Heat-Tolerance-Steam-Rooms Compare Steam Spa - Steamist - MR. STEAM - KOHLER - Amerec - STEAMBATH - THERMASOL -Whirlpool - ROMA - STEAMCORE

Heat Tolerance:

Before considering my heat tolerance, I first need to decide how long I want my average session to be. If I want to only be in my steam room for 10 minutes, then I need one type of steam generator but if I want to raise my core body temperature to the same point in 30 minutes, then I will be ok with a lower fluence steam. Depending on the dryness of the vapor in different brands of generators, this will usually determine how tolerant and how much time someone will want to stay in the steam room before wanting to get out. Some are nose burning and some have more steam output at a slightly lower temperature making it easier to breath.

The best example of a low tolerance steam room was at Spa Castle in New York City. They not only have a high fluence steam generator but have radiators that make the steam super dry. When you go in there you barely see any steam as the cluster size is so tiny. Its super hot and I can barely stay in there for 10 minutes. The steam rooms at most gyms I can stay in for 30 minutes if I am not splashing water on the gauge when no one is looking.

If someone wants to just relax and read a newspaper for 30 minutes in a steam room there that is one thing but if someone wants to detox or has a cold I would recommend a different type of generator.

Remember, before picking out a steam generator brand, know how long you want to stay in the steam room on average.

Some people want to be steamed like a lobster and will go out every few minutes to shower and go back and forth 4 or 5 times. Many people just want to sit the whole time and not get up until they are done.

For those that want a dryer heat some buy two generators instead of one larger model thats puts out more steam.

Note: I get a larger discount if I buy more than one generator going to the same address. If you need additional generators I get a subsidized price which I had to prove my volume to get these prices.

Note: if you have a natural stone room I would strongly recommend 2 generators or one larger if you don't mind a wetter steam.

Mild vs intense

Steam under pressure heats up way faster but people sacrifice poorer quality steam for this impatience. The steam generators using high pressure produce very fast steam and it gets very intense but also has the shortest duty cycles where most of the time the steam is off. Some people like these bursts of intense steam followed by no steam and a longer delayed wait time. Others like a more constant milder steam that typically the non-pressurized tanks give. The open tank steam generators still get very hot but only have a few degrees of temperature change until the steam kicks on again so there is always a dense cloud of steam.

Note: if the steam is too hot, the water droplets in the steam that never turned into vapor will still appear like steam since they are small enough not to fall yet since the vapor keeps it in lifted up in motion. There is more heat in the room from the wetter steam but not as much steam vapor.

Those that have been in the steam rooms at the gym who feel the need to pour water on the sensors will probably like a more continuous steam. Many people upsize their kilowatt size one size up if a more intense steam is preferred. I would not upsize a pressure cooker type but only an open tank so the steam stays drier.

Some people will want steam heated up in a pressure cooker type steam generator way past the boiling point. I do not recommend this. The goal is to get as much steam vapor and less humidity and moisture in the water. When the steam being condensed in the room and the steam being made by the generator are in equilibrium, this is when the steam quality is at its highest dryness. This will give the best steam experience for those building their own steam room. If the room is not in equilibrium and the steam doesn’t have enough time to condense before it comes on again, this can cause even the driest steam to become wet.

Remember, pressure cooker types heat up the steam past the saturation point and it releases all of it at once (vaporized and the water not vaporized yet still boiling at the bottom of the tank). The more water that is still boiling that gets released into the steam will bring the quality score from 100 down to whatever it is depending on how much water is not vaporized yet. A steam quality of 100 is when 100% of the steam has 0% un-evaporated water. A generator that makes steam at about 90% steam quality has 10% un-evaporated water. The open tanks at 1 ATA make the driest steam closest to 100%. If it is 100% dry the room will be filled with steam but 100% dry steam is invisible. All visible steam is at 99% dry or lower.

See my Steam Fluence page

Which steam generator best serves You? I compile useful information to help you make a decision.