Steam Shower Generator Installation

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uscpsycho

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Yesterday I discovered that my contractor did not insulate the line from the steam generator to the steam shower. This is about a 30 foot run from the attic above the second floor to the bathroom on the first floor.

Thermasol indicates that the pipe should be insulated if it is over 10 feet OR exposed to cold areas. It is over 10 feet but will not be exposed to cold areas. My contractor is willing to break the drywall to insulate the pipe but he thinks it's unnecessary because the pipe runs inside interior walls (which I don't think are insulated) and of course the house is always going to be heated to a comfortable temperature.

The steam generator itself and the first couple of feet of the pipe will be colder than the house since they are in the attic but I live in Los Angeles so the temperature outside rarely gets below the 50's. I can easily have the exposed pipe in the attic insulated.

Should I have my contractor go through the trouble of breaking and patching all that drywall to do insulate the line or will it be OK as is?

Thanks in advance.
 

Jadnashua

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The manufacturer generally knows how their product works better than some guy on the internet! You have over 3x their maximum uninsulated length of supply pipe.

At standard conditions, you can get steam at 212-degrees - steam can become lots hotter, but it's not likely to actually get much warmer than that in a residential, atmospheric steam generator...try to push that 30', while you may have some fog, there will probably be very little steam. FWIW, steam is invisible...if you can see something, it's because it has already condensed into liquid - more fog, maybe with some steam mixed in.
 

uscpsycho

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The manufacturer generally knows how their product works better than some guy on the internet! You have over 3x their maximum uninsulated length of supply pipe.

At standard conditions, you can get steam at 212-degrees - steam can become lots hotter, but it's not likely to actually get much warmer than that in a residential, atmospheric steam generator...try to push that 30', while you may have some fog, there will probably be very little steam. FWIW, steam is invisible...if you can see something, it's because it has already condensed into liquid - more fog, maybe with some steam mixed in.
Their maximum length is 50 feet and I'm nowhere near that.

When the manufacturer says anything over 10' should be insulated that is meant to cover every foreseeable circumstance, up to and including 50' in a colder climate. I wonder if 30 feet indoors really requires insulation. I can see how it would be OK without insulation but I can also see how it could be necessary. I'm just trying to find people with experience who could tell me I for sure need to do this or will be OK not doing it.

Contractor screwed up and will fix it if it is necessary but neither of us is is thrilled with the idea of breaking and patching that much drywall. That's why I'm asking.
 

Jadnashua

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You have the instructions, and it seems you said anything over 10' OR if it runs in unconditioned space (any length). Yours may be in conditioned space, but is 3x the max uninsulated space they specify. The fact that you can go up to 50' is somewhat irrelevant, as it all must be insulated per their instructions.
 
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