1. Establish the project record
- Record project address, room name, responsible designer, installer, electrician, plumber, waterproofing lead, and permit authority.
- Save the exact generator, controller, adapter, steam-head, and drain-pan model numbers under consideration; do not record only collection names.
- Download the current product page, specification sheet, and installation guide for each exact SKU on the review date.
- Record document form or revision numbers and the date each source was retrieved. Recheck them before ordering and before rough-in.
Start with the current Kohler steam-generator catalog (official Kohler source) and the SteamDesignPro source register.
2. Verify the finished enclosure geometry
- Measure finished inside width, depth, and height at the surfaces that will contain steam.
- Record ceiling slopes, dropped areas, full-height projections, and any condition that changes enclosed volume.
- Confirm door wall, hinge side, swing, clear opening, hardware, and conflicts with benches or fixtures.
- Mark solid walls, glass walls, exterior walls, windows, skylights, and penetrations.
- Have the responsible design and waterproofing professionals confirm the steam-rated enclosure, vapor-management, slope, drainage, and movement-joint strategy.
Kohler's published selection method calculates cubic feet as width × height × depth and recommends a ceiling height of 8 feet or less. Kohler selection guide (official Kohler source)
3. Confirm the sizing decision
- Calculate and record actual finished cubic volume.
- Identify the first published model capacity that covers that volume.
- If the ceiling is above 8 feet, record how the required move through the generator sequence was applied and who confirmed it.
- Stop and request manufacturer review if the room is above 1,000 cu ft, the ceiling is above the documented 10-foot maximum, or the ceiling step moves beyond the published model sequence.
- Compare the result with Kohler's current calculator and retain the result with the project record.
Review the full sizing table and boundary examples. The official capacity sequence and ceiling note are in the Kohler selection guide (official Kohler source).
4. Lock the compatible control path
- Identify the shower as mechanical, Anthem+ digital, or DTV+ digital.
- For a mechanical shower, verify K-5557, K-5558, or K-32312 against the current guide; pair K-32312 only with its listed separately sold steam head.
- For an Anthem+ or DTV+ system, verify K-5548-K1, K-5549-K1, or K-32311 against the current guide; pair K-32311 only with its listed separately sold steam head.
- For tandem generators, include two steam heads and verify the tandem control or adapter path.
- Verify the exact finish suffix on each current product page; finish options vary by SKU.
Controller, adapter, and head combinations: Kohler controller and steam-head chart (official Kohler source). Current displayed products and finishes: Kohler Invigoration catalog results (official Kohler source).
5. Coordinate equipment and fixture locations
- Dimension the proposed steam head, control, shower fixture, bench, door, and user standing area on plan and elevation.
- Keep the steam head out of likely body-contact zones and verify all model-specific placement requirements in the current installation guide.
- Confirm the steam path from generator to head is 25 feet or less, or stop for manufacturer review.
- Confirm the generator location is dry, ventilated, accessible for service, and otherwise compliant with the exact current manual.
- Coordinate blocking, access panels, steam piping, controls, sensors, electrical equipment, water, relief, drains, and penetrations before framing and again before close-in.
Kohler's selection guide publishes the 25-foot generator-to-steam-head limit. Its current steam-adapter instructions also warn that the steam head is hot during operation and require compliance with local plumbing, building, and electrical codes. Distance requirement (official Kohler source) Current generator safety and code instructions (official Kohler source)
6. Electrical coordination
- Give the licensed electrician the exact generator SKU, published kW, voltage, amperage, frequency, and current installation guide.
- Confirm available service capacity, load calculation, conductor and raceway design, disconnecting means, bonding, protection, routing, working clearances, permits, and inspections.
- For tandem models, coordinate two dedicated 240 V circuits at the amperage published for the selected tandem SKU.
- Document the licensed electrician's resolution of Kohler's “no GFCI” manufacturer instruction against current adopted code and the authority having jurisdiction.
Do not treat the planner's electrical summary as a wiring specification. Kohler publishes dedicated-circuit values and the no-GFCI statement in its selection guide; local code and the licensed professional still control the project-specific design. Manufacturer electrical table and note (official Kohler source)
7. Plumbing, drainage, and service coordination
- Have the licensed plumber review water quality, pressure, supply, steam, relief, drain, flushing, and service requirements in the exact manual.
- Include the appropriate drain pan in the coordination plan; for tandem systems, include two pans as directed by Kohler.
- Coordinate penetrations and sealants with the selected steam-rated waterproofing system and its manufacturer.
- Preserve permanent access needed for inspection, maintenance, replacement, and leak response.
- Photograph and dimension concealed rough-in before walls or ceilings are closed.
Kohler's current steam category page identifies a drain pan as part of steam-generator planning, and its selection guide states that tandem systems use two drain pans. Kohler steam category (official Kohler source) Tandem drain-pan note (official Kohler source)
8. Before commissioning and handoff
- Confirm inspections and trade sign-offs required by the permit authority are complete.
- Have the installer commission and test the system using the current manufacturer procedure.
- Verify that controls, safety information, shutdown, cleaning, and maintenance have been explained to the owner.
- Deliver manuals, model and serial numbers, warranty information, inspection records, concealed-condition photos, and the final as-built equipment locations.
- Replace preliminary planner outputs with verified as-built information; keep assumptions clearly labeled if they remain.