FAQ - Listed Questions and Answers for Steam Showers & Cabins

Our showers come with a One Year Warranty, what does this mean?
We are a supply company and we do not operate a fitting service for any of our units. If a fault develops with your unit within the first 30 days of your plumber installing the unit, and it is not the fault of the person who installed it, we will cover any reasonable cost (upon receipt of an Installation Completion Certificate) for your plumber to go back to your home and rectify the problem. If any other fault occurs past the 30 days, we operate a fabulous warranty system where we will send any required replacement parts to you on a next day delivery service (where possible), completely free of charge for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase. (Please retain your original invoice number to validate this and your Installation Completion Certificate).

What is the delivery time for our units?
Most of our AquaPat Products are kept in stock right here in our Illinois Warehouse. We aim to deliver within 48 hours direct to your door with a palletized truck distribution company. If we do not have the unit you wish to purchase in stock or if you require a special order to be placed for you, the unit may take up to approximately 4 to 6 weeks to arrive at your door and you will be kept informed of your expected delivery time throughout this period as we receive updates from our transport company.

Why should I buy from AquaPat? I have seen similar units cheaper elsewhere.
AquaPat is a family owned and run company and has been trading successfully for the past 20 years. In this time, we have grown and grown and now have a huge, dedicated staff working for us so that we at AquaPat can provide you, the customer, with the highest level of customer service and after sales support. We have a stunningly good reputation for our outstanding customer service and are held in high regard by a vast number of satisfied clients. We also supply directly to a number of large retail and trade outlets, so we have a solid financial standing and will most certainly not be disappearing like some ‘fly by night’ companies that operate similar companies on a ‘part time basis’.

How does my delivery arrive?
Your delivery (such as whirlpool baths, steam shower cabins, shower cubicles and some other larger parts) will be delivered on a pallet. It is important that you check and inform us of any weight restrictions that might mean a large truck (over 7.5 tons) cannot get onto your property. This also includes, long driveways. If you fail to mention any delivery restrictions and the delivery cannot be made, there will be a re-delivery charge.

Where does the water and electricity connect at the back of the shower?
Water is connected to the shower at the diverter. The diverter is positioned approximately four feet off the floor (this can vary a little depending on model type). The unit comes supplied with hoses of approximately 3 feet in length for both hot and cold water supplies. The 13a power supply is typically from under the base and has a cable approximately five feet in length.

What Pressure is required to operate your steam units?
The shower requires between 1 and 3 bar of pressure at the unit to operate. For optimum results 2-3 bar is highly recommended. Please note that AquaPat Steam Cabins require a flow rate of at least 2 gallons per minute. The water supply to the unit must also be balanced.

Will a Gravity Fed Hot Water System work the unit?
No, Gravity fed hot water is not at sufficient pressure. These units operate between 1 and 3 bar of pressure. We at AquaPat recommend a Twin Impeller Pump to be used so that the hot and cold water are sent to the system at the same pressure. To achieve the best results from your shower we would suggest you get a pump capable of between 2-3.

I have a Combi Boiler, will this be ok?
Yes, most Combi Boilers will output 1- 3 bar of the required pressure, but because you will be typically using mains pressure cold water, you MUST have a Pressure Equalizing Valve (PEV) fitted. This ensures that water pressures are always balanced.

I am using a Pump to increase my water pressure, is that ok?
Yes, however you may find that the pump starts and stops when in operation and the flow; especially from the back jets, is not acceptable, if this is the case then you need to remove the non-return valves (NRV’s) These are located in the diverter assembly. Follow the hoses that are the Hot and Cold water feeds into the unit, where they join into the divertor, unfasten them and then look into the divertor, there you will see the NRV, they are typically black or white in color and held in with a clip.

Regarding the glass in AquaPat Shower cabins...
All of our AquaPat showers are fitted with safety glass. Safety glass has enhanced thermal resistance, and breaks into small cuboid fragments rather than irregular shards of glass and therefore is less likely to cause injury.

My Plumber has never fitted one of these before, what assistance can he have?
All of our fabulous AquaPat units come with a set of our own instructions, and of course our FAQ sheet. We have a technical support helpline with highly trained staff available to guide you or your plumber through each step of the installation, should the above not be sufficient.

