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For auction is a new 10.5KW Steamcore Spa 2 steam generator with round or square steam head and controller -

Promotion - get a free SS3 touchscreen controller upgrade.

(We sell Thermasol and Mr. Steam also - all 3 are our top generators in each steam category (Category 1 - Single Tank, Category 2 -Dual Tank, Pressurized, Category 3 - Dual Tank Atmospheric

PLEASE READ WHAT I WROTE BELOW - This is my review of the Steamcore based on going into many homes that have Steamcore in their steam rooms.

Objective for choosing a steam generator: 1. Stay in the 110 -114 degree zone without too much fluctuation. 2. Stay at 100% humidity with the least condensate (very hard to do if you size wrong or get the wrong generator). 3. Stay in whole body vasodilation and avoid half body steam therapy (most people experience steam rooms with their feet on the floor and only heating up mostly the upper body - read about how I destratisfy the air to avoid steam traps and so you get steam in your legs and feet and lower body too).

THE WORST FEELING STEAM ROOMS HAVE HIGH ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY. THE BEST STEAM ROOMS HAVE HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY -

I will give my review of the Steamcore below - Steamcore has a much different type of steam than any other generator (slow burn not fast burn)

Steamcore is an atmospheric steam generator that makes steam at the same pressure as the air. It comes out the most balanced and controlled and is able to keep the room temperature never go over 1 degree or under 2 degrees of what you set it at. No other generator can do this. (based on a 7 foot ceiling)

Steamcore a slow burn steam. It takes about 3 times as long to put out the same amount of water. It's steam will keep running for 90 seconds while another brand will only take 30 seconds to deliver the same amount of steam. This is a huge selling point for people that need their steam room whisper quiet. It doesn't come out with high force creating high decibel level noise.

Steamcore has a 3 level sensing water system so you get the exact steam you crave each time. Steamcore make steam with the highest dryness fraction of all steam generators I have tested.

Steamcore boils water at near normal atmospheric pressure, it does not shoot out any condensate that has not been vaporized. Think of it like taking a hot skillet on the stove on a burner on high. When you pour a teaspoon of water on it, the vapor cloud is 100% dry, zero condensate. When the steam first comes out of the the steamhead, the steam is invisible. With most brands, you can see the steam coming out of the steamhead.

Steamcore steam has the thickest clouds due to its slow burn release. Brownian motion doesn't take over as much since the steam doesn't come out as densely. Think of it like filing up your gas tank and letting it come out at full speed versus barely squeezing it and having it come out at 1/3 the speed. The first has 3 times the fluence.

The boiling tanks in the Steamcore generators are non galvanized or zinc coded. They are stainless steel. It not only has an autoflush but has an auto rinse so it never has any mineral deposits on the elements. They are the only company that uses incoloy heaters. These are not used in pressurized tanks. Incoloy heating elements are good only if they are low watt density. Their pro model takes it to another level with 11 foot incoloy haters. Their 9 kw pro model with three 11 foot elements costs about 2500 dollars more than their Spa 2 model with two 2.5 foot heaters.

Steamcore gives full body steam - not just steam that heats just your upper body filling up the top half of the room. The dryer the steam the longer and lower the steam cloud fill up the room. If it has more condensate, the latent heat will make it rise and create a steam trap at the ceiling. Steamcore does not have this problem.

Note: With constant steam and constant temperature (within 1 to 2 degrees that the temperature will change while in the steam room with a 7 foot ceiling), the dew point at the higher thermoclines near the ceiling do not condense into water as quickly as the fast burn steam generators. This means that the steam in the room is doesn't get close to its saturation point as quick. The dew point is the temperature where the ambient steam room temperature must be cooled down so that the steam starts condensing.

The feeling of the steam from a Steamcore is different than pressurized types. When the steam hits your skin, since it has a lower dew point it doesn't feel as sticky on the skin and I like how it is easier to breath due to low condensate and maintaining a temperature that doesn't change over 1 to 2 degrees. When the dew point is too high, the latent heat can feel to intense for many people and can make it hard to breath for many people.

When the steam hits the skin if it has too much condensate it will transfer more latent heat to the body resulting in getting hot too quick and this can get your heart rate up too quick and you may feel the need to lower the temperature in the room or get out. Know that you can have two brands of steam generators both at the same temperature. With different dryness fractions and thermoclines you will have totally different experiences,

IF YOU WANT A HEAVY DEW POINT AND HIGH CONDENSATE IN YOUR STEAM - GO WITH A CHEAP CHINESE IMPORT.

With Steamcore, just say you have it at 114 degrees, you are actually gettting steam at that temperature. With some brands, when the steam hits your skin and condenses due to a wetter steam it gives the perception of feeling the steam. Meanwhile, the room is just hot and you are feeling mostly condensation, NOT STEAM.

Since the temperature in the steam room doesn't fluctuate like the pressure type generators having a low dew point than just a high relative humidity at different temperature fluctuations is the best way to describe there steam.

Note: if the steam room gets too hot the dew point will be higher but the thermostat will cut the steam off. The Steamcore excels at balancing the dew point and relative steam.

I don't know how to do the mathematical equation but I have been told by steam engineers that the best possible steam room is when the dew point is under 60 and the relative humidity at 100%.

Steamcore uses about 2/3 of the water that most steam generators use. Another reason the steam is dryer. With their low watt density elements, the water stays in contact with the element longer.

What does Steamcore steam feel like? If you have ever been in a sweat lodge...Steamcore steam feels the closest to this. It is something you have to experience to understand. With their steamers with 11 foot heaters, this is when it is the closest to a sweat lodge experience. You will never need to splash water on the thermostat since it doesn't go under 2 degrees from what you set it at.

The Steamcore has the least bells and whistles. If you need oil rubbed bronze and want it compatible with Alexa and want to turis the one that it in the steam on while driving home from work on your phone this brand doesn't offer this. It also takes as long to boil a kettle of water for the steam to start (up to 7 minutes). If you want instant steam, go with Thermasol.

Steamcore generators have a dual tank system (not dual pressurized tanks like Thermasol). It is an open tank, not a closed sealed tank. The holding tank shoots water into the boiling tank (just enough so the steam stays dry) and utilizes 3 water sensors in the tank (the only company that does this). The main boiling tanks receives hot water (not cold water like most generators dump into the tank).

Note: you never need to add mineral solution to a Steamcore tank or elements to clean them since they don't produce mineral scaling like elements that undergo high pressure. This is why the cleaning system is important on pressurized steamers.

For those that have sore muscles or are using the steam room for pain, a drier steam should let most people stay in longer so they feel the heat but doesn't heat your core too quickly and your pulse rate goes up and you can't make it for a long session. There are a few hacks to staying in longer. I do EWOT during my steam. I always have a bottle of Boost oxygen on my bench.

Steamcore surgical steel tanks are hand made (TIG Weld) and toxin-free. These are the hardest steel elements you can get. Exceptional heat conduction. Made with no solvents and in a chemical free weld shop. Steamcore only uses this type.

Things I DON'T LIKE ABOUT Steamcore

1. It takes longer for steam to start since it's not pressurized but advantages outweigh them to me, such as it being super quiet and low condensate

2. No fancy digital controller

3. Sound system is ok

4. Their light is not fancy

5. They take about 2 weeks go build out

6. Very expensive compared to most brands

7. Steamcore cannot play videos on its touch screen - I don't understand it but some people like to watch videos on their steam controller while in the steam room

Steamcore heat co-efficient is very low. This means it is can get VERY hot as it has less water condensation in the steam and the steam cloud is insulated so it doesn't stick to the body and walls as much. You feel it but not just the sensation of hot condensate on your body. The steam stays in the air longer instead of sticking to the walls and ceiling as much. If you understand heat co-efficients in steam you will appreciate this. For those who want to stay in longer and keep their core temp high and build heat shock proteins will want a dryer steam.\\

Steamcore is often cheaper to run as its steam is not as trapped at the ceiling due to it's slow burn steam and atmospheric dry steam. Also, having a floor fan and a dry steam to start with is guaranteed to give you a steam room rating of 99+ (only a sweat lodge gets my 100 out of a 100 rating). By having both of these in your favor, the ceiling temperature and floor temperature should be closer than any other set up.

New for Steamcore

The older model was continuous within 6 degrees. The newest Steamcore Spa 2 controller can keep the steam constant within 1 degree if it goes over the set temperature and if it goes below 2 degrees it will turn back on again. If the TEMP is to 100°F, it will stop heating if the ambient TEMP is more than 101°F. (quote from Steamcore Spa 2 manual). This is the most advanced steam controller I have tested so far (but the least advanced if basing it on smart home features)

Steam quality Comparison

1. Steamcore cloud lingered almost twice as long as the lowest of the 4 brands I tested

2. Noise: Steamcore had the lowest decibel level compared to all pressurized steam generators

3. Steamcore had the highest heat co-effecient and lowest latent heat compared to all the wetter steams at the same temperature

4. It's steam had the least "stingy feeling" when I had a fan blowing off the thermal barrier on my skin

Green laser test

We took green laser pens and shined them at the same thermoclines. The Steamcore steam allowed the laser to have the brightest dot on the wall as there is less condensate to block the light. With wet steam, you are unlikely to have the laser reach the opposite wall at the same tested height.

