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Di Vapor unveils the new Savona!

This summer, Di Vapor has introduced an all new glass steam shower aptly named the Savona. This sleek 900 x 900mm low profile 1 person steam shower designed for one person, can be fitted into a corner or fitted against the middle of the a wall. A swinging glass door entrance mounted on the front provides an elegant finish designed to set off the newest contemporary bathrooms.

The unit comes complete with an artificial marble low profile tray, and removable wooden bench so that you can remove it when not using the unit for steam maximising showering space. In addition to this, the Savona comes complete with everything required for the perfect escape including thermostatic valve controls for the overhead monsoon shower and handheld shower, hydro massage body jets, FM radio with MP3 & CD support, and provision for aromatherapy.

A beautiful unit suited for the latest bathroom renovations. For more information please visit the following link: http://www.divapor.com/savona-steam-shower-cabins/shower-cabins-savona.php

Burn up to 600 calories in a Solare Sauna!

Can you lose up to 600 calories in a Di Vapor Solare infrared sauna in 30 minutes?

A common misconception is that weight loss in a sauna is solely due to water loss through sweating. While it is true that weight reduction due to water loss will be regained when you are rehydrated, it is also true that the body expends energy and consumes calories in the sweating process.

A letter by Major Ward Dean, MC, to the Journal of the American Medical Association (1981;246(6):623), detailed that the use of an infrared sauna can burn between 200 to 600 calories in a 30 minute session. When heated by the sauna, the body’s cardiac output, heart rate and metabolic rate increases.

Water does not simply “leak” from the body in an infrared sauna. It is this cardiac output that burns calories, aiding in weight loss. JAMA states that the process consumes 0.586 kcal per gram of water lost.

A different clinical study by M. Imamura looked at the potentially positive effects that using an infrared sauna can have on the lining of blood vessels in the heart. It was discovered, however, that after 15 minutes of infrared sauna use every day for 2 weeks, participants had significantly lost body weight [1]. As monitoring body weight was not their primary concern it demonstrates that the effect must have been significant to warrant its inclusion.

For more information on what a Solare Sauna can do for you, click here.

Making your home Greener!

There are a few changes you can make to your home that will save you money and help protect the environment at the same time. Study the following options to see if there is room for improvement in your home.

Insulate your home

Up to 40 percent of the heat that is lost in the home is through the roof and surrounding walls. This percentage can be reduced significantly by installing simple loft insulation costing between £200 to £300, resulting in an average saving of £150 per year. Cavity wall insulation prices start from £130 with an average saving of £100 a year. Obvious improvements such as double glazing will also reduce heat loss through the windows.

Reducing your water usage

At present, homes across the UK can use up to 1000 litres of water per day. One option is to install a water meter along with low-flush toilets. You can also take advantage of rainwater, by installing a harvesting system which can reduce your water consumption by as much as half whilst being used with toilets, washing machines and gardening. Systems such as this can start from £3500.

Generate your own Energy

Photovoltaic (PC) Cells or solar panels as we know them, operate by capturing solar radiation and converting it into electricity. An average home with a south facing roof could potentially generate half of its own needed energy using these cells. Systems vary in prices but are expected to be paid back within at least ten years. Wind turbines are also an option, but only effective in certain locations. It is important to carry out a wind assessment beforehand - Prices for wind turbines start from £1000.

Make small change around the home

Lighting in the home accounts for around 15 per cent of your annual electricity bill, so it is important to change over to energy saving bulbs throughout your home. Each bulb can save up to £7 per year! Installing an efficient condensing boiler is expected to save £150+ per year, whilst investing in a jacket and lagging for your hot water cylinder and pipes will pay itself back within one year of installation.

Sources: Homebuilding & Renovating magazine - June 2008

Reduce Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain with an Infrared Sauna

Heat therapy has been used since Hippocratic times to treat varying ailments.   Now the Saxion University of Applied Sciences has shown how patients suffering with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) can benefit from infrared sauna treatment.  The study conducted on 17 patients suffering with RA and 17  patients suffering with AS showed very positive results with a decrease in pain, stiffness and fatigue.

