I perform indoor air quality (mold) inspections and have a client that has constructed a steam room in the master bath of a residence. As best I can tell from looking behind the trim plate of the shower valve, the wall section consists of some brand of cement backer board, 1/2 inch thick mortar, and 1/2 inch thick marble tiles. The joints appear to be non-sanded cementicious grout.
There is no fresh air supply or exhaust to the shower enclosure. There are two opposing doors allowing entry from the male and female side of the master bath. Each door has a silicone seal around the entire perimeter, that does such a fine job that the enclosure actually becomes negatively pressured (up to -50 Pa) wrt the wall cavity, shower drain, and the main bathroom space every time you open the door (conversely, it becomes positively pressured when you close the door).
Does anyone have any lessons learned regarding the design of this type of enclosure? My concerns are water vapor entering the wall cavity and future mold issues (the opposite side of the stud walls forming the enclosure is drywall); the durability of the grouted joints vs. an elastomeric joint; and the air quality issues in the enclosure due to lack of ventilation and negative draw on the drain trap.
Thanks for your help
There is no fresh air supply or exhaust to the shower enclosure. There are two opposing doors allowing entry from the male and female side of the master bath. Each door has a silicone seal around the entire perimeter, that does such a fine job that the enclosure actually becomes negatively pressured (up to -50 Pa) wrt the wall cavity, shower drain, and the main bathroom space every time you open the door (conversely, it becomes positively pressured when you close the door).
Does anyone have any lessons learned regarding the design of this type of enclosure? My concerns are water vapor entering the wall cavity and future mold issues (the opposite side of the stud walls forming the enclosure is drywall); the durability of the grouted joints vs. an elastomeric joint; and the air quality issues in the enclosure due to lack of ventilation and negative draw on the drain trap.
Thanks for your help
