LisaLiel Posted May 1, 2015 Posted May 1, 2015 I recall reading on an internet forum a few years ago about a woman who enjoyed taking hot showers for long periods of time. She took a shower and closed the windows and the door. When she was found an autopsy showed her lungs were filled with water. Steam/mist condenses, so is it possible to drown because of steam/mist?
Robittybob1 Posted May 1, 2015 Posted May 1, 2015 I recall reading on an internet forum a few years ago about a woman who enjoyed taking hot showers for long periods of time. She took a shower and closed the windows and the door. When she was found an autopsy showed her lungs were filled with water. Steam/mist condenses, so is it possible to drown because of steam/mist? if you collapsed and blocked the drainage the shower tray could fill enough to drown you. By the time someone finds you the water may have seeped away.
LisaLiel Posted May 1, 2015 Author Posted May 1, 2015 (edited) Possibly, but I'm wondering if you could drown from such a humid environment. There are 'steam baths' that pump steam into a small room heated to around 110-120 degrees, (f) the humidity is 100 percent. I'm not sure how long the sessions are however. I know steam is used to drown/suffocate bugs. Edited May 1, 2015 by LisaLiel
CharonY Posted May 2, 2015 Posted May 2, 2015 The capacity of air to hold water is limited, regardless how long you pump steam in. Our lungs are more than able to deal with water saturated air. The bigger issue is the heat. Bugs would similarly not die at high humidity, but typically ways to kill them requires to use of very hot water (i.e. you would not use that in a steam bath or shower). You would need to saturate your airways and lungs significantly to initiate drowning.
LisaLiel Posted May 2, 2015 Author Posted May 2, 2015 What happens to the water in the lungs from the condensed steam? It's got to go somewhere
John Cuthber Posted May 2, 2015 Posted May 2, 2015 It's absorbed into the bloodstream and, in due course lost as sweat or urine.
Moontanman Posted May 2, 2015 Posted May 2, 2015 If you were in an atmosphere of pure water vapor you could suffocate but that is not possible under the conditions set forth by your in your OP...
Robittybob1 Posted May 2, 2015 Posted May 2, 2015 If you were in an atmosphere of pure water vapor you could suffocate but that is not possible under the conditions set forth by your in your OP... If the water came out of the shower hotter than boiling it could get really steamy.
LisaLiel Posted May 2, 2015 Author Posted May 2, 2015 (edited) Eg if a person was inside a small room and steam was vented in, but by the time it got into the room it wasn't hot enough to burn the person of course. Wait, I just found out that they do those. Are steam rooms dangerous? Edited May 2, 2015 by LisaLiel
StringJunky Posted May 2, 2015 Posted May 2, 2015 (edited) I think the steam would have to be superheated to force sufficient oxygen out but then you'd be cooked before you suffocated. Edited May 2, 2015 by StringJunky
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now