loading
Office Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
Luxury Bathrooms & Spares Experts
Bathroom Spares Experts
Contact Cart

Steam Showers: Frequently Asked Questions


Find a Spare Part

Pre-Delivery Questions

Q
Why are your prices higher than other suppliers I have seen?
A

Steam shower prices vary considerably and this can largely be attributed to quality and after sales service. There are many suppliers in the market who compete primarily on price and can do so because of the lower quality of their products. Simply put, low quality, thin acrylic and aluminium frames, plastic accessories and poor product testing can often result in a flimsy product with which you are more likely to have problems and perhaps incur higher costs in the long run. The popular adage of "You get what you pay for" often applies with these types of products and the customer service provided.

In addition, many fly-by-night companies who often sell steam showers on a part-time basis may be very difficult and sometimes impossible to contact when a problem arises. Furthermore, you may struggle to find answers and support to basic questions. With Di Vapor, you can be assured of a very high quality product with excellent customer service and all at a very reasonable price. Please see our steam shower buyers guide for more information on the Di Vapor quality.

Q
Are the units guaranteed and what happens after the guarantee period?
A

All the Di Vapor steam showers are guaranteed and come with a 2 years spare parts warranty. In the event that a manufacturer problem develops in this 2 year period Di Vapor will send out a replacement part free of charge. If a problem develops after the 2 year warranty then simply let us know and we will provide the spare part at a trade price. Please note that the Di Vapor warranty does not cover the fitting or installation of the spare part.

Q
Am I able to extend my guarantee?
A

Each Di Vapor steam shower comes with a 2 year parts warranty as standard. If you would like to extend your 2 year warranty to a 5 year parts warranty, Di Vapor provide this option for only £195.

Q
What happens if the product goes out-of-stock?
A

When a product is out of stock the given item must be re-ordered. The order of an item may take 8-12 weeks if it is not held in stock. However, Di Vapor may already have the given item on order. Please phone the Di Vapor office on 08454 650 800 to confirm the availability of the desired product. As building projects have strict schedules Di Vapor will allow you to place a deposit on a stock item and Di Vapor will hold that item for you for up to 12 weeks. This will guarantee availability for when you require the item.

Q
What payment methods do you accept?
A

Di Vapor accepts the following cards: Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Switch or Solo. Alternatively, you may pay by cheque, making the cheque out to Di Vapor Limited. Please note that funds must clear before any items are dispatched. In addition, Di Vapor can accept online bank transfers; please ask for more details.

Q
How will the shower arrive? Does the unit come pre-assembled?
A

Your steam shower will arrive in 1-3 wooden slatted crates. Typically, you will receive 2 crates the smaller of which holds the shower tray and shower cover; while the larger crates will hold the remaining fibreglass reinforced acrylic panels, safety glass and accessories.

Unlike some stories we have been told, our steam showers come largely pre-assembled with the massage jets, electric wiring and water pipes already connected. The unit is supplied with its constituent panels flat-packed for easy manoeuvring through doorways. These adjoining panels will be bolted together and sealed with silicone to provide a relatively straight forward installation. Simply connect any pipes/wires that join the plumbing/electrics between adjacent panels, hook up your hot and cold water feeds, electric supply and waste drainage and you are ready to go.

Q
Does the steam shower heat the water?
A

No. Each Di Vapor steam shower requires both a hot and cold water feed at the appropriate pressure to the rear of the shower cabin. The shower cabins do not have a built-in water heating facility. The shower will function with just a cold water feed and create hot steam for a normal steam session but you would only be able to have a cold shower!

Q
What water pressure is required for Di Vapor steam showers?
A

While the steam unit may function on a lower water pressure we recommend a combined hot and cold water pressure of 2.5-3.0 bar. Please advise your plumber that the steam unit will require a water supply of approximately 18 litres per minute. This would be split between the hot and cold water giving 9 litres per minute for the hot and 9 litres per minute for the cold. Please check whether your combi boiler meets these advised figures.

Q
Can I use a water pump to increase the pressure to an acceptable level?
A

Yes, if your water pressure is too low then a water pump may provide a suitable solution. Di Vapor recommends the Salamander ESP100 3.0bar or equivalent. Please consult your plumber for more information.

