steam so I won't have steam traps around the top of the ceiling and also I want the steam to stay in the air, not stick to the walls.
In this video, I show Brownian motion. I take a spray bottle and spray water in the steam room. The steam rises to the ceiling. I don't the spray water falling down on my feet. This is why you don't want to oversize or Brownian motion will cause steam traps at your ceiling.
If the generator makes too wet of a steam, the latent heat from the water will make the steam rise and stick to the ceiling and walls. If you understand the laws of condensation, the best way to fight drippiness and wall stick is to keep a bucket of cold water or use a removable shower head if you have one of those. Keep the bucket filled up so you can splash it on the ceiling and walls. When the ceiling is cool, it will make the steam room super cloudy. When steam room walls get hot, it makes it look like there is less steam. Gettting a steam generator that makes low condensate will avoid this problem to start with.
Awareness: oversizing is the biggest reason for drippiness and high condensation buildup at the top of the room.
If you upsize even 1/2 a size too much it will bring the 110-114 sweet spot zone lower and the upper body and head level can be out of the comfort zone. At a 1/2 size oversize, you will probably be slightly uncomfortable and will not want to stay in for the normal time you stay in for your steam session. For each 1/2 killowatt oversize, it can bring the thermocline down about 3 degrees. So, if you are using a 9 killowatt generator when you need a 7.5 killowatt generator, that's 9 degrees higher.
Instead of being in the 110/114 sweet spot, you may find yourself in the 119 -123 degree temperature zone. If you do find yourself in this situation, I found the best way to fix it is to use a fan to blow the cool floor air up. If you blow it down it will feel even hotter and will be even more uncomfortable, especially if the steam has lots of condensate in it (wet steam).
Anyone that doesn't have a hygrometer (see picture above) is missing out on having control of their steam experience. Many people just rely on the temperature they set it at on the controller. I use the hygrometer to know the humidity level and temperature at any part of the steam room. I know what temperature I need to set the controller at when I have a fan blowing down the steam so I can bring my whole body into vasodilation. I don't like when my head is at the hottest thermocline and my feet are at the coldest thermocline. When people come over to my steam room. They are in for an experience they won't forget. Most people have not experienced full body vasodilation. Most people experience steam at gyms and spas and sit and wait for duty cycles. The reason you won't find most places with continuous steam is because there is not a temperature control for the public to use. If that was the case, every time someone went in the steam room, you would have one person turn it up to the highest temperature and the next person turn it lower. It would be an ugly situation if the wrong guy just turned it up and the next person turned it down.
Also, most gyms have single tank machines that have long duty cycles that allow elderly people to stay away from cardiac drift. The duty cycle allows the temperature to go down so people can get their heart rate down. Most people sit on the 2nd level seating in a steam room and are not in the 110 114 sweet spot zone. I bring my hygrometer in steam rooms and its either way over or way under. Thats why with some people stay in for 45 minutes and others they get in and get out quick. Also, with the single tank pressure cooker generators, if it does put you in the 110 114 zone, it usually won't be for long as the temperature fluctuates way more than 4 degrees during a long duty cycle with no steam.
I know a lot of people reading this think it's too complicated to keep the temperature at 110 114 degrees. All you need is a DC marine grade floor fan or a Kona fan (Amazon sells them) and a hygrometer (Amazon sells those too).
To stay in the 110 114 zone, if you get the wrong size generator or have tall ceilings with not enough fan power or your steam comes out with too much condensate or you have the worst to work with which is natural stone, I can still make the 110 114 zone happen but it can be tricky. I will try to get you there with all the skills I have in tweaking steam rooms.
Cardiact Drift - Steam rooms
Controlling cardiac drift in a steam bathing session can mean you want to get out of the steam room in 20 minutes or your heart rate doesn't beat fast enough and your vasodilation in your body is so slow that you can stay in the steam room for an hour without getting out for a cool down.
Notice: cardiac drift is different than getting shortness of breath due to high condensate in the air. If you get shortness of breath when a steam room puts out 2 1/2 gallons of water when you would of been happier with a brand that only puts out 1 gallon of steam (minimal water), you may find it easier to bring.
The worst is when there is high condensate which makes it hard to breath and people start coughing in the steam room and it gets hot too quick. If the steam surrounding your upper body is over 114 degrees and the steam has high condensate you will probably not enjoy going in your steam room daily.
If you get a single tank pressurized steam generator and it brings your seating area to 120 degrees (usually for a short window till the duty cycle cuts off) it is likely you will suffer until it gets back down to 110 to 114 which is the comfort zone. I prefer a slow burn steam that doesn't have these high fluctuations.
Most people find that the perfect temperature for a steam room is when the heart rate increases about 30%. Many people set it at (120 degrees) and the heart rate increases around 40 to 50%. I find it better to stay at closer to 110 degrees (the lower end of the 110 114 window) when I use a fan to bring the steam down so I can be in full body steam therapy (full body vasodilation). That extra 4 degrees I feel overtaxes my heart and I prefer a slow burn rather than a fast burn.
When I go with people to the steam room, I bring my pulse oximeter and let them do a full body steam session at 114 degrees one day and the next day at 110 degrees. I see how long they prefer the session time with each temperature range and what their heart rate is. You can see what percentage your heart rate stays at and if your go into cardiac drift over the 30% safety level for most people.
