This steam room generator is about five years old and it still produces the same amount of steam as it did the first day it was installed, we performed maintenance on it last week just to keep it clean and running smoothly.
For residential steam units an autoflush should always be installed as it will keep the tank clean and free of sediment build up. Now it may seem as if manufacturers are simply trying to up-sell with the auto drain but the truth is it really makes a world of difference. Residential steam units should be cleaned once a year, this will keep them running properly for many years and will save you money in the long run because it will prevent major repairs or having to replace it.