8 foot ceilings - If a ceiling is 8 foot tall, nearly 20% of the steam will be lost above the head. A a floor or Kona fan and a dryer fraction steam eliminates the problem.

9 foot ceiling - If a 9 foot ceiling, nearly 40% of the steam cloud is over the head, I recommend 2 Kona fans or a 16 inch floor fan to fix this problem.

READ MORE IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A VERY DEEP DIVE and have a full comprehensive exploration of STEAM ROOMS -

WARNING - THIS IS A VERY LONG DIVE SO IF YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO READ IT PLEASE BOOKMARK AND COME BACK LATER - YOU WILL BE HAPPY YOU DID.

Heat Co-efficients - How to raise or lower

My goal is to have an even heat co-efficient of steam on my entire body in my steam session. If it has too much condensate the steam when blowing on me feels stingy and uncomfortable. If I am only concerned with only heating my upper body then I don't pay attention to heat co-efficients.

If you are going to use a fan to raise the heat co-efficient, make sure the steam is a low condensate steam and is a slow burn or at least a high psi model. Low psi models do not make steam that feels good when blown on me.

A heat co-efficient fan is different than a latent heat fan. The latent heat fan blows steam to a different thermocline without blowing directly on you. The heat co-efficient fan blows directly on you.

Avoiding Condensate

Condensate makes steam wet and muggy. It is heavy and either falls to floor fast or rises if too hot and sticks to the ceiling and walls. Condensate in steam holds a lot of heat and heats up the walls and is what causes steam traps at the top of the ceiling, especially with ceilings 8 foot and higher. Wet steam will make the steam room feel more like a sauna.

Some steam generators have a much lower psi than 20 psi and have smaller piping (less than 3/4 inch). Single tank steam generators produce the most condensate. They are a fast burn type that put out lots of hot steam and then there is a duty cycle where you have to wait till the next steam session kicks on. Single tank models are most known for steam traps at the ceiling due to high condensate. The steam generators that give off the least condensate have very low sensible heat in the steam. If using pressurized steam, the best steam works at 20psi and uses 3/4 to 1 inch piping. The larger the killowatt size, the more you will need a 1 inch pipe.

The reason single tank steam generators produce so much condensate that creates a steam trap at the top of the ceiling is because water holds the latent heat. If too much steam is dumped out at once (faster than it falls to the floor) it will rise (Brownian motion is the reason). When the ceiling gets too hot it creates a steam trap and the heat and steam has a hard time falling to the floor unless the ceiling cools down. This is why keeping a bucket of cold water and if you have a steam generator that makes a very wet steam, I splash all the upper walls and ceiling with the cold water and the room is now cloudy and steamy again. All steam rooms are steamy when they first get started. The first 1/3 of the session is nice but the last 2 thirds are drippy and muggy.

Note: dry steam does not mean less steam. It means there is less condensate in the steam. There is less un-evaporated water. Many people call me up saying they want their steam wet. They want the steam so thick that they can't even see someone a few foot away from them. These people are so ignorant. A room where you can't see someone due to heavy steam is a factor of the room (the temperature of the walls, the height of the ceiling, and how porous the material is. Next time you go to a spa, if you splash cold water on the upper walls and ceiling you will have a steam room where you can't see a person on the other side of the room. But, if the steam starting out has a high dryness fraction and has low water hammer from the start, that will keep it has steamy as possible without the wall stick and steam trap.

Mild vs intense

Steam under pressure heats up way faster but people sacrifice poorer quality steam for this impatience, mainly the low psi models with 1/2 inch pipes. 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 beyond 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.

Notice: it is hard for most people to stay in the steam room for a long session when there is high condensate. If more steam is generated after the room is already at 100% humidity, it makes it hard to breath and most people start coughing. If the steam generator is still making steam when your hygrometer says you are in the 110 114 degree range and its at 100% humidity, it makes it easy to tell if your steam is too wet and has too much condensate. Some generators put out way too many grams of steam per minute, faster than it can fall to the floor and this creates the uncomfortable mugginess that I never want to experience.

Wet vs Dry steam

It is so hard for people to understand the concept of wet vs dry steam unless they see it. I am sick of other dealers trying to tell the customer I just talked to that all steam is the same.

Steam from low psi generators with 1/2 inch pipes is totally different than 20 psi steam with 3/4 inch or larger pipes. The dryness fraction is easily felt the minute you enter a steam room. Wet steam has a high latent heat but a low heat co-efficient in the steam room.

Wet steam is more prone to steam traps. If too much steam comes out at once the steam rises too quickly (fast burn, not the slow burn type) and the steam gets trapped at the ceiling. Also, using a fan to blow down wet steam that has lots of condensate does not feel good when it hits you.

Dry steam does not heat up the walls as the walls absorb the water and condensate in the steam. A small 6 kw residential generators that produce wet steam use about 2 gallons of water in a 30 minute while a slow burn or a dual tank generator uses only about 1.5 gallons in that same 30 minute session. For those that think they want a heavy steam where you can't see a person sitting across from you, think again. A room that is at 100% concentration is not a factor of the steam generator. That has nearly everything to do with the walls. To prove this, if you splash cold water on the ceiling and upper walls, a steam room where its not dense will instantly become so steamy you can't see anyone in there that you could see before across the steam room from you.

Wet steam vs dry steam feel:

Wet steam is much harder to breathe in the steam room for many people. Some people have allergies and think they are going to have a therapeutic steam session with wetter steam. It is very hard for most people that have allergies to bring steam with lots of condensate. Dry steam doesn't create as much of a steam trap like the wet steam does (Brownian motion is the reason for this). A Dry steam cloud doesn't linger mostly at the top of the room. Since it has less condensate the cloud lingers more around the body instead of above it. Also, it is much easier to bring a steam cloud down with a marine grade fan that has less condensate that using Brownian motion to fight the fan you installed.

Steam Types:

When people call in for a steam room and they don't know the type of steam they want almost always people are disappointed. Take a freaking humidity/temperature meter. I strongly urge people to borrow one of my meters and go to a local gym or spa and send me the reading on the steam room you liked the best.

Some steam types are comparable to a sweat lodge. Nothing beats pouring water on red hot rocks. If someone wants this type of quality it is very expensive. The standard steam generator for a few thousand dollars won't give this. There are some that give the quality of that steam but the fluence is lacking. The steam is so dry that I have to put a towel over my mouth so I won't start choking. When the steam is so fluent that you literally have to duck down and crawl out of the steam room is the type I am talking about.

Steam generators, depending on the brand, can have a high pressure or a low pressure. The wetter the steam the lower the pressure is and it can put out the same amount of steam as the high pressure ones. You can tell by how far the steam blows out when the steam head is not screwed in. A high pressure generator that blows out less steam is going to be dryer and have more fluence but it will take a lot longer for the steam to fill up the room but the quality will be higher.

Steam rooms with radiant heat loss will cause more wet steam to condense. When going to to local steam rooms make sure you let me know the types of walls they have. If you don't know, take a picture of it because if I pick out a steam generator that match that steam type, if you have a room that will just condense a dry steam, it can make the whole steam room bunk.

Low quality steam generators that I do not approve of that have high pressure output can create friction in the piping and over time can produce a lower fluence steam. This can add up to about 5% wetness that wasn't there when the steam generator was first bought. If the steam generator you are looking at produces a higher temperature steam, and the construction is subpar, a higher grade steam generator may be required if high performance is desired.

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.

Steam Clouds

I urge everyone who doesn’t know the difference between a wet steam cloud and a dry steam cloud to know the difference before choosing a steam generator. The dry steam cloud with very little moisture will linger in the air. When you open the door the dry cloud will linger and not just disappear once the door is closed. A steam cloud from a steam generator that makes wet steam will usually fall immediately to the floor when the door is opened. A dry steam should linger much longer as it is lighter from less non-evaporated water in the steam. Dry steam has little weight to it since it is not a muggy condensed steam. This is the easiest to bring down from the steam trap at the top of the ceiling.

Many people that have either the wrong size or get an inferior steam generator built for their steam room will never experience a dense steam cloud. If the steam is too wet, it will condense quicker than the steam is formed and drop to the floor. The best steam rooms are when there is an equilibrium between steam production and steam condensation. It is very frustrating for many people to wait for the next steam session while nearly all the steam has dropped to the floor.

More on Wet steam

Wet steam is the biggest topic and no one wants wet steam. It kinda hits you in the face when you walk in and is not as pleasant. Steam with too much water moisture clumps together and creates a drippy, muggy steam experience. I have videos that I show the differences between wet and dry steam and most people that haven’t done a lot of research don’t know the difference and buy a generator usually that is the wet type.

The low pressure brands have the wettest steam (mostly the Chinese import brands) and the high pressure USA made brands that have a loud sound from the pressurized steam coming out have the 2nd wettest steam. The high pitch whistle sound quickly tells me there is too much water coming out and not vaporized steam. I had enough problems when I sold the Chinese brands that I avoid selling them altogether. (These are quieter because they don’t work at as high of pressure).

I urge people to really understand the types of steam each brand of generator gives and knowing why a dryer steam with a lower latent heat index with lower moisture in the steam makes a huge difference in the experience of steaming.

