Depending on the type of sessions, knowing how to control the vapor type is something everyone might find helpful knowing. Most people us eucalyptus oil in their steam room. There are some really good oils that I have free samples of that do not smell like the cheap eucalyptus that they have in that spray bottle at the gyms.
Some people don't mind paying 20 bucks a month to keep salt rocks in their steam room. I prefer the low iron oxide type of Himalayan salt. (not the dark pink type). I have free samples of this salt. It is so clear it almost looks like quartz.
Please email me for a free sample. If you want to take it to a gym, I always go in before my workout and an hour later the salt is hot and ready to give off the ions. (You can take an Ion Meter to measure the ions in the steam room before and after. I bought mine on Ebay for about 30 bucks.
By diffusing the metal in the diffuser or adding to the diffuser this can change the vapor density and feel of the entire steam session.
Pulsed vs continous:
This is another decision to make. Many people like to get really hot in the steam room and then let the steam cool down for another steaming. Others want the steam on the entire time till they can't take it anymore. If you want the steam vapor shutting off 8 to 10 times in a session let me know on my steam room quiz. If you want continuous steam this is when I choose some of the higher end models as the lower end continuous models seem to be good as low as they are not used too long.
Evaporation Speed: The more the steam comes out at once the heavier it is (wetter) unless there is enough power to lower the cluster size and give it more fluence. This also depends on the temperature of the steam. The hotter the steam the smaller the vapor size. This is when it gets tricky picking out the right one. The last thing I want is so much steam coming out that the fluence is too high and it makes it really hard to breath. My best advise is to know how much water per session (in 20 minutes) is steamed and at what temperature. If you want to go to different gyms and spas, I recommend taking your gauge and once you find a steam room you absolutely love and want that quality at home, write down the measurement and I will try to match that to which generator best meets that room. (if you need a meter, we have loaners).
Note: knowing the type of water also has an effect on the steam. If the water has a high TDS (total dissolved solids), the vapor will have a totally different feel than low TDS water. I can open the door in a holistic day spa and totally tell the difference compared to the ones in the gyms that use high TDS water. There is a lightness to the air.
Vapor can be as low as 5 microns in vapor size all the way up to a gas where you can't see the steam (such as the one that have radiators that heat up the steam room). If the high TDS builds up calcification in the steam generator the vapor quality can change also.
Open vs closed tank (prssure cooker vs non pressurized steam)
Many people don’t know the difference between an open or closed tank steam generator. Some people only know about the closed tank steam generators that work under pressure. Steam build up faster under pressure but in a pressure cooker the vaporized steam mixes with the water that is still at the bottom and makes a wetter steam. The closed tank is much dryer and gives a more comfortable steam experience.
Those that are building steam rooms with ceilings over 7 foot may want to avoid steam that has more moisture. Also, open tanks are more resistant to corrosion since the water doesn’t sit in the bottom of a closed tank like most of the pressure cooker types unless their flushing system really flushes 100% of the water. No one likes to change out their heating elements and tank every few years. I urge people to understand the differences between 304 grade surgical steel heating elements and 304 grade surgical steel boiling tanks over the cheaper cast iron and most common regular stainless steel tanks. I have an entire page on limescale and surgical steel is the best thing to prevent that.
Pros and Cons of open vs closed tanks
I don't want to make the closed pressurized tanks that have been around since the beginning to seem bad but since the open tanks have been introduced I believe they have more pros than cons in steam rooms. The steam from a pressurized steam generator can make very quick steam. Steam created under pressure is created faster but as far as steam clouds the cloud becomes very dense at first and then quickly falls to the ground when the steam has more moisture and the steam is heavier. Both the dry steam and wet steam can be equally as hot but the un-evaporated water in wet steam makes it "feel" hotter. The less humidity in the steam makes the steam cloud linger longer and a dry cloud from an open tank generator should linger much longer than a wet humid cloud of steam. My best example is when someone takes a plastic spray bottle and starts spraying water the steam gets heavier and quickly drops to the floor.
Those that want a gassier steam should at least try a steam generator somewhere where they can experience a very dry steam. Most people only have experienced very wet steam at their local gym.
The biggest difference that an open tank offers is dryer steam. Please research.
Take my steam room quiz. There are many different vapor types that steam generators give. I will pick out the model based on your answers. Take the quiz here.
Many people send in their heating element or we can provide one. When the heating element is infused in the generator, the water becomes much "lighter" and hydrophilic.
If you want to try a sample of what the water feels or tastes like after an infusion, I can provide an infused aluminum sticker. Place the sticker under the water. Most people cannot tell the difference between tap water and filtered water after 1 minute of the cup of water on the sticker. Below is a picture of the sticker.
Which steam generator best serves You? I compile useful information to help you make a decision.
Steam Spa - Steamist - MR. STEAM - KOHLER - Amerec - STEAMBATH - THERMASOL -Whirlpool - ROMA - STEAMCORE
You can also place an infused medallion in the tank. The frequencies in this is about 10 times the sticker.
I have some demos I an offer as loaners to anyone that wants to experience it.