Once you know the temperature you need to stay at and how long you want to be in the steam room for at that temperature it makes it easy to know what to set the temperature at on the controller and what fan speed you need to bring the steam down from the ceiling steam trap to maintain that temperature and humidity level. A hygrometer is the most helpful tool I use when trying to tweak a steam room environment for someone.
When there are huge fluctuations in temperature from steam generators with short steam bursts and long duty cycles, it can let the heart rate go up and down as the steam gets cooler during the off cycle. It is much easier to control the heart rate when the steam is continuous and steady. The atmospheric steam generators have the slowest burn and are the most constant and have the least steam temperature variance. The dual tank pressurized steam generators can also be a good choice. As long as you get one that doesn't have a lot of condensate you should be fine.
Remember, temperatures over 114 and high condensate are the quickest way to make it hard to breath in there and quickest way to get your heart rate racing too fast (for many people).
Cold spot vs hot spots
There are 2 types of complaints I get. The customers that over sized or bought a steam generator that makes too much condensate complain that it is too hot or that the steam burns their feet when it comes out. These are the people that complain that the steam is not comfortable like it is at the spa or wherever they are used to.utsi
The other people complain that their steam room is not hot enough. They sized it based on the manufacturer's recommendations and it is still not hot enough. They are only getting half body steam therapy. The temperature is far below the 110 114 comfort window. Their steam is trapped at the ceiling. All the heat is trapped up there too. And during the duty cycle when the steam is off, they are only feeling steam that is dropping in cluster size from the ceiling. This is not a good steam experience. During the several minute duty cycle when there is not steam, the temperature at body level can go as much as xyzzy degrees below the 110 114 window.
Note: when getting an atmospheric steam generator, it is important not to oversize due to high ceilings. Because the steam fills up the air more when it is dry, if too much is coming out at once even if it is a slow burn type that puts the steam out over a long period of time (not a short duty cycle), it can still create a hot spot and it will be harder to keep the temperature at 110 to 114 degrees. High condensate can make the steam room feel more like a sauna that a steam room.
To make sure you are not in a cold or hot spot I urge people to research hygrometers. This is one of the best things I have found (fan was my coolest find) to give myself control over my steam room. I want to know not only the temperature of where I am sitting but also the humidity level. If it is within the 110 114 degree range and at 100% humidity, then I know I am not in a cold spot or hot spot.
Make sure you don't upsize due to high ceilings and you get a generator that produces minimal condensate if you want to stay within the comfort window. If you need help sizing your generator call me at 1-800-336-9285.
The floor fan helps mix the bottom thermocline near the floor that has cool air and blow it towards the ceiling that has very hot steam. When the thermoclines are mixed, it averages out the temperature so if you set the room at 114 degrees, the room will stay longer at that temperature instead of what most people experience which is a wide variance in temperature at the body core level.
Most steam rooms have less than 100% humidity at the feet and leg level. The ceiling is almost always at 100% humidity and when the steam room has a pressurized generator that dumps too many grams of steam at once (fast burn), once the ceiling is at 100% humidity, if more steam is added after 100% it can stick to the walls and drip off the ceiling and the steam room now has a heavy, muggy steam. I prefer a slow burn steam if ceilings are over 7 feet or if using ceramic or porcelain tile that soaks up the steam.
Because the floor fan evens out the room temperature, the walls will not get as hot near the ceiling. When the walls get very hot, it condenses even more steam and takes it away so you don't have that dense steam cloud.
Note: Unless you want to hose down or splash the walls with a cold water bucket several times during your steam session, or splash cold water on the temperature sensor, a slow burn steam generator with a floor fan can help solve the problem.
Splashing water on the walls gets rid of the latent heat created by condensate so the steam can stay on longer. The best way is to get a generator that uses 1.5 gallons instead of 2.5 to 3 gallons to minimize condensate so the walls don't heat up as fast. Dry steam from atmospheric type generators are most optimal for keeping a continuous steam if you have over a 7 foot ceiling. (over 7 foot ceilings push the 110-114 degree sweet spot range above your head. If you have an 8 foot ceiling, the sweet spot is pushed up 12 inches higher than a 7 foot room.
Understand thermoclines and how to stay in the 110-114 window the entire session (full body steam therapy). When the body is at the same temperature from foot to toe, this whole body vasodilation instead of just heating the upper body.
Floor fans
10 inch - If the room is very small, usually requiring a 6kw generator
12 inch - I like this size if the room requires a 7.5kw to a 9kw and the ceiling height is under 8 feet.
16 inch fans - If the room needs a 10.5kw generator and the ceilings are 8 feet to 10 feet
Note: you may want more than one fan aiming upward if your room height is above 8 feet and you want full body steam therapy. Adjusting the speeds of the fan will change the CFU and when you get the floor fan you can tweak it so you know the exact fan speed that will keep the room temperature at what you want.
How to Keep Steam Room Sessions at 20 minutes with floor fans
The floor fan will do the best job if the steam is a slow burn. If it is a fast burn steam that lets all the steam out in a big burst, once the burst is over there can be a duty cycle of several minutes when no steam comes out. Having a fan in the steam room works best when it is displacing a slow flow of steam coming out of the generator. Fans work best with atmospheric type generators that let out the steam over a longer period of time instead of dumping it out all at once.