Most people at gyms experience the wet steam type that has been around since the beginning of steam room generators. When the steam is wet you won’t notice a lingering cloud when you open the steam room door. It will not linger like the steam that is dry with low moisture. I am so picky that I’ll go to a spa and open the door and if the steam doesn’t hit me just right I won’t even use their steam room. I’ll use the sauna instead.

Some brands have under 5% wetness while others can have over 20% humidity in their steam that has not been vaporized yet. Those who live in Florida know what I mean when the humidity levels are too high and its muggy out and you just want to stay inside in the air conditioning. Most people who live in California and less humid places usually prefer the brands that make a dryer steam. But, for people who don’t mind living in a muggy climate, then maybe the wetter steam is better for them.

Wet steam has a higher temperature from moisture but a lower steam density. Wetter steam also has a higher heat transfer so the super hot steam coming from pressurized steam is only hot for a brief time and then condenses and sticks to the walls quickly. This is why the room stays hot and the steam goes away and many people always feel the need to pour water on the temperature sensor in the steam room.

Dry steam has a lower heat transfer coefficient. If the steam is very dense, dry steam can hold more heat than wet steam. That is why the steam cloud lingers while the wet steam that has a higher moisture density cools down quicker and drips to the floor quicker.

Dry steam is always hotter than wet steam but doesn’t stay hot for a long time and is not preferred by those who have tried he differences. Both a wetter and dryer steam room can be set at the same temperature but the dry steam if the steam density is high (this is why a 9kw wet steam type might call for 10.5 kw if getting an open tank type that has a dryer steam), will feel hotter since more water vapor is touching the body instead of hot air after the steam from a wet type generator has condensed to the floor. This is usually during the duty cycle of no steam that takes longer to heat back up.

Wet steam feel hotter at the same temperature as dry steam when it first comes out due to the higher latent heat index. During each steam cycle, the room temperature stays high but it feels cooler. This is why those who want continuous steam will have a steady steam without high fluctuations in heat. Those who have poured water on the hot rocks in a sauna know when 100% of that steam evaporates in the sauna will know what a dry steam is. This is the best example of steam that is very dry. It is much easier to breath in dryer steam and it doesn’t get my pulse rate up too quick.

Wet steam and dry steam is a personal preference. I urge people to go to different places around their area and go to a place that has a Mr. Steam to experience the best of the single pressure type tank generators. Those who want to experience the dual tank constant steam may want to see if there is a Thermasol in their area. Those that want to experience what a dry steam feels like should look to see where a Steamcore is in their area. Saunacore.com is the manufacturer’s site and they have a listing of all the places where you can try their brand.

Or, you can call me and I can find a place where you can get an invitation to try a session for free. Many holistic day spas will let me if they know I am working with the manufacturer.

I hope people will understand that just getting the right size generator that fits their cubic size feet is not enough. Getting just the right steam that makes you happy is just as important.

Do you prefer a wetter or dry steam?

I have used so many different brands of steam generators so I have a very strong opinion on what steam quality should be like. Most people buying a steam room just go by room dimensions and type of materials used and usually have an average quality steam. Most people don't know what the differences between wet and dry steam is. All the research on my site should help people learn the differences and use my information to get just the right steam generator to give the steam that is desired. The majority of steam rooms people have been in have been steam rooms from pressurized steam generator. The latest in steam generators are steering away from high pressure to making steam at atmospheric pressure giving a higher dryness fraction. Steam generators that use pressure to start steam almost instantly rose in popularity and now things are different. After all my research, I do not say one type is better than the other but as far as build quality and high end components, Mr. Steam, Steamcore, and Thermasol are the top 3 that I promote based on my research.

Avoiding humidity

A steam room with 100% dry water vapor would have 0% water in the steam. If one brand had 20% humidity then that steam would have a 80% dryness fraction.

The latest generator steam generators have open tanks that do not work under pressure. The ones with pressure have been out since the beginning. There have been a lot of improvements since then. Now they work at very high pressure and create a much quicker steam. The latest models work at 1 ATA and have a lower latent heat index and have much less humidity and muggy moisture in the steam compared to the early days. A wet muggy steam does not feel good to most people.

Steamrooms with high humidity that have a very high latent index are not the type I recommend for people who cannot handle long sessions over 15 minutes. When there is too much hot humidity in the steam in can raise a person’s starting heartbeat (75 beats per minute) to 150 beats per minute much quicker than a dryer steam. It is hard to enjoy the steam when the steam room has a lower dryness fraction. When I go in a steamroom I do everything I can to keep the steam as dry as possible. I bring in a bottle of boost oxygen instead of going out and getting a little air.

Generators that have high humidity to start with cause the most drippiness and it might feel hotter at first but if it doesn’t feel pleasant this is when people get their steam room and use it for a few months and then rarely use it. When the steam is nice and dry most people want to use it every day. When the steam feels like a gym steam room where the door is constantly being opened and closed it becomes more of a chore to sit in there for a steam session.

Low pressure steam generators have the most humidity, enough that I won’t even give the steamroom any of my time. I want steam vapor, not a humid room. The next best is the high pressure generators that work at a much higher ata than the typical Chinese import generator. (Thermasol and Mr. Steam are both high end pressurized steam generators). Then, for those that can afford an open tank non pressurized steam generator, this has the highest dryness fraction. Unfortunately, these are very expensive and the company that makes the most expensive ones have surgical steel nearly everything, from the heating elements to the boiling tank to the frame of the generator. These can cost nearly twice as much as the next priciest model. I have access to those that return their generator and get a smaller or bigger size. This happens every day. People always are buying the wrong size. It’s getting worse and worse as untrained sales people simply go by the cubic size and material used.

Heat Types

Each steam generator brand can have a different heat type than you might expect if comparing to the one you have been using in the gym or spa. Most people have only experienced commercial steam rooms and when they but a residential one the steam is nothing like those other ones. Depending on the dryness or wetness of the steam generator, the room will be heated up differently. The steam generators that put out more steam at the same temperature will have a wetter steam and wont transfer the heat to the room like the high fluence lower output models.

When the steam droplets from on the walls and ceiling, its is just heating up the walls and the heat is drawn out of the steam room. My goal is to lower the latent heat index and raise the heat coefficient.

Higher wattage and higher output steamers might put out more steam but if the vapor size is too big it will effect how hot the steam rooms gets. The dryer the heat for some can feel more like a sauna. Many people like to breath in steam to help with colds while other people want to sweat out toxins or burn calories.

If trying to detox, the longer I am in the steam room getting a slower sweat where I am not just sweating like a pig and getting my heartbeat up. This depends if trying to burn calories or sweating toxins from the oil glands. (Sebaceous sweat). Remember, fat soluble toxins are not the same as water soluble toxins that many people think they are sweating out when in the steam room (or a sauna).

High vs Low Density Heaters - separates the cheap from the good

This is another thing that companies don’t take the time to explain to people buying a steam generator. High density heaters are the heaters everyone wants to avoid in their generator.

High-density and low-density heaters refers to the amount of wattage the heater uses compared to the total surface area of the element. The really cheap generators with high density use a super high temperature to operate.

Some steam generators have 11 foot heaters while the standard is 2.5 feet. The more surface area the less limestone buildup on the heating elements. Also, bigger heaters will last longer. The larger heaters don’t heat the water faster but touch more water at the same time as with nearly 3 times the surface area touching the water makes for a dryer steam. I only recommend the 11 foot heaters for those that are not using a water softener who have hard water.

If getting a steam generator with 11 foot surgical steel heaters, the only way to damage them is if it wasn’t installed correctly and the water pressure reducer was not there.

When to get better heating elements

For those that have hard water or not using a water filter I urge people to only use 304 grade surgical steel heating elements. I get so many pictures of heating elements that are ruined from limescale. Surgical steel heaters are the most resistant to limescale. I have never heard of a surgical steel heating element break from limescale. The really cheap heating elements usually found on on the budget steam generators can use cast aluminum heating elements or standard metal (standard stove element). The middle quality brands usually use stainless steel elements. For those who never want to worry about replacing heating elements in their steam generator should make sure the generator has 304 grade surgical steel heating elements. 304 grade is the hardest steel and least prone to limescale corrosion. Having a high corrosion resistant 304 surgical steel heating element as well as a 304 surgical steel boiling tank is the best for maintenance free use.

Floor Fans - I NEVER DO A STEAM SESSION WITHOUT A FAN

I use a floor fan to blow down the hot steam from the ceiling so the entire room is around the same temperature - full body steam therapy. They are ip67 rated and can handle steam. It give the room a high relative humidity and keeps the room at the same temperature the entire session. If you have a ceiling in your steam room over 8 foot high or taller I recommend a fan.

Why have a fan?

Don't use a fan if you have a steam generator that has less than 95% steam vapor. Condensate does not feel good when blown on me.

If using a fan, know the CFM of the fan (cubic feet per minute). If you have a 250 cubic foot room and a fan that has a CFM of 80, then it won't be strong enough to bring the ceiling thermocline done to give full body vasodilation (full body steam therapy).

With the proper marine grade floor fan, you should no longer have problems with cold spots and hot spots in your steam room.

Having a fan blowing on you is not the same as a a destratification fan that mixes the thermoclines of steam. When the fan blows directly towards the body, this creates a heat co-efficient (opposite of a windchill factor). It makes the steam feel way hotter. When people have a bad back it can help by putting the fan right behind your back or on the side of you blowing on your back. If the steam is too wet it will feel stingy. If the steam is dryer, it will feel amazing.

