Does anyone have experience with a steamcore steam generator ?

Elliot. My thoughts in bold.

Saunacore http://www.saunacore.com/wp-content/uploads/Steamcore-Pro-Series-Manual.pdf

STEAM ROOM:

• If you are using an existing shower or bathtub, make sure that it is completely sealed right up to the ceiling.
• Chances that an existing tub or shower has vapour proofing are slim to none
• The ceiling and walls must be tiled or covered with water resistant material.
• Yes
• If you are building a steam room, talk to someone that has experience with the construction of steam rooms.
• Someone with five years experience
• Steam rooms must be constructed differently from any other type of room.
• They don't have too but they should be

STEAM ROOM REQUIREMENTS:

1.) Steam room must be completely enclosed, with full walls, door, floor and ceiling.
Yes - put that is just part of it. The waterproofing and vapour proofing are key to success.

2.) It is recommended that a gasketed door is used for heat sealing and steam containment.
I don't like a gasket door. They are too sticky and the gaskets fail in time.

3.) If tile flooring is used, install anti-skid strips or equivalent, for safety.
Sure - or pick small tile or one with texture.

4.) Walls and ceilings must be covered with water-resistant, non-corrosive surface, such as tile, molded acrylic, fiberglass, etc.
I like tile and cemnitous grout. Nothing else.

5.) Provide a floor drain.
One that meets the needs of the fixtures and an ACO Linear Drain is my first choice

6.) Ceiling and seat must slope slightly to allow condensate to runoff. (Ceiling slope 2î per 1 ft)
Ceilings should meet this slope if they are looking for a commercial rating but in residential we typically do not follow this rule and aim for a ceiling around 7'6" in height. With little to no slope. Bench Seating should not see such a step pitch. It's a crazy recommendation.

7.) Steam generator must be on a flat surface, in an area where it would be accessible, dry, and where it will not freeze. Smart. The steam lines should always slope either towards the generator or towards the steam heads as not-to allow the formation of condensate to accumulate.
The steam line can run up and then down but never down and then up. Never flat like mentioned. This allows the steam line to drain after every use.

8.) All inside surfaces should be adequately sealed. Around faucets, shower head, and steam heads should be sealed with mildew resistant silicone.
Vapour proofing as well prior to the installation of the tile and the plumbing trim

9.) Ceiling height should be no higher than 7ft to 8 ft, preferably 7 ft.
That seems a little low to me. What about benches. Two level seating.

10.) Room should be insulated with not more than a maximum R-12 value. A higher R-value may cause room to heat to quickly and not allow steam to condense normally.
Not sure what to say here. I think the walls should be insulated and that all local code on exterior walls be met.

11) Steam lines over 10 ft should be insulated.
Any length line should be wrapped when possible for safety and to reduce condensation on the inner walls piping.

Ventilation:

• Generally, steam rooms which are used at a maximum of two hours at one time do not require any special ventilation.
• I like to see a transom in the shower and a fan right out side that.
• Steam rooms which are continously used more than two hours at a time should be ventilated with a ratio of 10-20 cubic meters of air per person per hour.
• That sounds nice but now find the equipment. Call Sauna Core and ask who makes this. Then Please tell me.
• The air inlet maybe placed down low on the same wall as the door or a gap under the door. the air outlet should be up high as far away from the inlet as possible. Do not locate above door or over seats. Outlet should be connected to a vent duct leading to open air. Duct should be 100% steam and water tight. Avoid sags in duct which may cause water pockets, that will block outlet, due to condensation.
• These ventilation fans are something I have yet to source for a residential setting. Before installing any get Sauna Core to recommend their preferred installer.

It's made by http://saunacore.com

Also now trying to choose a steam generator to purchase. Not too much info out there. Any info would be helpful. Considering amerec vs steamist vs mr. steam.
Thanks

ThermaSol is mt favourite but between the three you list I would most likely go with the SteamMist Brand. Did you see my top five recommendation list?

Have you considered the control packages and how those factor in to the price.....The bells and whistles can add up QUICK. pricing the unit itself is but one factor....

Here : The button controls the chromatherapy , the pad controls steamer parameters...Pretty basic set up still a good chunk of $....