This is the meter we use. I recommend gong to a few gyms and spas in your area that have steam rooms and writing down the measurements of temperature and humidity together. If you give me the measurements I will try to pick out a steam generator that best meets that measurement.
If you need a loaner meter, I have several dozens of meters. Let me know on my steam room quiz if you need one of these meters.
Take the
Dry Steam VS WET Steam Generators
The Most important page on this site
How to choose between the 2 Types
Don't buy without reading this page.
Need advice, call Sharon or Alex at 1-877-310-8385
1-877-310-8385
Open from 8am till 10pm
Ask for Alex
SteamReviewed.com
1-877-310-8385
Open from 8am till 10pm
Ask for Sharon
Confused on How to Choose a Steam Generator
Are you comparing Tier1 brands like Steamcore, Mr. Steam, and Thermasol?
Our newest guide to choosing the right size and brand.
Steam Room Fans
Sizing charts must be reconfigured if using a fan
With a marine grade fan, the all the steam in the room is at the same temperature (homeostasis). So, with higher ceilings, you don't have all the heat and steam lifted to the ceiling where you can't enjoy it. So many people have ceilings over 7 foot and they just go by a sizing chart and buy based on cubic feet size. People have 8 foot ceilings and that extra foot makes a huge difference if the air is not circulating. Many people upsize their steam generator size when their ceilings are high and this just makes a muggier steam as it puts out too much steam compared to one size lower. The best steam is when the steam being produced is at the same rate as the steam falling to the floor after it has been condensed. I urge people to get a fan that can suction cup on the wall. Make sure the fan is IP55 rated. (Google IP55 standards and you will see why). The fan must be protected from water in any direction. Most people get a 12VDC supply which will plug into a pneumatic switch like you use for a garbage disposal. The on off button will be next to the steam controller. Any plumber should be able do this for you.
So, for all the people calling in thinking they know what size generator they need who have ceilings over 7 foot tall, you don't have to take into consideration your ceiling height when you have a fan. If someone tells you that you need to upsize the kilowatt size simply because you have a 9 foot ceiling it will not apply now since the fan will bring the heat and steam back down and circulate it through the entire room.
Notice: if you have a pressurized steam generator that makes very wet steam, having a fan will make it very humid in the room and will not feel as comfortable as dry steam. No one I know likes muggy steam being blown on their body. If getting a fan, the best steam generator to use is one that makes a dryer steam.
Contact me if you have any questions about steam generators or need help choosing the right size. If you are using a fan and have a high ceiling this is very important to take into consideration.
This is the most popular fan that people use that is IP55 rated. Once people get this fan in their steam room, it's a game changer. No one I have talked to wants to go in the steam room where it is cold by their feet and most of the heat is over their head. It doesn't make any sense to not have one of these fans if your ceilings are over 7 feet.
All the sizing charts are based on having 7 foot ceilings.
Having a fan can make a steam room with a 9 foot ceiling feel better than a 7 foot ceiling.
Note: this fan has a CFM of 80 so it is just the right size for most residential steam rooms. It draws only .21 amps at 12vdc. A small 12vdc powersupply of 1-3 amps is fine as a power source. With the fan mounted inside the room the powercord plugs into the 12vdc power supply. The power supply then plugs into the air switch which is plugged into a standard 120vdc receptacle. There is a 1/4" plastic tube that goes from the switch button in the steam room to the air switch which turns the power on and off to the 12vdc supply.
The marine grade fan is sealed against any water or vapor penetration. It is a 12 volt unit therefore not an electrical hazard. The air switch provides a non conductive method of turning it on and off.
If you set up the fan you should no longer have cold spots and hot spots in your steam room. The big problem is when all the heat rises over the person's head. This is the best solution I have found. This should solve any problem with a wet steam type generator that has too high of a latent heat index that sends all the heat and steam above the head.
I am working on a video right now showing how this is done so you know how to set it up at home.
This is the portable lithium battery powered fan that I would say anyone that has learned about heat co-efficients may want to get. Some people don't want to hardwire a fan into their steam room and want something more portable or rechargeable. This fan has 3 settings and this raises the heat co-efficient dramatically. I put this fan right behind my back and sometimes I have two of these on the sides of me. This is a different use than the type that lowers the latent heat index. This blows directly own me while the other mounted fan circulates the air into equilibrium. Many people hang this one but it will have to be recharged. I go into steam rooms everywhere with this and people always ask me why I have it. I hand it to them and next thing they are asking where they can get one.
But, if the steam is too wet and humid it will sting. I only recommend using this fan only when the latent heat index is low and the steam is a dry type. Otherwise, it won't feel good.
The more clear the salt is the less iron oxide. I prefer the purist salt I can get.
Update: I now have a supply of the salt for those that are using it with their steam room. Contact me if you need some.
This is what it looks like when the fan is suction cupped on the wall next to the ceiling. This is best way I have found to even out the steam and help make the steam room into equilibrium where I feel the steam on my lower body also and not mostly my head and upper body. This is what I call full body steam therapy.