The most important reason to have a fan in your steam room is to get rid of the thermal barrier (I don't remember the last time I went into a steam room without my fan).

Most people sit in a steam room that is stagnant. It's just still, steam vapor where most of the intense heat is near the ceiling. It's expensive too. Wasted steam. When people sit in a steam room there is a "thermal barrier" of humid air that was warmed by your body heat (not the steam). This heat is from the body's cooling process to transfer heat out of the body. The reason people get so hot and have to get out of the steam room before their session is over is because this thermal layer makes it hard for the body to sweat. This stops the sweating process that the body is trying to cool itself down.

Using a fan creates forced convection. Before fans, we used to do towel waving to bring the heat from the ceiling trap down. The fan will totally blow away the thermal barrier of your skin where it is insulating you. It's an experience most people with steam rooms never experience and it's sad.

When using a fan it increases the sweating since the thermal barrier is removed and heat can transfer from the body to the air. The body can now evaporate and the body's normal cooling process can happen

This allows fresh, slightly cooler air to replace it. This process, called forced convection, significantly increases the rate of heat transfer from your skin, making you feel cooler.

IF THE 200 RULE IS BROKEN AND THE ROOM IS WAY OVER 100% HUMIDITY AND THE TEMPERATURE IS OVER 100 DEGREES (This is when the steam is wet and sticky and full of condensate). I wouldn't bother with a fan if the steam quality is this poor. Many people who don't size their generator right and have a cheap low psi generator to start with can have this problem.

When most people are relaxed in a steam room they are not getting the real benefit of heat shock proteins, lipolysis, skin cleansing, full body vasodilation (3 degree artificial fever). If there is not enough HSPs produced from the response to the steam (stress), the benefit of hormesis is not going to happen. When my body is in a 3 degree artificial fever, my body creates enough HSPs to repair and recover from any injuries or sore muscles I have. My body has to be in a vasodilation state for enough time to repair.

Having a fan in the steam room can make even a "sweet spot" temperature of 110 to 114 degrees feel brutal depending on the fan speed. The temperature stays the same but the stronger the fan is blowing away the insulation layer (thermal barrier) around the skin the hotter it will feel. A 16 inch fan on high will feel way hotter than a 12 inch fan or having the 16 inch fan on medium speed. The faster the speed the faster the steam's latent heat is transferred to the body leading to quicker artificial fever.

Most people just sit on their steam room bench getting little or results they think they are getting. It is borderline uncomfortable to increase the heat transfer from the steam to your skin quicker than it would by just sitting in a stagnant steam room. It takes getting used to for most people. 99% of my customers who decide to get a steam room in their home who have been going to gyms and spas never even heard of disrupting the insulation layer the entire session in their steam room. Once most people use a floor fan to mix thermoclines and a separate fan to get rid of the thermal barrier they don't want to waste time in a steam without it. Kinda cold plunging for the first time, it's not going to be relaxing and comfortable but the benefits outweigh it. Almost anyone will tell you this.

YES, YOU NEED 2 FANS TO GET THE BEST EXPERIENCE. JUST HAVING ONE FAN IS GOOD BUT 2 FANS MAKES IT AN EXCELLENT EXPERIENCE.

Anyone who cares about heat shock proteins and anti-aging should want to get into the habit of whole body steaming with 2 fans. Every time I go to a gym people complain that I bring my fan on the bench. Once I explain how getting rid of their insulating thermal layer over their skin will help them they thank me instead of what used to happen when I kept to myself and all the sudden the gym manager came in the steam room and told me to remove my fan from the room. It is a waste of time to sit in a steam room with stagnant steam. Forced convection the entire session will change your entire steam room experience.

When the body can't sweat due to the thermal barrier (without using a fan) water soluble toxins can have a hard time being released from the skin. The pores are being blocked by the insulation layer if the fan is not blowing this layer away.

If I can stay in the steam room more than 15 at a time then the relative humidity is too low. Anyone using a steam room in their home unlike a gym where you can't control the temperature and humidity as much I believe should have an understanding between humidity and temperature. (At least understand the '200 Rule".

If the steam room is at 115 degrees, I want to make sure the humidity is no more than 85% (115 +85 = 200).

Many people like what is referred to as a "Bio Steamroom". This is when the temperature is much lower and the humidity is high.

Know your attitude towards your steam room. There are 2 types of attitudes you can have when going in the steam room: Are you the type that wants to relax and enjoy the steam and just chill out? You aren’t concerned about health benefits even though you know you are getting them. The other way to view your steam room is as a workout or detox tool. You are trying to biohack and maximize the benefits of the steam the best you can. Many people don’t like being borderline uncomfortable during their steamroom session. Most people don’t have the discipline.

UPSIZING

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 and a hygrometer.

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.

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.

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. Getting a steam generator that makes low condensate will avoid this problem to start with.

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.

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 you are going 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.

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.

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. The 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.

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.

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.

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. 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

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.

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 to 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.

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.

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.

Some steam generators put out double the grams of steam of 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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 ceiling steam traps.

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.

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.

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).

The best steam generators are hand made (TIG Weld) and toxin-free. Tig welded steel joints are the hardest steel elements you can get. Made with no solvents, just pure surgical steel in a weld shop, not machine punched out thin gauge steel imported from China. TIG welding is the slowest method and is hard to master it to get it perfect. Tig welded steam generators have the strongest and highest quality welds and should never rust or leak. The companies that tig weld their steam generators usually take about 2 to 3 weeks to build and are built to order. All TIG welded steam generators are made in North America, never imported from China.

Wrong phase - Wrong amperage - (reason for returns)

This is even a problem I have when customers get the right size steam generator, the right brand. They have just the right size room for the perfect steam and then they have to return it because they can’t use a 50 amp when they have a 30 amp. There are homes where they can’t use anything larger than 30 or 40 amps, sometimes 30 amps is the highest they have which only will cover a 6kw steam generator.

I urge people looking to install a steam generator to make sure if they have to use a 240/1 phase or a 208/3 phase. Please let me know on my steam generator quiz if you have any special electrical requirements. We often have customers that bought a generator that won’t work with their electrical supply. We heavily discount these for those that are looking for a scratch and dent or customer returned steam generator.These are the ones that are never used since they didn't work with their power supply. These are the best used ones to get since they usually can't be returned to the manufacturer or a distributor since this is a customer's fault for not telling what their power supply was.

Avoiding Long Duty Cycles

Back in the days, people used to put their cold towel on the thermostat or splash ice water on it to kick start the steam to turn back on again. The single tank steam generators only have one tank so when it is heating up, there is no steam. Duty cycles can range from 30 seconds on commercial models up to 3 to 7 minutes on residential models. No one really likes to spend 45 minutes in their steam room while using 18 minutes of that time just waiting for steam to kick back on.

I urge people who don't have a condition where they need to let their heart rate go back down to have these long duty cycles. Continuous does not mean the steam is going to stay on the entire time till you cut if off. Continuous means it will stay around the temperature you set it at. The most continuous is a 6 degree variance. If the ceiling height is over 7 foot tall, the bigger the variance the room will fluctuate in temperature. The wetter the steam the bigger the differences. For those that want continuous steam, you will not get that on single tank steam generators.

The dual tank systems are one of the ways to avoid long wait times for steam in between cycles. With single tank generators, more grams of steam come out at once creating a steam trap at the ceiling (8 foot and over ceilings). Because so much steam comes out at once (fast burn steam), the ceiling gets so hot and traps the steam. With single tank models, there is a lot of work needed to avoid the steam trap so your lower body feels the steam. Splashing water is not enough. Splashing cold water on the ceiling can help bring the steam cloud down but if the steam generator makes a wet steam from the start and the walls and ceiling are porous, the steam is going to wick to it and it will be drippy and the steam will feel muggy. I do not like humid, heavy steam. I like a dense steam cloud that is hot but not sticky.

I also like my steam continuous. Some generators keep the steam continuous within 6 degrees and others cool down too much and make a 20 to 30 minute session become a 30 to 45 minute session to fully heat up my body.

The atmospheric generators are a slow burn type generator that releases the same amount of steam as a pressurized generator but over a longer period of time. If a pressurized puts out 100 grams of steam in 25 seconds, this would put it out over a much longer time. It is a continuous burn rather than dumping the entire load out at once when pressure relief valve opens.

For ceilings at 7 foot tall, it doesn't matter as much since the thermocline of steam will naturally be at the body core level. If someone has tall ceilings then atmospheric steam helps prevent the steam from being trapped at the ceiling and the latent heat is given off over a longer period of time so the walls don't heat up as much and condense the steam cloud. (Note: if you splash cold water on the walls and ceiling you will notice immediately the steam cloud comes back).

Atmospheric generators are super quiet as they don't have lots of pressure behind it. Also, the steam produced is the closest to a sweat lodge. Dry steam doesn't mean the steam room is dry and has less steam. The best way I know to describe it is pouring water on a hot skillet and watching the steam rise to the ceiling. Another demonstration we did is we froze a block of ice and put it on a sauna heater. The gallon of ice melted very slowly and gave off a constant steam the entire session. This is different than the steam bubbling off a pot of boiling water. That is wet steam.