Joint with Rheumatoid Arthritis (Source: www.nih.gov)

During the infrared sauna treatment both pain and stiffness were significantly decreased.  Importantly, the results were shown to be ’statistically significant’.  Furthermore, the infrared sauna treatment showed no adverse effects and did not exacerbate the disease.  Other positive effects showed a lowering in blood pressure and weight loss.

Infrared saunas are compact, affordable and offer a practical option for whole body heat treatment within your own home.  For more findings from this study please read the full article: http://www.divapor.com/sauna-articles/sauna-treatment-rheumatoid-arthritis.php

Planning your bathroom? Here are 7 top tips!

There are 7 key areas that you must address before starting your bathroom renovation. By planning ahead, you can save yourself both time and prevent many costly mistakes that may occur in the long run.

1. Get the location perfect - Where is your bathroom currently located? Is it in the best place for the rest of the home? If not, now may be the best time to relocate. For example, it may be beneficial to move the bathroom from downstairs to upstairs or vice versa. Remember, this is your bathroom, so design the space to fit the features you want it to have, such as a walk-in shower enclosure or whirlpool bath.
2. Is that the best price? - If you’re working with a limited budget, you don’t have to buy all your sanitaryware from the same supplier, or with the same brand. It’s useful to stick with the colour white as this will broaden your options, and be sure to check out your local bathroom discount warehouses and online retailers. Mix and match different installations to achieve the look you’re after at the best possible cost.
3. Check your water supply - The performance of your water system will determine the outcome of water pressure within your new bathroom installation. There is no point in upgrading your bathroom without first checking that your water system will be up to the task. If your home currently has a gravity fed system, it may be an idea to check with your plumber to see if a pressurised system can be installed, so that you’re meeting a standard demand of 3 BAR (measure of water pressure). If an upgrade isn’t an option, then look towards electrical pump installations to give you that extra boost in pressure.
4. Turn on the lights! - Imaginative lighting can make a big difference to your finished look - Don’t just settle for a single centre mounted light bulb. Experiment with spot lights on key features, such as the bath, with dimmer controls to create a real relaxing atmosphere. Low-voltage down-lights with directional fittings can provide clean bright lighting to create a spacious feel within your bathroom. Avoid pointing lights onto mirrors, and be sure to check that all your lights meet building regulations (IPX ratings etc).
5. Consider your heating - The ideal option for bathrooms is underfloor heating, as it’s concealed and it can make a tiled or stone floor a lot more comfortable. Alternatively, you could incorporate hot water pipes between joists which can be added to your current central heating system (you will need a mixer valve to control the extra flow). Electric UFH mats laid within the tile adhesive are also another option. Towel rails are a no brainer - easy installation with maximum benefit both practically and cosmetically.
6. Enough ventilation? - If you don’t consider ventilation properly in the early stages of development, your newly installed bathroom will quickly become victim to mould, and unavoidable musty smells. An electric powered extractor fan mounted into a top corner is the best option, and and can be vented straight outside or up through a ceiling. Some fans can be activated by movement or humidity level, but the common method of operation is incorporating it into your light switch.
7. Optimise your layout - Having a shower, wash basin and WC is fine for a second bathroom or en suite, but a family bathroom needs to have a bath. Don’t try to cram too much into your new layout and try and stick to minimum practical working distances around each facility. WC’s for instance, require 45cm either side of the centre. Without spending too much cash, try using a computer program to help you decide on a layout. Google SketchUp (sketchup.google.com) is a great place to start.

So what are you waiting for? Get planning!

Source: Real Homes Magazine - June 2009

The River Thames can heat your home!

A couple based in Oxford have found a novel use for the River Thames, running just opposite their newly built home. Water from the free flowing river provides the raw material required for a water based heat pump which is being utilised to heat the water in their home. The principle is the same as a ground source heat pump, which extracts heat from the local environment, which in this case is the River Thames.

Combined with high insulation, and correctly glazed windows the demand for heating is less here than in the average home. The combination of the Thames heat pump and solar panels provides enough energy to warm both their home and hot water supply. Taking advantage of these new ecosaving energy sources could mean that we are getting ever closer to that cost-free shower first thing each morning!