Also, using a floor fan with a steam generator that produces steam with less condensate helps not to blow all the large molecule wet steam back up into the air. I've used fans in steam rooms that have a low psi generator that you can actually see the steam coming out of the steam head. These are the types that use 2.5 gallons instead of a 1.5 gallon for the same session. I have taken a napkin up to the steam head. When the steam comes out dry, it goes throw the napkin. Wet steam soaks up the napkin.
Dry steam stays in the air and doesn't immediately stick to the walls like wet steam. Dry steam blown by a fan will keep it in the air longer so it doesn't condense at the ceiling thermocline. Here is an example of a slow burn dry steam at 100% dryness fraction. I have years of experience with steam room fans. Call me at 1-800-336-9285 if you want to learn more about choosing the right fan for your steam room.
These waterproof floor fans come in 8 inch up to 16 inch fans. If you have ceilings at 7 feet tall, you really don't need the fan since the 110 114 degree thermocline will naturally be around your body core level. If you have an 8 foot ceiling, you will need a smaller fan and don't need as high CFU. If you have a 9 foot ceiling then you may want to have a combination of a floor fan and a low cfu wall fan to bring the steam trap down so you won't be in a thermocline that is under 110 degrees. Those who get steam generators that have lots of condensate will have a harder time keeping a steam cloud in the steam room even with a fan.
I have made videos below showing how much closer the floor temperature is to the ceiling temperature with my laser thermometer just by having a floor fan
You don't know you like it till you try it
So many people say they like to stay in the steam room for half an hour or longer. I would say 90% of the people like to stay in the steam room for 30 minutes. These are usually people that go to gyms or spas and it is not continuous steam. In gyms they usually have one steam head that comes on and then turns off and you have to wait a few minutes for it to kick back on again. Also, in gyms you can't control the temperature unless you are in the room where they keep the steam generator (yes, I have snuck back there many times and turned up the heat).
If you tweak your steam room so that you are in the 110 to 114 degree window (114 preferably), and your entire body is at 114 degrees, not just your upper body or head, and the steam has low condensate so it actually feels good and is easy to breath, your session should only last 20 minutes. If you have never experienced full body vasodilation in a steam room you might not understand and think 20 minutes is too short or even 15 minutes for some people. It doesn't take long to heat your core 3 degrees over normal body temperature when your entire body is at 114 degrees. If over 114 degrees it doesn't feel comfortable and most people go into cardiac drift before they can finish a 20 minute steam session. When the steam is dry and it is so dense you can't see the person on the other side of the room, and you are not sitting in a muggy steam room, and the temperature never waivers that much it is a beautiful experience.
For those that want to tweak their steam room for this type of experience, starting with a steam generator that has a 6 degree variance or less in temperature to start with is much better than a generator that has high fluctuations in temperatures and has long wait times between steam sessions.
For those that have ceilings over 7 feet, I strongly urge people not to oversize and get a higher killowatt steam generator. This can make things even worse. If too much steam comes out at once, it will create more latent heat in a shorter time and the sensor will get too hot and turn off the steam. The steam become heavier and muggier due to the fast release of steam faster than it can fall to the floor. I prefer the atmospheric type that are a slow burn and release the same amount of steam over a longer period of time.
Having a floor fan will displace the steam in the room. After all, sizing the steam generator has to do with the cubic foot volume of the room. Many people go up two killowatt sizes for their steam generator and this can bring the 110 to 114 degree thermocline at the body level as it would normally be pushed up 12 inches higher if the ceiling is a 8 foot ceiling. Upsizing to a larger size is one of the biggest mistakes people do and end up needing to return it because their generator is too big. Understand oversizing helps so you don't make the mistake.
Customer notice: If you already talked to someone and just say they told you to get a 9 kw and I tell you that you need a 6kw generator...who are you going to believe. It is not that they are telling you wrong, most of them are trying to get you enough steam so your steam is intense enough that you don't call back and return it.
Also, different brands have different sizing charts. If you have a 175 cubic foot room you will need a 6Kw generator but if you want a 20psi pressurized generator, their 6kw generator only goes up too 63 cubic feet. But, usually my sizing recommendation is different that what most people get. I figure in a lot more than just the size of the room and material used. Some people have a bench that takes up 50 cubic feet and when I subtract that. If the generator is far away from the room many people don't ask that question either.
Consumer notice: water proof fans - IP RATINGS
I urge people to make sure their fan has the right IP rating so that it is protected from water spray from any direction. The floor fans we use are IPX4 rated. Some fans have a lower IP rating and are not as good for a steam room. If you don't want to hardwire the fans the lithium battery powered fans are what most people use in their steam room. The 16 inch fan has the biggest battery and can go several steam sessions before you have to recharge the battery. The 16 inch fans are the most expensive ($169) and the smaller ones are around $49.
For optimal steam sessions with fans, steam should be dry (consisting of 97% steam and 3% liquid. It is hard to control steam for full body vasodilation (whole body steam therapy) when too much steam comes out at once and it has an extra gallon of water released into the steam in a 30 minute session.