Q
Will my combi/combination boiler work with these steam showers?
A

Yes. Combi boilers will work fine with Di Vapor steam showers. However, please check the boiler's hot water supply pressure meets the Di Vapor product recommendations. Please note that you may require a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) to be fitted to your cold water supply so the hot and cold water pressures match.

Q
Will the steam unit work with a gravity fed water system?
A

Typically, no. A gravity fed system can be identified where you have a lagged hot water cylinder (often located in an airing cupboard) and cold water storage tank (often in the loft). The gravity of the cold water provides the water pressure and this varies depending on the height of the cold water tank. One bar of pressure is the force required to raise water to a height of 10 metres, so if the water storage tank is 10 metres above the shower then this would produce 1 bar of pressure. In most cases gravity fed water systems would require the installation of a water pump to provide an adequate pressure. Please ask your plumber for more details.

Q
Does the unit come with everything I need?
A

The steam shower comes with everything required for successful assembly. The plumber should provide piping up to the unit and the fixed waste piping away from the shower. Certain models have CD/MP3 input. To connect your CD/MP3 player to the control box you will need a standard twin phono to 3.5mm stereo jack lead that runs from the rear of the unit back to your music device. These can be bought at most high street electrical suppliers such as Maplins. If your steam shower comes with a telephone connection and you want to connect the steam shower to your home's telephone line then you will need to run a phone line back to the unit and this will require an RG11 to BT adaptor.

Q
I have a restricted ceiling height. Do you provide shorter steam showers?
A

Yes. The height of models such as the Verona and Victoria can be changed. Please note, the height can only be changed on certain models and would incur a longer delivery time. Please contact Di Vapor to determine which models can be supplied at a bespoke height.

Delivery Questions

Q
Do I need help unloading the boxes?
A

Yes. These products are substantial and the weight of the boxes highlights the quality and thickness of material used. The larger of the two crates would typically require 2-4 people (in some cases more) to carry, depending on the unit. The delivery is provided by a third party courier company and it is up to the discretion of the delivery driver themselves whether they help with unloading. Please do not rely on the delivery driver's help. Please refer to the pre-installation sheets for the appropriate unit to make sure you have suitable manpower on-site to unload the crates. If you have any other questions on the unloading of specific units then please phone the Di Vapor office and we will endeavour to provide the information you require.

Q
How long will delivery take?
A

If the steam shower is in-stock in our warehouse then Di Vapor typically provides a 2-5 business day delivery time. Please note that units will not be dispatched until payment has been successfully processed. A longer delivery time will be incurred where a unit is not in stock. Please note, where glass colour options exist, one option may be in-stock while the other may be out-of-stock. Stock levels continually change and we endeavour to keep the website fully up-to-date at all times. However, we advise you to phone the Di Vapor office on 08454 650 800 to confirm the availability of an item.

Q
The dimensions of the product are larger than my doorway, will it fit through?
A

The product will come in 1-3 large crates and the items inside these crates are flat-packed where possible. For example, the Niagara (steam shower with whirlpool bath) will have the whirlpool bath and shower cover in one box. The other box will hold the glass doors, glass side panels and back panel. These individual panels can be removed from the box and should fit through most doorways. In the Niagara example given, the bathtub is the largest part, but we have not found this to be a problem with our customers. However, please make necessary checks to confirm the products accessibility to your chosen location.

Q
Can I have a Saturday delivery?
A

The standard free delivery service is from Monday-Friday, inclusive. Di Vapor can arrange for a Saturday delivery but this will incur a delivery surcharge of £40. This surcharge is partially subsidised by Di Vapor and is a cost that is charged directly by the 3rd party courier company for this service.

Installation Questions

Q
How difficult are the units to assemble and install?
A

The units are relatively straight forward to install and can be likened to a washing machine in many respects. Your plumber should run hot and cold water feeds to the rear of the unit with connections for the unit's standard braided hoses. It is important to make sure that no debris remains in the pipes before connecting the pipes to the unit as the debris could clog the thermostatic valve and cause problems. Please make sure your plumber runs water through the new pipes into a bucket before connecting the pipes to the shower.

