Home Steam Shower Maintenance

Steam showers are no different than other appliances, in that everything requires regular maintenance and tune ups.  Some steam showers are better than others and may require less work and have fewer breakdowns but if you want to keep your steam shower in top shape, read on.

How a Steam Shower Functions

The first thing you need to understand is how a steam shower works and what some of the main parts are, and what they do.

• A digital set of controls are mounted in the shower so you can control the steam.
• The water flows into a small steam generator where a heating element, similar to the one in your hot water heater, brings the water to a boil.
• The steam is then released through the steam outlet mounted low on your shower wall.

It's important to note that your typical shower should not be converted into a steam shower unless a steam barrier is used to contain the excess moisture. This is to prevent moisture damage and mold from developing in bathroom walls. Also, steam showers should run on a dedicated circuit.

Common Problems

Weak Steam Output

After about 20 showers its good practice to clean the steam generator

• Fill the tank with between 5 to 10 grams of citric acid diluted with about 1.5 liters of warm water.
• Let it set for 12 hours before turning it on to heat the water. This will vaporize the citric acid.
• The steam generator will have a manual drain valve. This valve should be drained approximately every 2 months. You may have to remove any large clumps by hand.

Too Hot!

All steam showers are designed with safety features to keep the temperature from reaching dangerous levels.

• Make sure the steam is ventilated before accessing the control panel.
• On the control panel, reset the power. As with any electronics, the control panel may act up. A good restart usually solves the problem.

Moisture Barrier

If your having problems keeping the steam contained in the shower stall, you may have a design problem. If left unchecked, you will start to have rot and mildew problems. By this point the solution just became costly. Fix it early, and the repairs are simple.

• Seal all gaps with a waterproof membrane or a silicone sealant to keep the moisture away from the underlying walls studs.
• In the building stage, it is good practice to use a plastic barrier to keep the wood protected.

No Power, Means No Steam

This is one of those fixes that should go without saying.

• If you're not seeing results, make sure the unit is plugged in. This happens more than you think :).
• Check the circuit breaker. If you're not using a dedicated circuit, than it may have blown.
• Make sure the water valve supplying the unit is turned on. Most homes have several shot-off valves other than the main. Make sure the right one is turned on.

Conclusion

These are just some of the basic issues that may come up by using your steam shower. There are two things that you should keep in mind when considering repairs.

• It's always easier to tackle a problem as soon as it is discovered. The longer it festers, the harder it may be to fix.
• Not all problems can be fixed by you. If it looks too complicated (i.e. error codes on your control panel), than call a professional. They have the training and the tools to do the job right.

Home Steam Shower Maintenance was first seen on http://bathroomzz.net