FIRST STEP:

It is super important to check your items prior to starting the installation to make sure it is 100% cosmetically as you require - It would be awful if you set about installing the item only to find a part or component needed replacing meaning you had to then further wait for its replacement

IS INSTALLING A STEAM SHOWER HARD?

Most of the items we sell on the site are intended for a DIY installation and one of the most common questions we get asked is “Are the steam and shower cabins easy to install?”. This question is hard to answer as it is subjective to the level of DIY skill of the individual

The showers are no more tasking than any other shower enclosure and only you can make the decision if you have the relevant skills and mindset for such task. This article sets out to enable you to make a better-informed decision

Finding a Qualified Installer

Water and electricity DO NOT MIX and the installation of electrical wiring in a bathroom MUST be done inline with the relevant safety and legal requirements. All electrical work within a bathroom leading up to the steam shower must be done by persons with a part P qualification.

If you have and have used the services of a local plumber before and have trust in one that is great or alternatively, specialists websites like Checkatrade.com, Ratedpeople.com and Compare-Tradesmen.com, can help you in your search. On these sites, you can search and review genuine feedback for tradespeople who operate in your area.

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DIY INSTALLATION OF A STEAM SHOWER

What Should Be In Place Before We Start:

WATER FEEDS:

Steam Shower Cabin Installation

Firstly the hot and cold water connections, all steam cabins will work off a 15mm/1/2 inch connection. Somewhere behind the unit, you will need a water supply for both your hot and cold ready to be adjusted to connect to your steam unit. The connection on the back of the steam cabins valve will always be a 15mm or a '' male connection

The best way to make the connection between the unit and the supply is via 'braided flexible hoses'. Because of the way a steam shower is built away from its final resting position to allow the build of it, the braided hoses allow the flexibility required to move the unit back and forth.

Connection via the hoses should be made to the 15mm threaded connection on the valve and some isolating valves fitted on the piping feeding the water supply to enable you to shut of the water to the shower if needed in future (good practice) and this also enables you to turn the water back on the house whilst you carry on with the installation

WASTE PIPE:

To fully enable your unit to fitfully against the wall or corner desired, without the need to 'cut' or otherwise modify the unit, the waste pipe to the unit will need to be supplied under the floor. A 1 '' waste pipe with adequate 'downwards' fall should be located somewhere beneath the steam shower

Again because of the need the move the unit around whilst the build is taking place, the connection to the shower's trap must be made by a 'flexible waste connector'. The best units will come supplied with these, if not, they are available to buy from any good hardware store.

ELECTRICS:

Most common steam shower cabins electric feed will be made by a 13 amp standard 240v connection (two if it has a whirlpool bath function). This is the single most important bit and with all electric works, especially when water is involved MUST be carried out by a qualified tradesperson

The Steam units require a 13 amp isolated fused spur to be fitted to ensure full waterproofed connection. The sockets must be on an RCD to ensure safety and to isolate the unit if required. Your electrician will advise you on this, as I said a qualified tradesman must do the electrical fitting

The power within the unit is converted to operate the lighting and radio is converted to a safe 12 volts.

Building A Steam Shower Unit:

RULES YOU MUST NEVER FORGET!

1. PTFE, which stands for Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene or as a plumber calls it Plumbers Tape For Everything. Should be used on every 15mm/ '' connection.

2. Don't screw up and screws tight until the end. This allows the panels and glass to move and twist into position as you go.

3. Check every component before you start

4. Do you need a PEV? Pressure Equalising Valve? This only protects the life and functionality of any shower valve but also helps ensure constant temperatures.

5. If it's possible to fill the tub or tray with water before you start to check for cracks of leaks, do so.

6. After the installation is complete, leave the unit 24 hours to let any silicone to fully set before use

BASE/TUB:

Once everything is in place and you're ready to go, spanner in hand, the first obstacle you'll face is the tray or tub base to the shower itself. The first port of call is to fully connect and ensure the watertight connection of the trays trap and waster pipe

Ensure all rubber gaskets and fittings are tight and well fitted, it might be an idea to pour some water into the trap or fill the tub to ensure there are no drips at this stage as it's easier to access

The second is to fully level the tray or tub via the adjustable legs. Check, check and check again, having the tub fully level is essential to the rest of the build to not only ensure its stands straight and upright but also to ensure all connections are made whilst the individual components are without any gaps and are 'sitting' as they should be.