How does the electrical portion work and what is required?
The Steam units require a 13 amp isolated fused spur. If the socket is located in the bathroom or a standard 13 amp house socket if you are running the flex out of the bathroom into another room. The Whirlpool Combi Units require 2 sockets as above. The sockets must have their own separate RCD to isolate the unit if required, but the flex supplied with the unit has an inline trip defense system integrated within it also. The power is converted within the unit to operate the lighting and radio, et cetera to a safe 12 volts.

Your AquaPat showers have an Extractor/Circulation Fan, why is this and what is required in my bathroom?
The fan helps to circulate the steam and assist in the removal of the steam after your have used the functions. We would recommend that the doors of the shower are closed after steam use and the O3 is activated for its full 10 minute cycle, then once finished, open the doors and allow the cabins to FULLY DRY, this will minimize the build-up of dirt.

My water pressures are good but I have very little water coming out of the shower?
Occasionally the washer fitted into the braided hoses can slip to one side and obscure the hole through which the water is meant to travel. Check the hoses/connections, especially those connected to the divertor block; these have built in mesh filters inside.

How do I clean my AquaPatsteam shower?
AquaPat steam showers have a fitted Ozonizer. When this Ozonizer is running all other ancillaries will cease to operate such as the radio et cetera. On some models the o3 (ozone) is automatically activated after the steam process is completed (others have an option button to select the mode). The o3 function makes a low whining sound when active. Ozone kills bacteria and germs and helps minimize their build up. Once the ozone process has completed (with the doors closed), you should open the cabin doors and allow the shower to FULLY dry.

There are 3 chrome knobs on the control panel, what do they all do?
All of our AquaPat units come with 3 different control knobs located on the control panel to operate the ‘water’ functions in the unit. The top control is a divertor valve, turning this will divert the water to the various functions in the shower such as the foot massage unit, the hydro massage jets, or the monsoon shower head and the personal hand-held shower and on the whirlpool bath units, there is a 5th setting which fills the bathtub. (Please note; the unit divertor only operates one function at a time.) The middle control knob operates the pressure of the water, and the lower control knob is the thermostatically controlled valve which has a safety switch that stops it at a certain temperature. If the knob is depressed, the unit can be set higher if required. Please use with care.

Do the units come with all of the necessary piping?
Yes, all of our magnificent AquaPat units have all of the piping included. They have a flexible waste pipe located underneath the tub which must have an ‘inline trap’ fitted to it by your plumber, and he must also use a ‘McAlpine ST28M’ reducing connector to connect it to your current household waste pipe. The pipes to supply the various ancillaries on the unit are all connected to the back of the 3 way valve in the central control panel and not to the tub. These should all be labelled as to which ancillary they should be connected to such as the foot massage, hand-held shower, steam generator, et cetera, and are all supplied with necessary 15mm connectors with washers.

My Divertor valve is labelled incorrectly, when I turn it to the diagram on the plate, it operates a different function?
This is not a very common issue, but is easily resolved. Unfortunately, the pipes on the divertor valve can infrequently get mixed up at our manufacturing location. To resolve this issue, just swap the pipes at the valve end of the connection which are secured with a standard 15 mm connection and this will solve the problem.

How do I wire in the LED lights, as I have three sets and only 1 connector?
The LED lights are all very low voltage. The shower has 2 lighting circuits, one for the ceiling lights, and one for the low voltage LED side lights. The wires simply twine together and go into the same connector, and it is as simple as that!

Can I use Aromatherapy oils and bars that I have heard of with the steam function?
Yes, of course you can! The steam outlet has a cap fitted to it. Simply remove this and you will find a gauze style plate for the bar/oils to sit into to give the steam any fragrance that you wish. Oils should be used by soaking a sponge to infuse the steam, as the liquid on its own will pass through the pod.

I cannot get the glass side panels to fit into the curved frame; the glass seems to be too tall?
At AquaPat this is a common question that we hear via phone call. The glass panel is factory cut, so it will always fit, it’s just that it is a tight fit on purpose to seal the unit. To fit the glass side panels, simply loosen the screws at the top and the bottom of the vertical framework that hold it to the curved front rails, and this will give you the freedom to fit the glass into the vertical upright, then once you have done this, tighten up the screws to nip the curved rail back into position.