If you want to tweak your steam room with fans and need help choosing fans that will displace the latent heat and steam in the steam room, make contact. 1-800-336-9285
Steam Room Hygrometers
I urge anyone installing a steam room to put a hydrometer on the wall. This will tell you the humidity level. Also it will tell you the temperature of the thermocline where the hygrometer is at. So, if you want to stay in the 110 114 degree temperature zone and you legs are in a 88 degree thermocline, you are not getting full body vasodilation. Some people put 2 hydrometers in their steam room. One is put at the head level and the other is put at the foot level. If you have fans blowing the steam down and it gets to 116, 2 degrees over the comfort zone, it makes it easier to understand why you can’t stay in as long and you get out of breath too quick. Just 2 degrees over 114 makes an exponential difference in how the steam feels. By having a hydrometer will help by ensuring that the temperature and humidity level of your steam is exactly where you want it.
Note: Our bodies when going in a steam room cannot always tell if the temperature is at 110 to 114 degrees. Having a hydrometer will help ensure that you have the perfect climate in your steam room.
Note: Some steam generators put out double the grams of steam than others. So, the dryer the steam the more grams of steam the room will hold at a time before it condenses back to water droplets. The hygrometer will tell you the humidity level and temperature levels so you know you aren't in a steam room that is more like a sauna from latent heat and less grams of steam in the air.
It is important to know about 110-114 tempuratures if you are going to install a steam room. Call me at 1-800-336-9285 for guidance.
Note: for people who want to sustain a full body vasodilation experience at 110 to 114 degrees and have it at 100% humidity, this is the experience most people seek after experiencing it. Many people experience very low steam on their legs and feet and a temperature no where close to 110 114 degrees.
Having a hygrometer will ensure you are in that sweet spot zone. Beware that some steam rooms will be in that 110 114 zone but the humidity level will be less than 100%. These are usually the duty cycle type or the steam generators that produce wet steam with high condensate.
My goal when picking out a steam generator is to keep you in that sweet spot zone (unless told otherwise). Some people want to stay in an hour until they understand full body vasodilation and how the steam generator they were going to pick could be just heating them up with latent heat from high condensate that heats the room instead of 100% humidity with steam.
Those who experience a 20 to 25 minute session at 110 114 degrees with their whole body in vasodilation usually never want a longer session again.
Steam Generator Noise Types:
Some people don't mind the loud noise at steamer can make. Personally in a gym steam room, I don't like hearing all the moaning, heavy breathing, and old men farting. The steam room at the gym I go to has a super high fluence but it stinks if you don't go in there after 3pm when they clean it every day. Guys go in there butt naked and don't even sit on a towel. Even worse they walk barefoot and I'm talking toe nail fungus. Eeek! When everyone leaves I open the door and air it out before someone complains. Next person comes in and complains it's not hot in there. I guess they would rather steam in filth.
First thing I want to say is if you want a loud steam generator, buy one of those cheap imports. They are very disturbing to anyone near it. Some steam generators have a high pitch noise thats very annoying and others have a more baritone, low pitched noise. Many people want a dry or high fluence steam room but want it quiet. You really can't have both unless you only want to get about a half gallon of steam in a 20 minute session. Two smaller steam generators putting out the same amount of steam as one larger one will definitely be quieter.
Enough about my germophobe rant, not sure how I got off track.
As for noise, rarely do people like a loud generator. Also, the steam head can make a difference in the type of noise. Each steam head sounds different. If you want a quiet steam room and don't want it very loud call me at 1-800-336-9285. Having 2 steam heads instead of 1 cuts down the noise. Having a 3/4 inch pipe instead of 1/2 makes it quieter also.
With some generators, you have to scream if you want to have conversation easily. If you want to be able to talk in there with the steam at a lower decibel level, let me know on my steam room quiz. This is probably one of the top 2 complaints that does not have to do with warranty problems. I am the one that hears all the noise complaints from the brands out there. Most of the time the steam generator was quiet when they bought it but got louder over time.
I hear the complaints all the time so if someone wants advice on which one to get based on real people calling me up and complaining about noise from this brand or that brand, I know which ones get the most and least complaints.
Sound Complaints
So, the biggest complaint about sound is the loud whistling noise that come from steam generators that have high ATA. If someone wants a whisper quiet steam generator and doesn’t care about where the sound really comes from, research the open tank systems that work at 1 atmospheric pressure, not the pressure cooker type. Note: there are brands that are quieter that the steam release valve works at lower pressures and is much quieter but those give a much wetter steam and are usually the Chinese imports being sold cheap.
The big problem with plumbers is that they usually use 1/2 inch water pipes and don’t use the 3/4 inch pipe leading to the steam head that is the right size. If using 1/2 inch it will be a loud and have a whistle noise. If using 3/4 inch pipe leading to the steam head or even a one inch then it will be even more whisper quiet. It’s more expensive to put 1 inch pipes so most plumbers don’t use it or won’t even bring it up to you so I always ask them when people call me when they really want the best steam experience. When the plumber comes over I have heard they say it is not necessary. One inch piping is more expensive than the 1/2 inch piping. They might save a few bucks on your installation but you get stuck with a loud steam generator just because you didn’t know to get the 1 inch piping.
I believe it is because they don’t want to go to home depot and buy the adapter and take more time. I urge people to buy this adapter so they have it and the plumber has it ready waiting for them.