Atmospheric steam generators are very expensive. They cost around $500 to $600 per killowatt. The cheapest Chinese import generators cost around $80 to $100 per killowatt. The dual tanks can cost on average $175 to $200 per killowatt. There is a huge jump in price when you go up to atmospheric. There is never water hammer with the atmospheric type and you don't need a water filter if you have hard water

Also, for those using fans in their steam room, atmospheric steam is much easier to control to stay in the 110 to 114 degree sweet spot range. When steam comes out in a burst then stops for a few minutes, the fans aren't as effective as it would be when constantly circulating a slow burn continuous steam. For those wanting full body steam therapy, using a floor fan facing upward will help displace the cold air at the floor and mix it with the super hot ceiling steam at the ceiling. For those wanting a 20 to 30 minute session and don't want to wait for steam during duty cycles or don't want to stay in for 45 minutes to an hour, having a steam that is easier to tweak will make it easier for whole body steam therapy (feet and legs at same temperature as upper body). Just 12 inches can change the thermocline from the sweet spot window to 10 degrees lower if the steam is too wet and heavy.

Temperature Fluctuations

Some people like to stay in their steam room for long sessions. If you are waiting for steam and it allows your heart rate to go back down, you can stay in much longer. Nearly everyone I have ever talked to doesn't like duty cycles unless they have a medical problem and need a mild steam room and need to keep their heart rate down by having duty cycles with no steam.

Room Fill Complaints

Many people are surprised when they but a steam generator that has a low steam saturation density. The room is very hot due to the latent heat of the steam but it is not like the spas and gyms people are used to going to where they can't see a person sitting on the other side of the steam room. Many people end up getting a steam generator that produces too wet of a steam and doesn't work well with their room dimensions, especially those with 8 foot and over ceilings and have a porous material like ceramic or porcelain.

For those that want as close to 100% steam saturation as possible I urge people to understand dry vs wet steam. For those that want to stay in the steam room for 45 minutes to an hour to get that feeling they want to end their steam session, then having long duty cycles where you have to wait almost half the session for steam to build up and the steam is trapped at the ceiling and you are only feeling a mild steam, then the single tank and low psi models that cause these steam traps won't be a problem.

I like constant steam where the steam stays at the same temperature the entire time. Some brands have a 2 degree variance and others have up to a 25 degree variance. where you feel like you want to splash ice water or put a cold towel on the thermometer to kick on the steam again. This is what voids many warranties. I wish companies would tell people that. It is not in the fine print usually.

To get constant steam you just have dual boiler tanks or an inlet dual tank. You cannot get continuous steam with a single tank steam generator. Also, having a dryer steam will keep the steam fluctuations smaller and avoid steam traps at the top of the ceiling.

Any steam generator that puts out an extra half gallon of steam makes a wet, muggy steam that is heavy and rises too fast to the ceiling and sticks to the walls. Wet steam with condensate holds too much heat in the water that sticks to the walls and ceiling rather than staying in the air. It is heavier. It has a higher micron size. It doesn't feel comfortable like the dryer steam that fill up the room better. Dryer steam means more steam. Wet steam means heavier steam that falls quicker to the floor and can't maintain the steam cloud that you want.

Many people want to stay in longer but can't since the steam is so heavy and gets peoples heart rates up to quick. Most people don't realize this when buying a steam generator the type of steam they are going to breath in. Most people are just focused on getting the right size. Wet steam that has too much moisture in the steam is the hardest to breath for most people. I can stay in much longer when the steam is more like vapor. My goal is to keep my hear rate as low as I can as my core is at its hottest. NOTE: I do not use it until I am combusting, not the entire time.

The reason the room temperature changes from high to a lower temperature so fast is that the steam is a wetter type steam that a lot of the heat is transferred to the walls and ceiling so once the steam generator stops... the steam falls and it cools down quick. Brownian motion is the physics term that explains this. Wetter steam has a higher latent heat and heats up more whatever it touches since the unevaporated water has a higher heat co efficient. The decision to make when buying a steam generator is if you want a steam that is going to be steady throughout the whole session or you want it to fluctuate and get really hot and then cool down.

I urge people to never pour water on the temperature sensor to kick on the steam too soon. This is just going to make the steam come out before it is ready. It's gonna be even more sticky and heavy. Also this messes the sensor up and can void the warranty.

The steam in this room lingers unlike the wetter type that travels more to the ceiling and is more sticky. The heat stays in the air longer instead of heating up the walls and ceiling more. Most people are used to pressurized steam. This is not pressurized steam. It has a totally different feel than pressurized steam. The dryness fraction is much higher. I talk a lot about this on my site for those that don't know what that is. Dryer steam also has a lower latent heat index since it doesn't carry as much unevaporated water. The steam quality is so different than what most people have been used to. The best example I have done to explain dry steam and wet steam is on my video where I take a pot of boiling water and show that steam next to a hot skillet where I pour water on it and a huge steam cloud rises to the ceiling. That is dry steam.

Whole body steam therapy

Most people are only getting half body steam therapy. Most people feel the heat at their head and their feet do not get hot since at the floor it is cooler. It is a totally different experience when you heat your core evenly instead of the mostly the upper body. I don't like when my feet are cold and my upper body is hot. So many people get out of breath too quick when all the steam is at the head. Their heart rate goes up too quick. So I am going to show what most people don't get to experience.

The way to get a full body experience is to have a water proof fan. I like this one the best. I have it up here on my computer. This is the Kona fan. Its the best one I have found. It suction cups right on the tile on the wall of the steam room. I like to put it in the corner just below the ceiling. For people that have a larger room, sometimes 2 fans can work better. This brings all the heat down from the ceiling, especially if the ceiling is over 7 foot. The fan HELPS bring the room into equilibrium so the floor temperature and ceiling temperature will be closer. Normally, without the fan, the ceiling is super hot and the floor is cool. But with this, that should not happen.

The Kona fans redistribute the heat making the entire room temperature more even. What it is doing is spreading out the latent heat.

Steam room ceilings at 8 foot

An 8 foot ceiling is actually the most common size. About 20% of the steam is going to rise over the head due to 12 extra inches over the 7 foot ceiling the steam generators are sized at on the sizing charts. So, just say the temperature is set to 140, then the heat will rise and the body will not be at 140 unless there is a marine grade fan blowing the steam down. DC marine grade fans are used to bring the steam from the ceiling down to the floor. I do not like going in a steam room over 7 foot tall if there is no fan. My legs and feet stay colder while my upper body is hotter. I call this half body steaming. Those who have a Kona fan may never go back to using a steam room without the fan once they experience full body steam therapy, which just a fan makes the difference.

It is hard for me to heat my core up in a timely manner if the ceiling is 8 foot tall without the fan. Many people spend about 10 extra minutes each session trying to heat their core while it would be more enjoyable and take less time if the steam in the room was more evened out. The goal is to fight Brownian motion.. to not let it have its effect.

I urge those who have an 8 foot ceiling to research the Kona fan and learn the differences between dry and wet steam and how each type of steam has an effect on the body and how it sticks to the walls depending on its dryness fraction and latent heat. If the wrong type of steam is used in an 8 foot steam room, the walls can act like a sponge for the sticky heavy steam or the steam can linger in the air longer if it has less moisture in the steam.

Which steam is the easiest to breath

Many people don't know the difference between types of steam in a steam room. They just think steam is steam. Before choosing a steam generator, I urge people to understand the difference between easy to breath steam and harder to breath steam.

Steam that has a high latent heat index can be hard to breath in for a long time for some people. When there is too much water suspended in the air in the steam, this can be hard on the lungs and I personally can't stay in for as long as I want when the steam is like this.

When the steam room is using a low pressurized steam generator, there is more unevaporated water floating in the steam. This is the type of steam that when I use my fan it stings. It also can burn my nose when I breathe it. This is the steam that makes the wall so hot that it is super uncomfortable to lean my back on the wall without a towel behind my back.

Also, if the wrong size generator is used in the steam room, this can make steam too quickly adding too much latent heat in the steam. This is why it is important to not oversize, especially if getting a pressurized type generator. If getting a pressurized steam generator, the ones that make a higher quality steam with less water evaporated in it are the ones that put out steam at a higher psi. The generators that can go to higher psi's are also usually more expensive than the lower end pressure type models.

So, if someone is planning on staying in longer than 15 to 20 minutes and wants to heat their core temperature 3 degrees and stay in for 15 minutes once the body has reached that temperature, having the wrong type of steam makes it really hard, especially if trying to create heat shock proteins. Really think about how long you want your average session to be. This can make the difference on which brand of steam generator to choose.

The generators that make wet steam will typically use about 25% more water than the dry types. So, the average residential steam room uses about 2 gallons of water for the pressure cooker types. The types that make dry steam use about 1.5 gallons of water. The extra half gallon of water is what sticks to the walls and ceiling and is usually what causes the steam cloud to fall to the floor quicker between duty cycles causing high fluctuations in the steam room temperature. I prefer a steam room that never goes up or down in temperature 6 degrees. So, I hope everyone has an understanding of what wet steam is. Also, for those that haven't seen my video of me showing wet steam from a pot of boiling water next to a hot skillet, this is a good comparison video to watch.

Dry steam looks different than wet steam on the walls and ceiling in a steam room. It also has a different feel. I can go any steam room and can tell if the steam is a wet steam from a pressurized steam generator or its a dry steam from a non pressurized model.