The steam shower comes with a pre-connected flexible waste hose that requires installation into your home's waste piping. The steam shower requires a 16 Amp power supply and should be connected through the existing RCD or the RCD at the consumer box,. The unit comes flat-packed and the constituent acrylic panels, aluminium columns and glass are connected using screws and bolts that are provided. To complete installation it is important to make sure the unit is carefully sealed with standard bathroom silicone to avoid any water leakage.

Q
Do the products come with installation instructions and a user guide?
A

Yes. Each steam shower is supplied with both installation instructions and a user guide. These guides should answer all your questions but if you have any additional questions then our customer service team are always on hand to help.

Q
What is the electrical requirements of the steam unit?
A

The steam showers electrical control box has a rated working voltage of 220Volts, 50Hz. The power of the steam generator is 3KW+-10%. The power of the water pump is 0.745KW (1HP). The voltage of the controlling circuits is DC12V and the control box has a waterproof grade of IPX4. Any electrical connections within the bathroom should use a waterproof I.P. 56 socket and be situated 1 metre from the floor.

Q
What plumbing connections do I need?
A

The unit comes with all the water pipes necessary to connect the unit's own massage jets and showering functions. In addition, the unit has two 1 metre braided hoses to connect to your home's hot and cold water supplies. Connected to the shower drain is a 32mm flexi-hose drainage pipe that is approximately 75cm in length. Your plumber should supply all piping up to the unit and the fixed drainage pipes away from the unit.

Q
Do you provide an installation service?
A

Most Di Vapor products can be installed by any qualified plumber or qualified bathroom engineer - The units are not considered specialist installations. Currently, Di Vapor does not offer an installation service but if you are looking to find a qualified workman in your area our customers have found great success with CheckATrade.

CheckATrade offers a list of reputable plumbers and installers within your area, ranked by previous customers on their quality of completed jobs and overall service. For more information, please visit www.checkatrade.com

Q
Your units come with a ventilation fan. Do I need an extractor fan in my bathroom?
A

During a steam session a large quantity of steam is produced and is largely trapped within the steam cabin. Once the door is opened the steam will quickly expel into the room. It is important to have good ventilation to allow this steam to escape from the bathroom otherwise the steam will condense in your bathroom and could lead to mould or other related problems in the future. The build up and condensation of the steam can also be likened to that of a long hot shower.

If the room has a window then opening this window will quickly expel most of the steam from the bathroom and provide good ventilation. An extractor fan is not essential although good ventilation is an important consideration.

Post-Installation Questions

Q
Can I use aromatherapy oils with the steam shower?
A

Yes. Di Vapor use a specially engineered steam outlet that has an inlet for aromatherapy oils. Please enquire about Di Vapor's specially blended aromatherapy oils.

Q
What is the temperature range of the steam shower?
A

The temperature range obtainable with the thermostatic control valve is 0C-54C. To obtain the higher temperature ranges there must be a sufficiently high hot water supply from your boiler. The suggested water temperature is 38C.

The temperature range of the steam is 30-60 degrees Celsius. The suggested steam temperature is 42C, although this depends on customer preference and any medical advice. Please note, if the room temperature is higher than the selected steam temperature the steam function may automatically shut-off.

Q
Does the ozone generator require refilling?
A

No. The ozone generator creates ozone (O3) from oxygen (O2).

Q
How does my CD/MP3 player connect to the unit?
A

Simply run a standard left and right twin phono (male connections) to 3.5mm stereo jack (male jack) lead from the rear of the steam shower (below the control box) to your audio device. From the control panel you can then select the CD input source.

Q
How do I clean the steam shower?
A

The shower units are finished with fibreglass reinforced acrylic. Acrylic can scratch so make sure you use a non abrasive, mild bathroom cleaner. Simply apply the cleaner and wait for a few minutes, then you can use a soft bristled brush or cloth and gently clean the panels paying special attention to any crevices where dirt can build up. After finishing rinse off all cleaner with water. Please do not mix your cleaning agents. You are advised to clean the shower in this manner once or twice a month or depending on use. Where the unit comes with an ozone generator, then this can be left on for a period of about 10 minutes after each steam session to kill and reduce the build up of bacteria and mould.

Note: Di Vapor is not responsible for the views, opinions or advice represented in the articles on this site. You are advised to seek medical advice before following any such information. Copyright © 2007 Di Vapor.