I am leaning towards Thermosol's Pro140....but the price is difficult to digest. The distributor (Ferguson) sent me a quote for $3,131 which includes the Pro140 "pro ser Fast Start STM 14" ($2,149) plus drainpan ($67.32 which I thought came with the unit) plus a "satin nickle" control "CVR signat ser kit icon sn" ($738) plus tax.

Drain pans do come with the Thermasol Pro series . They are not an add item like the other series.

Thanks for answering John, can I ask why you choose Steammist over the amerec or mr steam?

Also where can I find your top five recommendation list?

My post from April 14, 2015 above has the link.

John why would you choose the steammist as your first choice?

"....Considering amerec vs steamist vs mr. steam..."

I prefer the units and the trims more so than the other company's listed. Steamist is trying hard to knock ThermaSol out of top spot. It shows in their new packaging, controls and web site. Remember my first choice is still ThermaSol but between the choices given in the three above I would go with Steamiest.

This is an old thread but it seems to be the go-to thread for steam shower buying advice.

I was at a plumbing retailer yesterday who sold Mr Steam and Thermasol. I was leaning towards the Mr Steam based on what I was told. But after reading this thread (and numerous bad reviews on Amazon) I don't think there is a chance in hell I will buy this product.

Thermasol sounds reliable but it also sounds like it is the most expensive. Experience has taught me that the most expensive of any category is usually pretty good but that there is usually an alternative that is just as good (if not better) for less money. And that's what I'm looking for.

Browsing on Amazon led me to Steamist. There are not many steam generator reviews on Amazon but Steamist is the only one with consistently positive reviews. The flip side is that there are so few reviews overall that Steamist could be rigging the results.

Anyway, I know John likes steamist but only mentions superficial reasons (packaging, web site, controls) rather than really important things like reliability which I'm learning is the most important factor for steam generators.

John, can you elaborate? And are there any other opinions on Steamist? I'd love to hear from some owners.

Sounds like you want your cake and eat it too.

Quality and reliability come at a price. What you and others always seem to be looking for is that company or service provider that that has a good offering but is stupid when it comes to business. Hence not charging what the good or service is really worth and by extension offering you a " deal ".

While this may happen on a sporadic basis, you can't count on it.

Pay the price , or roll the dice. You may very well beat the odds just like in Vegas, but it's not a consistent or recommended strategy.

Wow. I can't agree with a single thought in that post.

There is rarely a reason to buy "top of the line" which is defined as the most expensive product in a category. Unless of course you have money to burn, like to show off, or are unable to do your own research.

The planet is filled with overpriced, over-marketed crap. I'll use Bose speakers, Beats headphones and Monster cables as prime examples of ways people spend ridiculous amounts of money on ridiculously inferior products. To Monster's credit, many of their products are TECHNICALLY better but not in a way that makes any kind of performance difference and certainly not in a way that reflects the massive premium they charge.

Anyway, I asked for opinions on Steamist which you completely neglected to address in your rant about eating cake and Las Vegas.

Just get steamist , you'll be very happy.

BTW , no one in the know thinks Bose , Beats, or Monster are top of the line and they certainly not the most expensive either.

Interesting that you brought up three companies that invest HEAVILY in marketing. Few pros in the av industry are going to tell you differently.

Many pros here like thermsol because the product delivers and keeps their reputation intact.

You also went a bit far with my view. You extrapolated out that all high priced things are good and of quality and that is neither true nor what I said. Quality costs, and few shortcuts exist On acheiving that. But high price is not always an indicator of quality.

Happy steaming.

I did extrapolate. But it was based on your extrapolation. You inferred I wanted my cake and eat it too and I wanted a deal (as if wanting a good deal is inherently bad or finding one unachievable). I don't want something for nothing. But I also want the most bang for my buck and in my experience paying top dollar for something rarely gets you the best bang for your buck.

You also straight up said "pay the price or roll the dice" which seems to be supportive of the "high priced thugs".