Dry steam has a lower cluster size. When it sticks to the walls on just say ceramic tile, it sticks there for a lot longer before it clusters up and drips down the wall to the floor. Also with dry steam the steam is not constantly dripping from the ceiling like it does like wet steam that has a higher un-evaporated water ratio in the steam.

With dry steam, Brownian motion doesn't have as much effect as there is less water that carry the heat causing the heat to rise to the ceiling like the wetter type steams.

So, if anyone goes to a steam room and you know what to look for and you prefer a dryer steam, I hope this helps show you what to look for. The generators with the driest steam fraction are not pressurized. They are a slow burn and instead of having duty cycles of on and off times, they make steam more continuously to keep the temperature in the room within 6 degrees of what it is set at. Back in the day, there were no steam generators that could keep the steam that continuous.

Things that bother me about steam generators and steam rooms.

1. Steam disappears quickly - When you open up the door and the steam immediately disappears is because there is too much condensate - this is typical of a too high of an absolute humidity. Steam that lingers is dry and has a high relative humidity that only high end steam generators produce. If seeking a Chinese import generator expect this problem.

2. I have to get out due to my heart rate rising too quick - get a generator that has less latent heat and uses less water per steam session Thermasol and Steamcore don’t have these issues.

3. Takes too long for the duty cycle - I hate waiting extra time for a single tank generator to start making steam again. - Mr. Steam does not have this problem - I do not like selling the Chinese import single tanks. In a 30 minute steam session, waiting 14 minutes with no steam is not fun.

4. I hate having to stop my steam session since I am in cardiac drift - a bottle of Boost Oxygen is super helpful when this happens to me.

5. I hate steam that gets too hot with too much latent heat - If the wrong generator is chosen you might have to put a towel over your nose to prevent stinging when breathing in crappy steam.

6. Drippy ceilings - wrong size generators produce too much latent heat and if the steam comes out to wet it will cause drippiness.

7. Walls in the steam room get too hot - When the walls get too hot it keeps the room hot and this is good for absolute humidity only if the original steam is dry. If the walls get too hot and the steam quality is not good, this is when it clumps together and is hard to breath and is not comfortable.

8. Half body steam therapy - When the legs are on the bench and feet on the floor, your head is getting lots of steam and your feet almost nothing. Using a marine grade floor fan can put the entire room into almost the same thermocline. It feels like being in a wind tunnel. Once people do this they don't go back.

9. Not getting hot enough - a floor fan can make a wrong 6kw size feel like a 7.5kw. The steam at the ceiling thermocline is super hot and bringing this down can help fix the problem. If the steam is too wet it will not feel good.

10. Steam room is hot but not so much steam - This is because the steam is not dry enough (heavy condensate). I do not like rooms that are very hot otherwise I would go sit in a sauna. Dry steam has a lower latent heat and doesn't rise to the ceiling trap like wet steam.

11. Having the need to pour water on the thermostat to make the steam turn on again - If you wanted constant steam in the first place you should have a dual tank generator - not a single tank. Unless, you need duty cycles.

12. Steam room essential oils - I don't use them. I use fresh eucalyptus leaves, not oils. I don't like imitations.

13. Too loud - some brands are super loud and some are quiet like the ones at the fanciest gyms - If you want a quiet steam generator, atmospheric types or those with dual steam heads are the quietest.

14. Narks at the gym - I get the manager called on me often when I bring my fan in the gym and have a bag of salt rocks under the steam head. My fan is battery powered. People think they they are gonna get electrocuted. Also, people get mad at me when I bring my foldable mini trampoline and jump naked in the middle of the steam room. I wear underwear and they still complain.

15. People get mad at me when I ask people if they showered before coming into the steam room after their workout. It says it on the freakin wall. It's why it stinks all the time. I open up the door to air it out and they have the nerve to get mad at me.

Ceiling height affects steam quality

Most sizing charts just give the kw size based on on cubic feet and the material of the room. If someone has a 250 cubic foot room, with an SEVEN foot ceiling and 250 cubic foot with a NINE foot ceiling, the sizing chart will recommend a 7.5kw generator for both people. I also want to say that with some brands, if there is a 250 cubic foot room, for example, I would recommend a 9kw if the steam is from certain pressurized brands. The best way to find out if you are buying the right size which the chart doesn't tell you is to ask how many gallons of steam the generator makes in a 30 minute session. If they say approximately 2 gallons for the size size generator that the other one gives off which is 1.5 gallons, you know that you will have to upsize or downsize based on the type of steam it is giving.

Some generators spit out water right when it turns on. This is a sign that the steam is from a pressure cooker type that has a lower pressure than the higher pressure models. If the steam is too wet, it has to make more of it to compensate for the steam that is sticking to the ceiling and walls. So you might need to upsize if you want a dense steam in the room.

I urge anyone buying a steam generator that has a ceiling over 7 foot tall and especially if using ceramic or natural stone, to make sure the steam is dryer from the start, meaning it has a lower latent heat and a higher dryness fraction.

Ceramic and porcelain are like a sponge, especially when the steam is wetter. With generators that make wetter steam, it is constantly dripping from the ceiling... hitting me on my bald head... Its stuffy feeling. I don't like it. I would do some research on the different types of steam so you don't get the wrong generator. If the ceiling can be lowered to 7 foot it makes it so much easier to get the best steam quality. If over 7 foot, that is when Kona fans and a steam generator that produces a dryer steam should be considered.

9 foot ceilings in steam rooms

About 1 in 20 people that call me have a 9 foot ceiling. It is not good but it is workable if the right precautions are taken when sizing a steam generator and using other protocols to compensate for the high ceiling.

About 40% of the steam will be above the head normally when the ceiling is 9 foot tall. Also, I want to say that if the ceiling is that high, I would not recommend a LOW pressurized type steam generator. This is gonna make the steam rise and stick, especially if the tiles are porcelain, ceramic, or natural stone.

Those who get a dryer steam should not have the drippiness like they would with a wetter type steam. If I had a 9 foot ceiling I would put 2 Kona fans on the walls to help bring that steam down so it doesn't stay above the head. The generators I recommend would be a higher pressure higher psi steam generator or a non pressurized model with the lowest latent heat index.

If getting a steam generator and not using the fan, there may still be a problem since even if the steam is higher quality, it is still going to rise to high and not be a pleasant experience. Brownian motion takes a huge effect when the ceilings are higher unlike 7 or 8 foot ceilings where the steam doesn't rise so high.

So, if you have a 9 foot ceiling, I urge you to get a dryer steam rather than upsizing a wetter type to a higher kilowatt size. This is what so many people do and end up getting a steam quality that is very low.

Steam room ceilings at 8 foot

Kona fans and steam rooms

I always even out the latent heat index of the steam room by having a fan suction cupped to the wall near the ceiling to distribute the latent heat index and bring the steam down from the ceiling to the floor. This is not the same type of fan used to increase the heat co-efficient of the steam, which is the opposite of a wind chill factor.

The biggest problem without the fan is that steam rises due to Brownian motion. Those with ceramic or porcelain tiles or natural stone may notice the biggest problem since these materials act like sponges and cause the steam to wick to the tiles. A dryer steam is much less likely to wick as much since there is less water in the steam that is unevaporated and doesn't stick as much. The Kona fan is the best fan I have found. It is also the quietest when comparing it to other fans at the same speed.

You really don't need a fan if the ceiling is 7 foot but if 8 foot an over, it can be a game changing experience. It is not enjoyable when I go in a room that has a high ceiling and the most of the hotter steam is above my head and my legs and feet are not getting the steam therapy I want. When the Kona fan is turned on, it is when I experience full body steam therapy.

I want to also let people know that if the Kona fan is used with a low pressurized steam generator that makes wetter steam, all the fan is going to do is blow down muggy steam and it is not going to feel like a steam room with a high dryness fraction and a low latent heat. So, make sure you know the differences before choosing a steam generator brand and size.

Which steam is the easiest to breath

When a steam room is using a low pressurized steam generator, there is more unevaporated water floating in the steam. This is the type of steam that when I use my fan it stings. It also can burn my nose when I breathe it. This is the steam that makes the wall so hot that it is super uncomfortable to lean my back on the wall without a towel behind my back.

If the wrong size generator is used in the steam room, this can make steam too quickly adding too much latent heat in the steam. This is why it is important to not oversize, especially if getting a pressurized type generator. If getting a pressurized steam generator, the ones that make a higher quality steam with less water evaporated in it are the ones that put out steam at a higher psi. The generators that can go to higher psi's are also usually more expensive than the lower end pressure type models.

Wet steam with a high condensate:

So, if anyone wants to have a preference over wet steam with more duty cycles or a slow burn continuous steam which is one other end of the spectrum, I urge people to understand the difference before choosing a steam generator.

Also with dry steam, Brownian motion doesn't have as much effect as there is less water that carry the heat causing the heat to rise to the ceiling like the wetter type steams.

If anyone goes to a steam room and you know what to look for and you prefer a dryer steam, I hope this helps show you what to look for. The generators with the driest steam fraction are not pressurized. They are a slow burn and instead of having duty cycles of on and off times, they make steam more continuously to keep the temperature in the room within 6 degrees of what it is set at. Back in the day, there were no steam generators that could keep the steam that continuous.