The 2nd big problem that can even make a closed tank steam generator that is normally quiet is everyone should have a water pressure reducer that also acts as a sound muffler. Home Depot sells them and you put it right next to the steam generator. They are not expensive. Most plumbers don’t know to even get this so you must have it waiting for them before they do the job. Normal pressure is 60psi to 65 psi. The reducer brings the water pressure down to 15 to 20 psi so the water is not pumped in with pressure. Those that are buying the latest generation open tank who don’t want the high pressure type will still hear that banging noise when the generator cals for water if you don’t have the water pressure reducer if it’s in the bathroom. Just this advice should make it last years and years longer. The plumber just throws it in as cheap as possible and wants to get paid. I know this as I always ask people if people installed the pressure reducer mounted right beside the generator and they act like they don’t know what I am talking about.
Crackling heater noises
Many people complain that their steam generator makes a sizzling sound every time the water is heating up. This noise is from the limescale deposits that are covering the heating element getting hot. This is not dangerous but when the steam is off during the heating duty cycle and you wan’t to relax, the crackling sound can be annoying. Using 1 inch piping and from a non-pressurized steam tank make a relaxing experience. Small steam showers can get very loud with high pressure steam generators.
Please call me if you want me to find out which are the best pressure reducers to get with. Some are cheap and some last much longer and are built to last. Also, with piping, if you are concerned about getting higher grade hoses that are more resistant to limescale and are a higher gauge to reduce the sound I can help you with that (brass vs stainless steel vs plastic vales). There are so many things that people don’t do that would give a much better steam experience.
Ion meter to measure ions in the air from the steam blowing on the salt.
Why Salt Steam Rooms:
Putting the salt directly under the steam head make the steam session totally different. Every time I go to the gym people always comment on something is different about the steam this time. I always wait to see how long people will wait till they mention it. It's a similar feeling as being at the beach breathing in the salt in the air on a humid day especially when its a bright sunny day. I use salt in a regular sauna too but in the steam room the salt gets into the air. The clearer the salt without the iron oxide is more expensive.
Being in a salt sauna will make your skin super salty with trace minerals. I always wait just a little while before showering to keep my pores open so my skin can absorb these minerals. I only use the low iron oxide himalayan salt (not the cheap reddish stuff).
If someone is already dehydrated going in a steam room sometimes they can get worse by over steaming in a steam room.
If a person does a fast 20 minute session then mostly the body sweats out 99% water that was inside and outside the cells keeping them hydrated. If a person does a longer session 60 minutes plus (or several hours off and on like sweat lodge tradition) then the core body temperature is raised more slowly and less water is released and more toxins. Over this period of time I drink some salt water about every 20 minutes.
This is the salt I use. I use non dynamite mined hand picked crystal clear Himalayan salt. I do not like the pink type that has high iron oxide.
When the steam hits the salt it helps release negative ions in the air.
I use fresh eucalyptus leaves and show how I roll it and prep it for my steam session with a rolling pin. (you can use a towel or wax paper)
For those that have 10.5 kw generators that have 2 steam heads, salt can be put in one and eucalyptus leaves in the other.
I always like to use sage, salt, or eucalyptus, or a combination in my steam therapy sessions. I do not like using the oils.
Seating placement
Seating placement is another concern I have when sizing a steam generator. Many people have tall ceilings (above 7 feet tall) and at the seating level the 110 114 degree sweet spot window is actually above their head, often 12 to 36 inches over their head. People complain about why their steam room is not hot enough. It is because at the seating level if it is too low compared to the ceiling the body will never get full body vasodilation and the steam session can take 30 minutes to an hour if only heating the upper torso. There are ways to clear up the cold spots where the body is not in the 110 114 degree comfort zone. A marine grade fan (I like the Kona) when suction cupped to the wall to bring down the thermocline of steam at the ceiling to the floor is the best way I’ve found to mix thermoclines to bring steam down to the lower body.
Also, if the bench is too close to the steam head the steam can burn the feet or knees as it comes out. This can even happen when it is not oversized. Another thing is if your cubic feet is in the middle of two killowatt sizes and your bench makes up 50 cubic feet or so, that can bring you up to the next killowatt size. If the space of the bench is not accounted for you might get an undersized generator. There are other factors to consider that make minor adjustments in the sizing of the generator. When added up it can mean an extra killowatt size that many people are not aware of they needed to figure in.
I strongly urge people to get a hydrometer in their steam room and put it at the seating level to make sure you are always in the 110 114 comfort zone. The human body cannot always tell if it is. The hygrometer and a Kona marine grade water proof fan might be the best way to ensure you are in control of your steam room.
Note: Just being in the 110 114 sweet spot zone is not enough if the humidity is not at 100%. The difference between 90% humidity and 100% is exponential. It doesn't feel just like 10% more humidity.
Having a marine grade fan to blow down the latent heat and increase the heat co-efficient on the body helps me get into full body vasodilation and keep my steam therapy sessions shorter without waiting for duty cycles.
Warning: if getting a generator that is sized just right but it has 1/2 inch pipes, the steam can come with too much force and burn your feet and legs. If you are lucky enough to have 3/4 inch pipes that will let you move up to the high psi and higher end generators that do not work with 1/2 inch pipes. If you are in a really tight space, the atmospheric steam generators work at such a slow burn that even if close to your feet they don't sting. It might take a minute and a half to put out the same grams of steam that the low psi pressure cooker models put out in 22 seconds. The slow burn is preferred by most people in tight steam room spaces.