So what’s the science behind it? Both air and water source heat pumps are enviromentally efficient ways of transforming natural heat sources to benefit our homes. Air heat pumps can be utilised for heating the home, whereas water based heat pumps can take advantage of the heat in a lake or from the ground. This technology can easily be explained when looking at your fridge at home.  A small heat pump located on the back of the fridge works to move any heat from inside the fridge to the outside, thus cooling down the inside.  For more information on heat pumps please visit the following link: http://www.ecoheatpumps.co.uk/heat_pumps.htm

Source: Grand Design Magazine - July 2009

Labour MP puts Sauna on expenses!

The latest addition to the MP’s expenses fiasco shows how one politician utilised the taxpayer’s money to install a sauna in his home. The unknown MP, who is thought to be a senior Labour figure, claimed for the sauna to help with a current skin condition that required regular sauna sessions. It has been stated that this new discovery is bound to trigger a fresh storm in how MP’s are abusing the £24,006 second home allowance.

Many Ministers fear an uproar of unjustified claims will be uncovered once MP’s are to declare all expenses receipts this summer.  It is believed that such embarassment could cause a number of members to quit in order to avoid further scrutiny.

As with this Minister, Di Vapor also believes that saunas are one of the best investments you can make for your body, so head over to http://www.divapor.com/infrared-sauna.php to see our full range.

For the full article, please visit the following link: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bronze age sauna discovered.

A newly discovered roundhouse and sauna has been discovered on a Cumbria Farm in Somerset England: March 2009.

The roundhouse measured 56 feet (17) in diameter, which was one of the largest roundhouses to be unearthed in Britain, and is estimated to be an impressive 3,000 years old.
Archaeologists uncovering the site found a large mound of burned stones, which suggests a sauna may have once stood there. A wide range of Roman artefacts were also found including shears, brooches, three Iron Age spearheads, loom weights, vast amounts of pottery and two skeletons.

Steven Membury, a historic environment officer at Somerset County Council, said: “We think the site began about 2,500 BC with ritual use around a spring where the burned stones were found”

“The idea that the stone indicate ’sweat houses’ is just one theory”

“We can tell that the huge roundhouse burned down but we think we have one surviving post which we will be able to carbon date”

For the full story, please visit the following link: Bronze Age Sauna

The Sun can heat your home.

There is not a lot out there that can match a piping hot shower - unless of course it doesn’t cost a penny. The way to do this is to take full advantage of widely available solar thermal panels. Fitting a system is straight forward and can be carried out on any home, whether it is an existing property or new build.

It is important not to confuse solar thermal panels with photovoltaic panels, which utilise the suns energy to produce electricity. Solar thermal panels use the suns energy to heat water stored in glass pipes on the surface of the panels. The heated water is then circulated into the homes water supply where it can be used for washing up, showering, and in some cases heating the home. The beauty of it all is that it doesn’t cost you anything.

Leading solar thermal providers state that full solar thermal systems will provide 50 – 70% of the hot water in your home. With a 50% growth on solar thermal installations across the UK in comparison to last year, it seems that the general public are beginning to catch on.

With systems starting from as little as £1500.00 you’ll soon realise the system will begin to pay itself off before you know it.

For more information visit the suppliers: www.velux.co.uk, www.meisterstueck.co.uk, www.baxi.co.uk, www.kingspansolar.co.uk

Steam therapy to cure sinusitis - Daily Mail

A towel and a bowl of steaming water may be a more effective way to tackle sinusitis than drugs. In a new trial, up to 300 patients will use inhalation to treat a condition that is often tackled with antibiotics. It comes in the wake of research showing that the amount of patients who recovered in ten days was about the same, whether they took an antibiotic or a placebo.

Acute sinusitis - inflammation of the linings of the sinuses - affects up to five per cent of adults. Symptoms include headaches, sore face and a blocked nose. In the trial, at Southampton University, researchers will compare steam inhalation and nasal irrigation, where patients flush 150ml of saline through each nostril daily for six months. The hot steam is thought to help clear the airways, which improves breathing and mucus flow.

Source: The Daily Mail - March 31st 2009

If you suffer with sinusitis then a Di Vapor steam shower may provide a great treatment.