Calcium Problems in Steam Showers

Identify

• Steam showers are a way to bring one of the biggest advantages of a health spa right into your own home. It's generally a luxury enjoyed outside of the home, such as at a gym or health spa., but it's not unusual to find people turning their regular home shower into a steam shower. The main requirements are a moisture-sealed enclosed area that will prevent the water vapors from escaping, and a steam generator to heat the water.
  
  

Benefits

• For centuries researchers have identified the health benefits that come from steam rooms. The steam causes your pores to open, thus increasing your body's metabolism and the heart rate. This makes the body sweat and eliminate harmful toxins that need to be released. It's also good for the circulation as well as the body's respiratory system. Steam therapy has been credited for helping conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, sinus problems, arthritis, and a number of other joint aches and pains.
  
  

Facts

• Just as the benefits of a steam shower are easily recognizable, so are the calcium deposits that have been known to build up on the heating element and shower head. This occurs when the cold water that is piped into the steam shower generator is actually hard water.
  
  Hard water results from an excess of calcium and magnesium. When hard water is heated, like it is when the steam generator boils it, a scale of calcium starts to form. This white, crusty build-up can clog pipes, interfere with the flow of water, and prevent proper functioning of the steam shower unit.
  
  

Prevention

• Hard water calcium deposits can create costly expenses. Calcium build-up causes shower units to work inefficiently. But you can help prevent having to pay for servicing the unit, or paying increased utility costs, by employing any of several measures. Use a spray nozzle made of rubber. This will reduce calcium build-up. There also are various cleaners on the market, such as CLR, that can help eliminate calcium problems. Soaking your shower head in lemon juice, or vinegar and water, has also been known to dissolve calcium.
  
  

Consideration

• Water softeners come in various forms and can be a solution to households with hard water problems. As of 2009, research currently is being conducted to study how magnets are used to soften hard water and also provide potential health benefits.