I urge people who are upsizing in killowatt size who originally needed a 6, 7.5 or a 9 kw generator that have to upsize for ceramic or natural stone to get a slow burn generator so the steam bathing session is comfortable and doesn't burn you as it comes out.
I NEVER stay in the steam room when my heart rate is past 150 bpm. I always use this meter to make sure my oxygen stays high also. I have about 50 of these if anyone wants to do a review one one.
Session times - Under 30 minutes or over 30 Minutes
So many people complain that that their steam session takes too long. Session times are not only from a steam generator that produces too wet of a steam that creates steam traps at the ceiling or heats the walls up and wicks up the 30 to 50% of the steam (that is if you have ceramic or natural stone).
Those who are using steam generators at low psi (15psi or lower) or who have 1/2 inch pipes that have more water hammer and condensate in the steam will be setting themselves up for failure from the start. I urge people to get the right steam generator that will work with their room and especially the ceiling height (if over 7 foot is when there are more precautions than need to be taken) to avoid steam traps and bring down the latent heat trapped up there down to the feet.
The benefit for many is vasodilation. When the body core temperature is heated up 3 degrees is when many people find most benefit. (heat shock proteins). There is a fatigue curve that many people have in about 25 to 30 minutes in a steam room. Most people reach this fatigue curve with just their upper torso in hyperthermia and their lower body (waist and legs and feet) never reaching optimal hyperthermia that many people find beneficial.
Most people love sitting in steam rooms (sitting with their feet on the floor or even at bench seat level laying down). This feels good but deceptively feels good. Those who know about cardiac drift usually want full body steam therapy where the lower body and upper body are getting the same vasodilation. Getting half body steam therapy is something most people never go back to once they experience full body steam therapy.
I find it is more therapeutic to have a lower steam room temperature and have the whole body immersed in the steam than just the upper body and head getting steam therapy. The best steam sessions I have found is when the heart rate goes up at a slower pace but more sustainable in a 30 minute session. I like to keep my body core temperature up 3 degrees for a sustained period and not have the feeling I have to get out once it gets to that point.
Having a waterproof fan that blows all the super hot steam trapped at the ceiling down to the floor is the best way I have found to get whole body steam therapy. There are some people that have PVC pipe closed loop systems where it sucks the steam from the ceiling out and brings it out of the steam room and the outside the steam room fan pumps it to the floor. Having a fan is what many people do and it changes the entire steam bathing experience.
It is the most amazing feeling when your feet and legs are getting the hot steam rather than just feeling the condensate as it falls to the floor.
If someone wants to have a 30 minute steam session or shorter, I know how to change up the latent heat and raise the heat co-efficient of the room to make someone's session shorter or longer. There are some people that want to use their steam room for 45 minutes to an hour. There are things that need to be tweaked to give the optimal session time.
Note: How long do you want to stay in the steam room for? 20 to 30 minutes? Over 30 minutes? Well, this is a huge problem and when people understand it they realize they don't want to relax in a steam room for 45 minutes to an hour. When you understand thermoclines, know how to keep the body in the 110 114 degree sweet spot zone, and understand the effects of condensate, most people will aim for a 20 to 25 minute session and stay in the 110 114 window for that amount of time. That is ONLY if the body is in full body vasodilation. If only getting half body steam therapy, that is not the same as staying in the 110 114 window and usually takes longer than 25 minutes.
I urge everyone to get a hygrometer on the wall of the steam room. Just having the sweet spot zone at 110 114 degrees is not the same as being in that zone at 100% humidity. You will be happy you installed a hygrometer once you use your steam room. Most people don't have one.
Slanted Ceilings - Steam rooms
NOTE: If you have a generator that puts out 2.5 gallons of water when you needed a dry steam that puts out 1.5 gallons, be prepared to still have drippiness from the ceiling even if the ceiling is sloped. Slanting your ceiling may or may not be needed depending on the type of steam room you have and the type of steam generator you have.
If you have a lower ceiling (7 foot) and you have natural stone or ceramic, you would most likely need to slant your ceiling if your steam generator is a low psi type and puts out too much condensate. The very wet steam is not recommended if you are not slanting your ceilings. Even at 7 foot ceilings you may still experience drippiness if the steam is too wet. I like to use a marine grade fan suction cupped to the wall so it blows the steam down so the top thermocline air is not replaced by heavy steam that sticks to the ceiling once the temperature is hot and it is already at 100% humidity.
Warning: if you don't slant your ceilings and you have a porous wall material, the ceiling can hold the droplets of water for hours. I urge people to squeegee their ceiling after the steam room has cooled down to dry the ceiling. Many steam rooms have a bad smell from bacteria growing on the ceiling. This can be avoided if the ceiling is dried each time.
If you are not going to slope your ceiling, I recommend getting a steam generator that has 20 psi or atmospheric. With atmospheric generators, very minimal water is used to steam up the room so there is about a gallon of water saved that doesn't make extra condensate.
With atmospheric generator and a sloped ceiling, there is such little condensate that most people don't need to squeegee the ceiling each time. it is the really big droplets that stay on the ceiling for days. The smalls stuff should evaporate by having the steam room door open a few hours. Some people put an exhaust fan in their steam room and that helps too.
