Tips For Building Your Own Steam Room At Home

There are many benefits to having a home steam room, and there is no better way to end a long day. Even so, having one installed can be a drastically expensive project so most households have to fore-go this luxury. The good news is that an experienced and motivated do it yourselfer should be able to undertake this project with little difficulty, especially if you opt to simply install a prefabricated model, or assemble one from a kit. The following will help you determine if installing or building your own home steam room would be the right choice for you.

Starting your new home steam room building project can be incredibly exciting, however, just remember to keep a cool head. There is a lot of planning that must go into a project like this or you could have some serious problems down the road. For one thing, the constructions details must be closely followed because the slightest deviation from the plans could result in unhealthy situations such as mold, mildew, and rot. Moisture and wood do not go well together, so if you have leaks there are bound to be problems. This is one reason why any lumber that you use for this project should be treated, even lumber used for the sub-floor.

The key to building a successful steam room at home is to make it watertight so no moisture can escape. When it is kept within the confines of the steam room it will simply condense on the sides of the stall and will run down into the drain eventually. In some cases steam will have no alternative to escape, such as when you enter or exit through the steam shower doors, but this will fortunately be caught up in the extractor fan and taken out of your home. One way that you can keep the water damage to your home at a minimum is to have ceramic tiled floors and walls.

Before you begin this project, you should do plenty of research on the different steam generators that are available. Depending on the size of your steam shower enclosures, you may need either a large or a small one. Most models have different installation instructions and they must be closely followed if you want to make sure your unit produces just the right amount of steam that is needed. When building the steam room itself you also must make sure that it is the perfect size to complement the generator.

Hopefully you will find these tips for building a home steam room to be of some help when you are ready to begin your project. Kits and prefabricated models are available at most home improvement stores and you can even buy them online. Just make sure that you do enough research before making your purchase.

Steam Room Tips

Using the steam room at your local gym, health club or in your home is a way to open your pores, relieve some stress and revitalize your body. The benefits of a steam room include relief from muscle tension and stiff joints, a boost in your immune system and blood circulation, relief from congestion and lymph node detoxification. Steam rooms are especially good for people with respiratory problems such as asthma, sinusitis and bronchitis. Follow these tips to make your experience in the steam room even better and more rewarding.

Showering Before & After
1. Showering before a trip to the steam room helps open pores and showering after helps close them. Shower in warm water before and use cold water after leaving. After showering and before entering the steam room, make a mixture of 1 tsp. of salt and 2 tsp. of honey and lightly massage on your arms and neck. If desired, make a second mixture and apply to your legs. The salt/honey mixture will help increase your sweating while in the steam bath.

What to Bring in the Steam Room
2. Before entering the steam room, wrap yourself in a clean towel and grab a bottle of water, a cool towel for your forehead and a rolled towel for your neck. Once in the steam room, set the temperature control to no more than 100 degrees F. If you feel overwhelmed, reduce the temperature. Next, massage any areas of your body where you have felt pain recently. Stay in the steam room no more than 10 minutes.

Appropriate Dress in a Steam Room
3. If using a steam room at your local gym or health club, always wear a towel wrapped around you and cover all private parts. If the gym or health club has both men and women using the same steam room, ask the attendant if a specific dress code is in place.

Drinking Water & Food Consumption
4. Drink plenty of cold water while in the steam room, preferably purified water. Do not drink soft drinks or alcohol while in the steam room, and do not fall asleep. As far as food, wait at least one hour after eating before entering a steam room. If you start feeling ill while in the steam room, leave immediately to a cool area and sit upright.