I might be very happy with Steamist but I'd like to hear about how it compares with Mr Steam/Thermasol in terms of reliability and customer service. When things go wrong it's hard to put a price on good customer service which, from what I've read, is nearly non-existent with Mr Steam and the #1 reason I will avoid them.

uscpsycho,

why dont you test your concerns now and pre emptively. pick your unit choice and call the tech support of the company you choose, ask detailed questions.. but be prepared to be asked a lot of questions in regards to your shower build
" Im concerned about my local water quality should i pre filter and whats the best option"

' When and if my unit fails how does the repair process work ?? etc."

" Do you manufacture these units in house or are they private labeled. ??"

Thermasol has one of the best built generators and some of the best service in the industry - both of which lead to a high price.

In this case you'll have to give up something for a lower price. Either quality, or service, or both. A company that consistently does both and starts to lead the market may start out with a lower price but once they figure out they are the market leader their price will follow.

Psyco - you've been told what many think is the best , but you don't seem to want to believe the experience from those around here. That's fine. But you need to understand that we're not trying to sell you anything, and are not advocating these simply because they are the most expensive. Trust our experience or don't - that's up to you.

I mean don't you think if XYZ steamer was of consistent and high quality and were easy to deal with and was 25%-40% less costly than thermasol that John and other would use that instead ? Or, are you assuming that we're all sales reps or stockholders and get a few bucks in our pockets because you buy a thermasol from a dealer somewhere or online - so we have a direct incentive to tell you "only buy that one" ?

Steamist isn't as high quality, and doesn't have as good of service, but it's cheaper. We feel it's not a good risk to go that route to save some dosh, but it might make you happy and you might be more tolerable of risk for $avings.

Thats what I meant by the cake comment. You're not going to get high quality AND great service from a steam generator co. for a less than top dollar, sorry.

Any experience with Kohler? Their 9 kW unit has a good price.

Kohler's is nothing special except that it can be controlled by their DTV shower interface which is very convenient and eliminates another penetration in your steam room.

I've also done so much research that I dont know anymore

mr steam is out of the configuration with all the bad reviews

i am strongly leaning towards steamist

i am going to visit one more place and see who they recommend

id love to hear from anyone else who is close to purchase

I've had Mr. Steam for over a year and am perfectly happy with it, no issues at all.

I can say the control panel on my Amerec AK20 burned up just after the warranty had expired (5 years).

I'm debating if I should go back to Amerec since the switches, thermostat, and Warm Start button are already in place or if I should consider going to Thermasol. Thermasol will require new wiring from the panel and I assume that I will have to have new low voltage wiring for the controls, temperature probe, etc.

What I have found is that different steam generator sizing calculators are giving me different answers about what size generator that I should buy.

For example, Thermasol recommends a smaller generator than Amerec.

On the hand, Amerec's calculator asks questions about the construction materials and the Thermasol does not.

I did have a very respected steam shower installer come out and he wanted to recreate the wheel with the Thermasol and wanted over $8K for the job, which I thought was pricey. I'm not sure if he did not want my business or not. For what it is worth, I paid him for a service call when the control panel burned up and for the estimate. By recreate the wheel, he wants to move the generators to a more convenient location in my basement. The Amerec generators are bolted to the raised foundation that joins the basement. Granted they require more effort to reach in their current place. However, my plumber who installed them chose the location.

The kicker is that I can buy a Thermasol generator (DirectBuy Discount) or the Amerec AK20 (AmerecStore.com) for about the same amount of money.

Is there any way of know if the low voltage wiring that I currently have is still in good working order after the control panel burned up? I assume that nobody will know if I can use any of the existing wiring for the Thermasol. I do not feel like paying the installer another $200 to find out that information since I would guess that the wiring is not compatible.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I am curious if anyone here did a steam shower with a 10 ft ceiling? We are looking at thermasol based on showroom conversations with two different companies and seems to be the most trusted on this thread as well as other review sites. Because of the ceiling it is pushing us to the pro version, we are weighing that cost with the cost to have already started new construction changes to lower the ceiling which means a change to a window. (we are keeping the window).