Note: I don't need to squeegee my ceiling every time I use the steam room. Maybe once a week. I just don't want mold to build up. But, if your ceiling looks like it has big droplets (in the picture above), then you might want to do it every day. Having a steam generator that produces low condensate that should help eliminate the big droplets. The generators that put out too much steam at once and a steam trap forms at the ceiling is when water starts clumping together. When the steam generator keeps making steam once the steam is way past 100% humidity it is a fast burn steam. A slow and continuous steam that lets out less grams of steam at a time helps avoid drippings from the ceiling since it doesn't collect there as if the steam generator dumped the entire load at once in a short period.
Let me know if you are going to slant your ceilings or need help setting up your room for minimal drippiness (fans, atmospheric or pressurized steam, exhaust fans, and other ways to keep your steam room mold free and less drippy.
This is the water droplets stuck to the tile.
This is a ventilation fan. I recommend this for steam rooms that have high condensate. If your steam generator is not a low psi that spits out an extra gallon or more of water in each 30 minute session you probably won't need a ventilation fan. With atmospheric generators I see no need to use one of these. Also, for those who oversize their steam generator and have a hard time controlling the temperature, this can take some of the excess steam out if needed.
Steam Generator placement issues
Placing the steam generator within a few feet of the steam room can help avoid condensate build up in the pipe and heat loss. Many people choose a killowatt size for their steam generator without figuring in the distance of their generator to steam head when adjusting the cubic footage.
With a 25 foot distance from the steam generator to the steam head it is recommended to add 10%. At 50 feet it is recommended to add 20%. If the room is 300 cubic feet and the generator is 25 feet away, I would add 30 cubic feet to the total. If this is forgotten and maybe you didn't figure in something else, you could easily undersize the generator power and the steam room may never get as hot as you want it to get.
Another thing to consider is the pipe size. If it is a 1 inch pipe, then the configuration would be different. The larger the size and the more surface area it has the more heat that escapes. With 1/2 inch pipes there is less heat loss than 1 inch pipes.
If you are placing your generator far away from your steam room, please let us know on our steam quiz.
Steam Traps - how to avoid them
This is the number one complaint I get. I get calls all the time from people saying all the steam is at their ceiling and how do they get it down. This is a huge problem for people that oversize their generator and usually the people that have ceramic or other porous tiles call in most. Also almost all the calls are never from people who have a 7 foot ceiling. It is always the 8 foot and over steam rooms.
The things to be aware of to avoid steam being trapped at the top of your steam room.
1. Use 3/4 inch pipes or larger (depending on the KW size and number of steam heads)
2. Always use 2 steam heads if the steam generator is over 9KW size
3. Always make sure you are not oversizing due to a higher ceiling
4. Always use the highest psi relief valves to avoid condensate and wet steam (20psi)
5. Make sure the generator uses minimal steam - 2 gallons per 30 minute session in a 6kw model
will produce high condensate. 1.5 gallons will be dense but less hot but with a higher room fill
6. Always keep a bucket of cold water to splays on the upper walls and ceiling if you have wet steam
7. Make sure the steam is a slow burn. Fast burn steam creates too much latent heat per cycle.
8. Make sure you have a DC marine grade fan to blow the steam down if over 7 foot ceiling.
9. If the steam is hitting the floor from the steam head, make sure you splash cold water under it
10. Last resort, get a closed loop steam circulator - for 9 and 10 foot ceiling traps.
I use a Kona marine grade fan to blow down the steam from the steam trap. The wetter the steam (the more condensate) the harder it is to blow it down. If you use a steam generator that has a lower dryness fraction, you might need more than 1 fan depending on how large the steam room is.
Why steam traps are bad:
When all the hot steam is trapped at the ceiling, it is hard to bring it down without knowing what to do. Most people that experience full body steam therapy never go back to heating their upper body and their lower body not getting the therapy of the steam.
Vasodilation: it is hard to get the entire body heated 3 degrees over normal body temperature when the legs are not getting the hot steam. When only the upper body is getting most of the hot steam and the heat distribution is not spread out at a lower temperature over the entire body, the heart rate increases too fast to get the same therapy as a slightly lowered temperature when the entire body is getting the same temperature all around.
Heat shock proteins: Those who want to create heat shock proteins will want to do a slow burn steam session and not heat their body too fast so they can sustain a longer session. It is important that the lower body gets the same steam so the core temperature is heated evenly.
Duty cycles: when steam is trapped at the ceiling, and the thermostat is placed too high, it can cause long duty cycles. Rarely people want to wait long periods for the next steam cycle to kick on.
Single tank steam generators: These are the most prone to creating steam traps since too many grams of steam come out at once. When steam drops to the floor at the same speed it is made is homeostasis. When undersizing or over sizing, this effects are a steam trap or wet steam because it has to constantly keep up with the desired temperature of the room when it is undersized.
Those with 7 foot ceilings usually don't have steam trap problems unless the steam is coming out of a low psi model and using smaller pipes (under 3/4 inches). If you want to learn more about this call me at 1-800-336-9285
The 6 types of steam generators on the market
This will break down the 6 different types of steam generator technologies used by the differnet brands out there. I have reviewed Mr. Steam, Thermasol, Steamist, Elite Steam, Steamcore, Kohler, Steamspa and many brands that have came and gone out of business over the years.
I will rank them from the wettest steam with the highest condensate to the driest steam (highest dryness fraction with the lowest condensate).