Loud Steam Generators

Some steam generators are whisper quiet and some are very loud. Many people choose a steam generator before knowing what it sounds like. Once it is installed it is usually too late. People call me up telling me the noise is so loud it is giving them a headache. They want to return it. I ask them which brand they have and they are like I don't know. After hearing them complain and want to return it.. it ends up they didn't even get it from me. I always ask people if they are concerned if the generator is loud. So many people want the model they researched and rarely try it.. they are just comparing based on specs.

If concerned about loudness first find out what the psi of the generator is if it is a pressurized steam generator. The higher the pressure the louder it is but the good thing is if it is higher pressure it comes out dryer and less muggy. The quieter pressure cooker steam generators work at a lower psi but the steam comes out wet and sticky. It is probably going to be more drippy of the ceiling that you would want. I urge people to compare the pressure cooker types to the non-pressurized steam generators. The non pressurized models are more expensive than most people want to pay but they are the quietest.

Also, the type of tile can make a difference to. Most people get ceramic but those who are concerned about sound might want to research taladakte. This can absorb much more sound than ceramic or porcelain.

How to lower the latent heat index

Many people get a steam generator and don't have a preference on what time of steam they like. Some people want to stay in longer and some for a very short time. Too much latent heat in the steam is what I try to avoid. This is from the unevaporated water that is suspended in the steam that makes it heavy and sticky.

The water in the steam makes it feel hotter even when it is at the same temperature of a dryer steam that is more gassy that floats in the air unlike the wetter type that sticks to the ceiling and walls making the steam room feel more like a dry sauna than a steam room.

If using ceramic or porcelain tiles, this will act like a sponge and 30% of the room will need to be upside. This will cause for choosing a larger size generator. Ive found that it is even more important to start with a steam generator that makes a dryer steam if the around 30% of the steam is going to be absorbed into the walls. If using natural stone then the room size needs to be doubled. It is tricky to get a good steam quality when using natural stone especially when the ceiling is over 7 foot.

To avoid the drippiness of the ceiling and having MORE of the steam absorbed into the walls, I urge people to compare the high psi steam generators to the low psi ones if concerned about the steam quality.

If the room has a high ceiling and the steam is too wet, it is going to rise to the ceiling and if someone gets a water proof fan to blow the steam down, it might not feel good since many people don't like heavy steam blown down on them. Also, if using a fan to blow directly on me, wet steam does not feel good. Dry steam is much more comfortable when I am trying to stay in to heat my core up 3 degrees and Im trying to create heat shock proteins.

I urge people to research non-pressurized steam generators if concerned with having too high of a latent heat index for the steam room. If the walls are going to act like sponges and the ceiling is over 7 foot, this can be the time to make sure you are researching the right steam generator for your type of room.

Wait times for steam to kick back on (long vs short duty cycles)

Some generators have duty cycles that have longer periods of time between when the steam comes out. Other generators are continuous types that the duty cycles where there is no steam coming out is very short. The shortest duty cycles are the ones that have a 6 degree variance in steam room temperature.

So, if the steam gets 6 degrees hotter than what it is set at then it will turn off. And if it goes under 6 degrees than what it is set at then it will turn back on. Most of the steam generators that are pressurized with a single tank are going to have the longest duty cycles while the dual tank models have a shorter duty cycle. The steam that comes from non-pressurized steam generators is totally different. These are a slow burn type steam meaning that it stays on longer instead of putting out the steam in bursts. For example, if a pressurized single tank model is putting out 100 grams of steam in 24 seconds... a non pressurized model might put out the same 100 grams in 2 minutes.

Pressurized steam come out a lot at once so it can have a tendency to be very wet and since more is coming out at once it can rise very quickly to the ceiling causing it to be drippy.

So, if deciding on which steam generator to get, I urge people to know how long they want to stay in the steam room for as the duty cycles can affect the time you can tolerate a session for. If there are long duty cycles where there are a few minutes going by where my core temperature is cooling down, then it is going to increase my session time to get the results I want. My goal is go heat my core up 3 degrees and sustain it for a period of time. I personally don't like waiting and letting my body cool down like the type found at most gyms.

So, with the dryer steam continuous models, the wait times are very short. This is the type that makes my heart rate go up steadily instead of quickly with bursts of heavier steam and then my heart beat gets lower and then gets rises again with each duty cycle.. This is something I urge people to research about before choosing a steam generator.

Getting the wrong size steam generator - too big or small

I would say about half the people get the wrong size.. either upsizing too much or getting too small of a kilowatt size.

Usually it is the people that upsize too much, especially if they are upsizing due to having ceramic or porcelain tile. If having those two types of tiles and there is a glass door and a high ceiling, this is when many people run into problems.

Some people think that having a higher kilowatt size and upsizing it to just make sure they are going to get enough steam is going to be better.. well actually it's not. The room gets to 100% humidity too quick. The steam sticks to the walls. The ceilings start dripping. The steam feels heavy and hard to breath.

The steam should be in equilibrium. The best is when it is made at the same speed it is falling to the floor.

Also if getting the wrong size to large it will increase the duty cycle time where there is no steam. So, if it gives off too much steam at once, the temperature sensor will get hotter quicker and then there can be a longer duty cycle where there is no steam. Many people think if they go a size larger they will get more steam. It is just the opposite.

So, I urge people to size the generator not just on the sizing charts but by ceiling heights... if there are any fans going to be installed on the walls... how heigh the bench is... and possibly several other factors based on the construction of the steam room.

Steam rooms - Raising Heat Co-efficient with fan

I like my steam room room very intense. I use this fan to raise the heat

co-efficient on my body usually on the highest level and lower it to level 1 for a short time after my core temperature has been heated over 3 degrees.

Most people don't know when their core temperature has reached this level and that is when the rectal thermometer comes in handy. I know since I have been doing this so long when my temperature reaches that point but most people might find the rectal thermometer handy when first learning about heat shock proteins and controlling heat co-efficeints.

Be are that this is not the same type of fan I use to lower the latent heat index of the steam at the ceiling of the steam room. That is the fan I suction cup on the wall near the ceiling to bring the steam near the ceiling to the floor.

When the fan blows on me, it's the opposite of a wind chill factor. The fan gets my core temperature up nearly twice as fast as if I didn't have the fan blowing on me. When people ask me how long my steam session is, I time the session in a 2 stage time. The first stage is JUST getting my core up to 3 degrees over my normal body temperature. Having the fan shaves off a good portion of the beginning time it would normally take so I can have more time to do my therapy.

Also it is very hard for me to stay in a steam room once my core temperature is 3 degrees higher when the steam is wet and muggy. I am so focused on getting steam therapy and wet steam goes against what I am trying to do.

When I bring my oxygen bottle in the steam room when the steam is wet, I go through PROBABLY twice as much oxygen than I would if in a dry steam room where the room is the same temperature and still at 100% humidity but way less unevaporated water in the steam.

So, I urge people to really understand the differences in the different types of steam qualities if trying to choose a steam generator. I have no problem with low psi pressure cooker types if someone just wants to warm up really quick but for taking it to the next level, I prefer non pressurized model or if choosing a pressurized type, the higher psi ones create a MUCH different steam than the lower pressure types.

Steam Generators - Made in the USA?

So, I am not going to go in detail but I will say that there are some brands out there that claim to be made in the USA but just import their parts from other places and just assemble them here. I have nothing against things made in China but I know what to look for to make sure it is safe and not going to be a problem down the road.

If someone doesn't want a Chinese import steam generator which is seems that most people usually want since for some reason those are the types they are researching. The ones I find that have the least problems down the road are the ones made in Canada and the USA. Remember, look for UL, CSA, and CE listings and if they have more of these certifications, I would trust that over a brand that just has an ETL certification.

7 Foot Ceilings - Steam Rooms

Very few people have a 7 foot ceiling in their steam room. Most people have an 8 foot ceiling on average and maybe about 1 in 20 people have a 9 foot ceiling. Those with ceilings between 8 to 9 feet may want to be careful so they don't get a steam with a high latent heat.

Steam that is too wet coming out, especially with pressurized steam generators, can have higher water in the steam making the steam stick to the ceiling and walls instead of lingering in the air.

The higher the ceiling like on those with 8 foot and higher ceilings might want to lower their ceiling to 7 foot but if they can't then the next best option is first starting with a steam generator that puts out a dryer steam fraction. Then after that taking a fan and suction cupping it to the wall next to the ceiling to bring down the steam so the whole room can be in equilibrium.

Just so people know... most steam generators are rated at 7 foot. On the sizing charts, someone might have a 250 cubic feet with a 8 foot ceiling and 250 cubic feet with a 7 foot ceiling. I strongly urge people not to upsize to a larger size generator to compensate for around 20%. Many people get 2 sizes larger when they have a 9 foot ceiling. Those who get the fan instead of this to compensate for it will see what I am talking about.

Steamrooms under 175 cubic feet are the ones that I get the most complaints about with too much steam wicking to the walls... drippiness from the ceiling.. and all the steam above peoples heads.

Most people that have these small steam rooms are usually looking for cheaper steam generators unlike the people that call in that need a 12 or 13 kilowatt generator.. they usually want a higher end generator that gives out dryer steam.

When the room is small like this.. many people go for the high psi pressure steam generators.. these can be super loud. I prefer a non pressurized steam generator for any steam room that is under 250 cubic feet.