My second question is on a bench and steam head placement. The shower is a 3ft by 5ft, already plumbed in concrete, the shower head is on the left wall with a half wall (was supposed to be a walk in shower with no door) and door on the right. I don't believe we can place the bench on the right because that is where you will enter the shower - so either the opening has to be bigger (less of the half wall and more glass for a bigger shower door) or the bench goes under the shower head. if the shower was wider than 3 ft we would have had a bench running the full length so you could lay down - but that ship sailed before we arrived. As a result of the bench being under the shower head where would you place the steam head? Not by the bench, so that means either middle of the long wall or at the end of the short wall by the door, which doesn't seem ideal because you could be walking in/out past it. Which I have used small steam rooms at spas where they had bad steam head placement and take the time to call it out to you to not get too close to it. So then does it really matter?

And third question, if I understand all the material I have read on the brands it seems there are 2 areas of confusion I may have created for myself. The auto flush seems to be an important feature and Mr Steam uses less water to do the flush while Thermalsol uses more water for the flush - if this is correct, does that matter? Then I thought I read that Mr Steam keeps water heated on standby where Thermalsol is on demand - or have I misunderstood this? If I am right, then obviously the Thermalsol is more efficient.

Of my research so far I am finding that Thermasol offers the quietest constant steam versus it's competitors, right? I hate sitting in a steam shower with the big blast of steam periodically as it interrupts my zoning out/meditation. Did I miss that Steamist has those same features as Thermasol? Also, in case any of the earlier posters who were on the fence moved forward, what did you decide and are you happy? I will add the comment about the warranty about buying on line being voided, is intended to keep you from buying counterfeit or refurbished products and expecting the lifetime warranty. If you don't have a dealer locally or don't like that one, then buy the unit from another area and have it shipped - it will still be covered. Just don't buy from Amazon unless that seller is a dealer and confirms your warranty is valid. Counterfeit product is everywhere, sadly.

I live in an area off the beaten path, so a tiled steam shower would be much too expensive. I have been looking at Madison 4 Steam shower stalls that include a SR4-Steam Generator or the Eago line. I have not found any reviews on these units. Does anyone have any feedback on such?

@jrjka - my steam room is right at 10 ft. tall. you have to take in account the ceiling height when calculating the size of generator that you need. some of the online calculatorso are fussy when one enters 10 ft into the equation. however, keep looking until you find one that does work.

If you're not set on building your own shower, you might be better-off buying a self-contained steam shower unit from a company with a good warranty. I considered building my own but ended up buying a cabin from www.luxuryshowerroom.com a few years ago after asking about their warranty. I remember I was surprised that I called at night and a technician picked up right away and explained that they replace parts as they break. 3 years later, my steam generator stopped working for some reason, and they replaced it without even asking any questions. They just said sure, we'll ship you a new one right away. Funny thing was it wasn't actually even broken, just a short somewhere else. Ended up way way cheaper than setting everything up myself.

Am removing a std tub enclosure and replacing with a steam shower. Live in a very rural area where no contractors have any experience with this installation. I built the house so I'm sure I could do the install if someone would direct me to the process, is there any good publications or such out there which I might use as reference material?

Therma Sol is very difficult to deal with. We decided to go with the new Amereck unit. Haven't installed it yet.

@ Andy thats a solid choice I think youll find their customer service and tech support to be fast and knowledgable.. . My recent project client enjoys her AK T100 package.. and their new A6 control and steam head look sweet. Share some project pics if you can..

Does anyone know answer to this mr steam problem?
Unit workes fine for about 30 min and then it’s stops making steam , only hot water comes out of the steam outlet
On itempo control it shows H2O
Thanks for help

has anybody installed a water purifier for their steam generators? if so, what type? filter only or ?

Did it benefit your system?

I'm trying to decrease the frequency that I need to have my Amerec system cleaned. I'm on city water, but it is very hard.

Has anyone had any experience with Infinity one steam generators? They, of course, sound good in their presentations

@Kelly depending on your generator series you can always add an Amerec ADK kit . I would do a simple water test before investing in either A pre-generator inline filter or a whole house filtering system.

Theres many variables to consider I use Hach kits

Hi - I live in Toronto, and there’s a locally made unit called SteamRanger - it is apparently all stainless steel and has a unique cleaning system. They are in several universities and hotels. Has anyone heard of this brand?