Type 1:
Low PSI pressure cooker (lowest priced, usually a Chinese import, low quality components)
Type 2
High PSI pressure cooker (mid range price, higher quality components, usually fancy bells and whistles to distract people from what to expect (long duty cycles, wet steam but not as wet at type 1)
Type 3
Low PSI dual tank pressure cooker (These are the knock offs of the Thermasol). They look almost identical to the person who doesn't know how to research the component quality of the generator and just buy based on specs. These low psi, Chinese import Thermasol knock offs give a wet and drippy steam and leak water for the first 5 or 10 seconds at the beginning of each duty cycle when the steam comes back on. These produce just slightly better quality steam than a single tank low PSI steam generator (type 1)
Type 4
These are the High PSI dual tank steam generators. These have the least amount of condensate of all the pressure cookers and are in my Tier 1a which is the highest quality steam generator for pressurized generators out right now. Do not get confused as knock offs have the same specs on paper but when you go in a low psi and a high psi model you will notice the dryness fraction is not even in the same ball park as the type 3 generator.
Type 5
These are the non-pressure cooker steam generators. They have dual tanks (boiling tank and inlet tank). Since they are not pressurized it takes a few extra minutes to start steaming but once it starts it is continuous no more than 6 degrees from what you set it at. These have the driest steam fraction due to the inlet system dripping water just enough to limit condensate (moisture in steam).
Notice: for those that get a type 1 or type 3 low psi generator, I urge people to get a closed loop circulator or a ventilator to get rid of the condensate that can start sticking to the ceiling. A closed loop will bring that condensate down to the floor and it will keep your feet and legs warm and it is too heavy at this point to rise to the ceiling again.
Note: There is a type 6 (L series) that is ultra high end, super high psi dry steam for pressurized steam but it is too expensive for most people and Mr. Steam is more affordable and most people want continuous dry over duty cycle dry. The steam that comes out of the L series only starts at 9KW also. Because it is such a high quality steam and most household water is not right for it, most people will find cleaning the limescale off all the time too much maintenance unless
The 9KW model is rated for a 360 cubic feet (very similar to the non pressurized model that works up to 375 feet). Both have very little condensate compared to the lower end pressure cooker type (low psi). Thermasol Model PRO-240 (10kw model) works up to 240 cubic feet). My first priority when choosing a generator is first making sure which steam quality is best for the type of steam room. If the room has ceramic tile and a glass door and over 7 foot tall, those are 3 things not in favor of working with high condensate. Once the steam hits the walls, wetter steam is most likely going to stick more than dry steam.
The only time I really don't have problem with wet steam is when I don't have to upsize 30% for the til and 10% more for a glass door. I am not against wet steam depending on the application.
Cold Spots in Steam rooms
This is a big problem with steam generators. Most people who are research steam generators usually call the first place they see on the internet on Google and call up and get talked out of what they were originally looking for and the dealer tries to sell them something cheap. (If you google right now I bet the top 3 advertisers are trying to sell cheap Chinese imports and trying to tell you that Thermasol, Mr. Steam, Steamcore, or the other USA made brands are more expensive and you are paying for just the name.
This is BS. I tested each model and there is a huge difference between brands that sell for 100 dollars per kilowatt while the higher end brands can cost up to 600 dollars per kilowatt. Steam generators that cost over 300 per kw are usually the open tanks and have 304 grade surgical steel tanks and heating elements. They are very expensive.
So, since the topic of cold spots and hot spots rarely comes up from dealers, it needs to be talked about. Some people have ceilings over 7 feet and they will be in for a surprise when the realize that buying a generator that makes too wet of steam that the heat rises way to the top and their lower body gets the cold spots.
The area around the feet is cold and there is very little steam. The point where the green laser pen will stop shining completely to the other side of the wall is when cold spots end. If the steam is very wet and has lower dryness rating it can cause more cold spots. With some steam rooms, you can’t even put your back to the wall without a towel first or it will be so hot it can sting you. With other brands, with a lower latent heat index with less water moisture in the air, it is comfortable to sit back. For those that have 7 foot ceilings there is rarely a problem with cold spots.
But, if the person gets a generator size too large it can have so many hot spots that it can burn the nose just to breath in the steam. That is not good either. Many people like to upsize their generator. If someone is getting a non open type tank it is usually better to not upsize it. The drier the steam with the lower latent heat index it is possible with certain figurations to upsize without sacrificing steam quality.
For those that want really intense steam like the type I talk about when I go to my sweat lodges, please contact me so you know ahead of time what to expect before you buy. I will tell you if upsizing is appropriate or not. 80% of the people who want to upsize should not upsize based on their room configuration. Buying a brand that has the least wetness is just as important as buying just the right size.
Locating Cold spots and hot spots
I use a laser thermometer to show how the temperature can vary in a room. With steam I don't like, the steam gets really hot above my head and the area near the feet stay cold. A laser thermometer will show this huge temperature difference. A marine grade fan makes the biggest difference when trying to avoid cold or hot spots. If the ceiling is over 7 feet tall, the cool air near the floor will not condense the higher steam as much and the entire room should be at the same temperature. It is the most amazing experience with the entire room is at the same temperature (the steam near the ceiling is almost the same temperature as the temperature of the steam near the floor). That is true equilibrium that most people never experience. When the fans on suction cupped on the wall keep the room in this equilibrium and the fans next to me raise the heat co-efficient, this makes it even better.