I urge people to go to different spas and try pressurized steam versus non pressurizes steam. I have a list of hotels and spas and gyms that have both types of steam.

I can walk into a steam room and within 1 second when the steam hits my face know if it is a wet or dry steam. I urge people to know the differences. So, in order to develop a preference. Most people buy a steam generator and don't even know or don't have a preference yet. Please... experience both types so you know what you like.. especially if buying a smaller generator.. the smaller the room the more the differences in steam quality is noticed.

If you do get a 7.5 kw when you need a 6kw generator... you are going to have duty cycles that are way longer and you might be sitting there for several minutes with no steam but just a hot room that feels like a sauna.

The best scenario is when the steam is coming out of the generator at the same speed the steam is falling to the ground. If too much comes out at once then it will trip the high limit of the temperature sensor and it will think the room is full of steam when it's not.

If the 7.5 kw is used when a 6kw should be used, the steam can feel heavy and sticky.

It is hard for some people to get it right when choosing between a 6 and 7.5 kw generator. PLEASE take the sizing quiz and it should help.

Sizing Charts

Some companies will say you need a larger size when you really don't. Many people will use a sizing chart and it will say you need a 7.5 kw generator... and another will say you need a 9kw. and one company says you need a 6 kw.

So many people are confused but there is no reason to be confused once you know how to read them. So, if the generator from a company is a low psi steam generator, it is probably going to put out 2 gallons of water per 30 minute session instead of 1.5 gallons.. so the chart might say you need a 9 kw....

The other brand might say you need a size down... a 7.5 kw... since it is a brand that uses a higher psi pressure cooker type steam generator.. this Should put out less water in the steam and that is why you need need a 9kw.

A non pressurized brand will say that you need a 6kw.. and people get so confused when I tell someone you need a 6 kw and they don't believe me since another company said they needed a 9kw. So.. once I explain why different sizing charts tell you different sizes then they understand

When I size a generator, I don't just go by cubic feet and tile type.. I want to know how tall your ceiling is (this may need you need a fan suction cupped on the wall to bring the latent heat down).. maybe you have a 7.5 foot or an 8 foot ceiling.

... I wanna know how long you wanna be in the steam room for. Some brands have more water in their steam and you can't stay in as long. Some are drier and it's more comfortable and relaxing.

Based on all my comparisons with different tiles, to counter the absorption rates with certain tiles like ceramic or natural stone...... starting with a dryer steam with less moisture in it will help so that the high absorptive tiles won't act like a sponge as much since there is less water in the air to wick to it. Many people have tiles like ceramic and once they get their generator they notice the dripping and the steam sticking to the walls. I don't have a problem with ceramic tile.. it's the type of steam that should be considered with working with tiles that you have to add 30% to the room size to get the correct size generator.

So. if building a steam room and you are concerned about the steam quality, the type of steam and the tile type can make a difference in the type of steam quality it will have.

Steam Room Floor vs Ceiling Temperatures - Problems

So.. most people never know what full body steam therapy is... their head is really hot depending on

how high their ceiling is... their feet are cold since all the steam is higher.

The Kona fan helps lower the latent heat index at the top of the room and bring it down to help make the whole room the same temperature. Once people try this they tell me they can never go back. Also.. I do not recommend using a fan with steam that is too wet, especially from pressurized steam generators working at low psi that puts out a lot of water in the steam. I do not like to feel wet muggy steam hitting my body.

Atmospheric steam generators

The atmospheric steam generators are in a class by themselves. They don’t use pressure to create steam. They get hot but don’t create super high temperature that create steam traps. The temperatures are more uniform. Since they are a slow burn, you won’t have scorching ceilings and these types use minimal water and produce the least condensate. For those that are considering full body steam therapy, it is very easy to control the steam when fewer grams of steam are being released at once instead of the generator dumping the entire load at once.

Atmospheric generators are dual tank models that have an inlet tank and a boiler tank. The boiler tank is much smaller than the pressurized tanks. The atmospheric tanks have a low watt density and more heating element area is touching minimal water to create a very dry steam and low condensate. Also, atmospheric generators are super quiet since they don’t work even at 10 psi that the lowest pressurized generators work at.

Many are still confused on what atmospheric steam generators are compared to the pressurized generators and why someone would want to use atmospheric over pressurized.

So, atmospheric is not better it is for people that want that type of steam. For those that want to stay at a constant temperature and especially those who want to stay within 110 to 114 degrees which is the comfort zone that most people try to stay in. When the steam comes out slowly, a slow burn, it's much more controllable than having it come out in a quick burst. A fast burn pressurized steam might take 18 seconds to release the load of steam to have the room reach the temperature you set it at. A continuous atmospheric slow burn might take 1 minute and 18 seconds to release the same grams of steam. If using a marine grade fan to bring the steam that has risen to the ceiling down to the lower body, it is much easier to control the room temperature when it comes out at a slow burn.

The problem with most fast burn generators is that when it releases the load and you are using a fan to keep the whole room at near the same temperature (mixing ceiling trap air with cooler floor air), the room becomes nearly the same temperature and the body can go into full body vasodilation. Full body steam therapy is what many people have not experienced. Only half body steam therapy.

These questions also help choose a brand and KW size

Do you want continuous or delayed duty cycle steam. If not sure just ask.

Low psi, high psi, or atmospheric steam generator.

Slanting your ceiling

How long do you want to stay in the steam room

Do you care if it is loud

Pipe size? 3/4 or 1/2

Generator distance from the steam head

Do you want a fan to give full body vasodilation

Hard water?

In line filter or unfiltered tap water

Do you have a glass door

Cubic feet of your bench - MOST PEOPLE DON’T ADJUST FOR THIS. WE MUST KNOW THIS BEFORE GETTING THE RIGHT SIZE GENERATOR

How many minutes do you want to wait till the steam room gets to your desired temperature?

Are you trying to use the steam room to create heat shock proteins

1 or 2 level bench

WITH A SINGLE BENCH AND AN 8 FOOT OR HIGHER CEILING IT CAN FEEL LIKE YOU ARE SITTING ON THE FLOOR IN THE STEAM ROOM -

A 7 FOOT STEAM ROOM WITH A SINGLE BENCH IS FINE BUT WITH 8 FOOT IT WILL FEEL AS IF YOU ARE ALMOST SITTING ON THE FLOOR - NO ONE WANTS THAT

If you have a small steam room, make sure you don’t get the type that burns your feet during each duty cycle.

Mild or intense

Are you doing hormesis

R value of your wall insulation

Are you using a water softener

Do you understand the difference between Saturated Steam (DRY) and Unsaturated Steam (WET)?

DRY STEAM MEANS MORE STEAM - WET STEAM IS HEAVIER AND FALLS TO THE FLOOR AND STICKS TO THE CEILING AND WALLS

WET STEAM FEELS MUGGY AND COMES OUT DENSE AND QUICKLY MAKE THE ROOM FEEL MORE LIKE A SAUNA WITH A LESS DENSE STEAM CLOUD.

Do you want a duty cycle single tank steam (high fluctuations of temperature and long wait times), continuous steam, or continuous steam (dual tank) and continuous temperature (atmospheric). Most people don’t like waiting in a steam room without steam for the next duty cycle to come on. This is why people pour water on the sensor.

Most people prefer a dry steam with constant temperature without waiting for steam (dual tank) and steam that doesn’t go over 1 degree or under 2 degrees). If the ceiling is above 7 foot tall the temperature can change up to 6 degrees (8 foot ceilings) or up to 12 degrees with a 9 foot ceiling.

How often do you want to add a mineral solution to the steam generator tank?

About the pictures in my ebay ad

Eucalyptus - I use fresh eucalyptus not oil

Salt rocks under steam head - this puts negative ions in the air

Heating elements with limescale

Water pressure meter - Should never be over 80 psi

Drippy ceiling - From too much condensate - doesn’t feel good to be constantly hit with steam droplets

Many people get a single tank steam generator when they would have loved a dual tank better, and vice versa. Some people love the atmospheric slow burn type but only want a fast start steam. I don’t understand this but half the people care more about bells and whistles than the steam quality. They want a fancy color light show. They care more about music than steam quality.

Other people want to be able to turn the steam on while driving home from work. This makes no sense to me since it is recommended to keep the steam room door open to air it out during the day. Those who keep it closed and turn the steam on by their phone when not at home are prone to having mold issues in the steam room.

I understand Brownian motion, Boyle’s law, heat co-efficients, latent heat, dryness fractions, heat shock proteins, steam trap thermoclines, condensate avoidance, relative vs absolute humidity.

REMEMBER: DO NOT OVERSIZE. NOT EVEN ONE SIZE UP. Many people oversize just one size up thinking it will get hotter or heat up quick. Most people get the sizing

recommendation and don’t take it and get the 9kw instead of the 7.5kw instead. Each higher kilowatt size typically adds 15% more steam than the previous size. By oversizing it will produce more latent heat than needed and the room can feel more like a sauna than a steam room. The walls get hotter too quick. The thermostat turns off too quick. Oversizing does not keep the room in homeostasis. The 15% extra steam turns the good steam into condensate too quick. The oversized generator will make it hard to keep a constant temperature in the room more steam will come out at once (fast burn) but it can trip the thermostat minutes faster.

I can help you compare steam on any level you are comfortable on. My recommendations and sizing are usually different than you would get from others.