Steam Bath History
A steambath is an ancient type of bath, first made popular by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The origins of the steam bath come from the Roman bath, which began during the height of the Roman Empire. Ancient Roman baths served many community and social functions within Roman society. Everyone in Rome used Roman public baths, regardless of socioeconomic status. These Roman baths were supplied by natural hot springs from beneath the ground.[1]
Historical parts of a spa – Roman, medieval, Georgian and Victorian have been restored in Bath, England and is available as a public bath or Thermae.[2]
Modern Steam Baths
Today, natural steam baths still exist, and often still use similar systems that the Romans used, which contain pipes and pumps that bring water up and into the large pool areas, wherever the natural springs exist. Heaters are also now used to maintain warm temperatures in the baths.
There are many different types of steam baths, which are different than a sauna. (Both are hot, but the steam in a sauna is created by throwing water on a stove.)[3]
Some forms of steambath are referred to as Turkish baths, steam rooms, or steam showers.
Steam Rooms & Showers
A steam room is an enclosed space with large amounts of high temperature steam, creating a high humidity environment. People sit in this room in a similar way to a sauna (conversely a hot, but dry atmosphere), for relaxation and purported benefits to health and well being. They can be commonly found in gyms, sanitariums and health resorts. Smaller, standalone steamroom enclosures can also be found in residential buildings.
Steam rooms are commonly maintained at a temperature of 41 degrees[citation needed] celsius or above, with a high humidity of around 100% adding to the sensation. In comparison, saunas are maintained at a much higher temperature due to the lack of humidity in the air (around 73 degrees celsius).
The Kilowatts of power required for steam generation varies depending on construction style.
A steam shower is a type of bathing where a humidifying steam generator produces water vapor that is dispersed around a person’s body. A steam shower is essentially a steam room that offers the typical features of a bathroom shower. Steam showers are generally found in self-contained enclosures that prevent the water vapour from escaping into the rest of the room, avoiding damage to drywall, paint, or wallpaper. A steam shower can be a social affair if the enclosure sits more than one person. Steam showers combine the functionality of a standard steam room with many additional features including a shower. Steam showers are available in a variety of materials, including but not limited to tile, acrylic, fiberglass, stone, and wood.
Steam Shower History
Steam showers have evolved from the steambath which is thought to have been invented during the height of the Roman Empire. Ancient Roman baths served many community and social functions within Roman society. These Roman baths were supplied by natural hot springs from beneath the ground.
Features
A steam shower could be a regular shower with the added steam feature that is powered by a steam generator. In addition to plain steam, modern steam showers provide additional features such as foot massagers, ceiling rain showers, television, radios, telephones, audio input from an MP3 or CD player, chromatherapy or aromatherapy. A steam shower can use solar thermal technology and lessen the electricity bill drastically by heating the water with the sun.