The other affordable option I’ve found is SteamSpa - sold by Home Depot.

T.F.W. Whats your thought on Amerec vs Thermasol? Which brand would you recommend for reliability and customer service?

Was hoping to reignite this thread. I'm building right now and looking to order my plumbing. The local plumbing company suggested Thermasol. I started my own research and found this thread - Thermasol, Amerac,Mr.Steam....where is everyone at on the products they chose. Would love to hear your feedback - even the "if I had it to do over again" - can be helpful. 😊 Thanks!

we built a new bathroom in 1999 and had a thermosol steamer installed. it has worked with no glitch all of these years. we just remodeled the bath again because we wanted to remove a large jacuzzi tub and make the shower bigger, and installed thermasol again.

No matter what brand Steam generator that you buy, install a water filtration system to remove salts and make sure your generator(s) are powerful enough for the volume and design of your steam shower. I've had several Amerec generators. The main issue I've experienced has been mineral buildup. Also, make sure you have a competent installer who will also service your system. I started out with Amerec because of the size of my steamroom and the cost.

Make sure if you get an Amerec or any brand to have an ADK auto drain kit installed this is the primary way to avoid scale and buildup along with smart placement of the unit.

I still prefer Amerec and suggest you have an professional BUY and size the generator while understanding the tile material and " adjusted" cubic ft sq'.

Why?

Liability .

Thank you! Yes, our builder will be purchasing and his plumber will be installing everything. We’re going with Thermasol, 🤞!

IMO --- an authorized installer is the only professional qualified to buy and install a steam generator.

Next biggest concern? Vaporproofing your steamer. What is the plan? what is the perm rating of the system? sheet or liquid will the installer be following A TCNA or MFG specifiction? lots to verify/plan for...

Hi, am new to this bathroom appliance. I've landed on different blogs talking about it and one of the resource i stumble upon is https://consumerreportsmag.com/best-steam-shower-generator-reviews-consumer-reports/. But I don't know if these are the best in the market. Can anyone recommend from the list and from any trusted site for me?

Thanks for this thread! I have been trying to research brands and best wats to ensure vapor proofing. It’s hard to know if contracts really know what they are doing? Does anyone know if NYC requires a permit for this? Thanks!

I have a Thermasol unit. I like the steam generator, but the controller went bad and need to replace. They charge $1,300 list ($900 at a dealer) for a new control unit. Way over-priced, particularly for a part that failed. They should have better support program for owners, but they choose to gouge you. Great example of "Bad" revenue.

I don't understand the last post to this thread? Thermasol offers a 5-year replacement warranty on all their controllers. Why would you pay to replace it? Maybe you had it more than 5 years? If so, then it's too bad it failed but how long do you expect it to last? I doubt you could expect a car to last reliably with no problems longer than 5 years, so why expect that of your steam shower.

I have a PRO-395 that I installed 14 months ago. It just failed tonight. Not sure if it is the controller board or the heating element, but it stopped producing steam. Called tech support and they are shipping me a new replacement unit tomorrow and paying for the install, all at no cost. I am going to call them tomorrow to talk to them about the fact that it failed so soon. They are supposedly the best and charge a premium for their product. I am curious how they will explain that it failed so soon. Will update this post if they say anything interesting. Update: Spoke to them this morning and they are sending me a new unit, and pay for installation charge.

One other thing. Someone in the tread above talked about making their shower with a 10 ft ceiling. Don't do that! That is just dumb, and will affect the experience of a good steam. If you ever want to make your steam shower bigger, do it in the length or width but never in the height. My house has 10 ft. ceilings, but my shower has a 7.5 ft up to an 8 ft. ceiling and that is plenty high enough. The 7.5 ft part is over the bench so the fact that it is lower there makes no difference because you are sitting down.

@ cow pie, where is your control positioned in relation to the steam head? I was told by thermasol rep that the control panel could have problems and that the heat may be inaccurate if it is placed directly above on the same wall. Unfortunately my contractor was not aware of this and placed the steam head at 6” above the floor instead of the recommended 12” and placed the control 3 feet directly above the steam head. The construction project is not finished but I’m now very worried my steam shower may not be as functional