The doors are too short and I cannot get the runners into position?
This is also a common question that we hear. We have found that the doors are easier to fit if you only put the top cam runners on first at their lowest position and then hang them in place, then place the bottom cams in the runners on the bottom curved rail, and slide the door over and connect the cam runner bolts on once you have the holes in the doors lined up with them. If they still aren’t close enough, check that the shower is level, as the frame could be twisted if it isn’t. Also check that the grey end caps on the two central vertical uprights are fitted correctly as they will force the curved rail upwards if not.

The Grey end caps for the central uprights are a very tight fit, what can I do to help fit them?
Place the end caps in boiling water to soften them. These are quite fragile and can be bent very easily, so we always suggest taking care when fitting these to prevent any stress marks occurring in the plastic which will affect the look of your shower when finished.

My Whirlpool has just stopped working! What do I do?
(Chrome whirlpool start button model only)
Move the cabin away from the corner and look behind/under in the location of the chrome switch that you press to start the whirlpool. You should see a clear tube connected to the underside of the button and this should also be connected into the top of the whirlpool pump. Occasionally, due to the pressurized air passing down the tube it may come away from either end. We suggest you clean the inside of the tube with a cotton bud and spirit based cleaning solution and also the nipple where the tube attaches - this removes any grease and ensures it stays in place more securely. If the tube looks stretched at the end and does not secure well, you can cut a very small amount off (5-8mm), but ensure the tube will still reach. Once cleaned, reattach the tube and push the cabin back into position.

I cannot get the vertical uprights on the curved rail to fit now that I have built up the framework?
From inside the cabin, you will see there are curved sealing strips screwed to the center of the curved rail. Remove these, and you will be able to fit the uprights in at an angle, and then slide them into place to meet the fixed side glass panels.

There are a number of loose seals in the box, what are they all for?
The seals that are 1 inch wide with a lip running down one edge of them and holes located along its length are to be used between the central control panel and the back panels. The U shaped seals with gripping edges are to be used on the long sides of the fixed glass panels. (The thicker seals are to go on the side that meets the aluminum frame upright, and the thinner seal to be used for the side of the glass that meets the central uprights.) We suggest using washing up liquid on these to help slide the glass panel into position in the aluminium upright. The hard plastic seals are to be fitted to the trailing edge of the doors to create a seal from the door to the fixed glass panel when closed, and the magnetic strips are used to seal the doors when closed. (Check that these are on the right way round so that they join together instead of repelling each other). .

Where do I seal the unit once it has been built?
We at AquaPat recommend sealing with a bead of clear silicone where the central control panel meets the back boards, and where the back boards meet the tub, but to leave the drainage channel clear for any moisture build up on the outside of the tub. It may also be necessary to put a bead of clear sealant along the top and bottom edges of glass panels where they seat into the frame. Finally, run a bead on the outside of the aluminium curved rail where it meets the tub, once again, leaving the drain chutes clear.

I can only get cold water from my shower, even when I turn the temperature up to full?
It is imperative that the pressure between hot and cold feeds going to the thermostat on the unit are balanced, if they are not, it will cause the thermostat to malfunction, check that there are no kinks in any of the pipework due to the way the unit is packaged, and if all of this is fine, call our technical support helpline to arrange a replacement thermostat to be sent to you.

What is the difference between the Regular and Deluxe models?
The regular model and the deluxe model (for example 8004-A and 8004-A) differ in that the control panel on the deluxe model is back lit and has a touch screen.

The units that AquaPat sells all seem to have many great features, but are they all included in the price?
Yes, there are no hidden extras or accessories needed. All you need to do is provide cables to the connectors on the unit for the power, water, waste and TV if fitted. Please Note: Most of our AquaPat steam showers are supplied with a telephone answer facility - this feature is NOT supported by AquaPat, you will need to arrange your own phone connection.

Will the tub support my weight?
The tub/bases in all of our AquaPat units are all supported by a steel frame, this means that unlike some other products on the market they will not bend and give when you stand in them.

Using Sky and Amplified aerials
Aerial outputs from Sky and Amplified/Booster boxes can cause problems with the TV of the steam shower cabins. This is due to the fact that the signal sent is often accompanied by a voltage of about 5 volts which interferes with the 12v that the steam shower uses. We therefore recommend using only a standard unamplified rooftop aerial.

Access and Weight
You are required to ensure the purchased AquaPat product dimensions allow for ease of passage to the intended installation area.