WALL AND CONTROL PANEL:

This is when you'll need two people. First, look over every panel and the back of the control panel and tighten up the connections to the valve, water jets and anything that you can see, as many are only hand tight for transport purposes and will not initially be watertight

The first thing you will need to do is place the 'back panels' onto the tub and all but tighten up their connections to the base, don't tighten these fully yet, leave them with the fixings to hold them in place but slack enough to allow them to have some manoeuvrability

Then place in the control panel, the best steam shower units will have either a rubber or plastic strip running along the lengths of where the panels meet to ensure a waterproof fitting, Otherwise, it would be more than wise to run a small bead of silicon down the lengths, it's better to use too much silicon than too little as any excess can simply be wiped off.

DOOR FRAME AND GLASS:

With your shower now looking something like a shower. The next thing to tackle is the framework for the glass doors. The best way of doing this is to build this up separate from the shower itself and lift it into position on its completion.

The connection screws for the framework is notoriously tricky to put together so first ensure you have enough space around you to fully manipulate and move the framework around. Starting at the bottom up, first attach the two sides to the base piece, and then the top framework. Then install any 'fixed glasses' and support/holding pieces into the framework

Once this is done, lift the framework onto the shower tray or tub, again using silicone if necessary to tighten up the connection between the framework and panels. REMEMBER nothing should yet be screwed uptight to allow all pieces to fully fall into place throughout the fitting.

ROOF:

The Roof is usually the home to all the main functions and features that come with a steam shower. Carefully lifting the roof onto the shower, ensure all holes 'marry up' as they should. (it is not as important to silicone between the roof and panels that it sites on, as this should be at a level where volumes of water shouldn't be getting to)

CONNECTIONS:

Now it's probably the best time to fix any shelves, riser rails and any other components that come with the shower to the unit itself and to fully tighten up all the screws and fixings on the shower that have been left, check before doing this that every panel and piece fully stand and fit as they should. Also, it's a good time now to connect the electrics to the supply and connect all the connections to the fan, speakers or any other connections that need to be in place

It's also possible now to connect the hot and cold water via the braided hoses

All connections should be straightforward and labelled to match each other. The steam generator will most communally have three connections to it 1st the water supply, which is most communally located in the middle and feeds from the shower valve or directly from the cold water feed

2nd the steam outlet, which is positioned the highest of the three and feeds to the steam outlet on the unit and finally the 3rd which is the water drainage, this will in most cases fit the waste via a pipe that's attached to it on a spigot.

DOORS:

Hopefully, if I haven't missed anything, the last thing you should be left with is the doors to the unit. Before you fit these it's a good idea, as with any shower enclosure, to run a small bead of silicone along the lengths of the panels and tray/tub to ensure a waterproof fitting.

This is not always necessary but does greatly add to the water integrity of the unit, Then depending on the quality of the unit spend a couple of minutes looking for any gaps or weak points on the framework where any water may penetrate.

Finally, the doors, using the door cams provided simply fit these to the frameworks 'runners' adjusting them to fit and slid straight via the adjustable cams.

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THE FINAL CHECK:

First run through all the functions both electric and water, checking on top, behind and below for any leaks, drips or any sign of anything out of place, BE THOROUGH!!

After this is all OK which it will be if you have followed this guide, it's time for the final check, put the valve onto the showerhead and spray away! Methodically spray the corners then up and down the connected lengths, move to the next, along the bottoms and in turn spray everywhere, with one person spraying and another behind the unit to check for complete water integrity before sliding the shower happily back into its final resting place.

That's it, you're done. Relax.

Hopefully along with this guide and a little thinking from yourself your shower is now perfectly installed and ready to use. A steam shower is a fantastic luxury item that is an absolutely fantastic place to relax and unwind, and when installed correctly is a lifelong, endurable feature for your bathroom.

BONUS - TOP TIP

Always invest in a better quality silicone - As this can be on display, it is best to purchase a top-quality, mould resistant silicone rather than one that may quickly become unsightly