What is a scupper box?

Asked by: Rachel Ford

Scupper boxes are parts custom fabricated used to drain water from a roof through a wall. These parts are commonly used as an overflow protection device, acting as a extra drain on a determined roof.

What are scuppers used for?

A scupper is an opening in the side walls of a vessel or an open-air structure, which allows water to drain instead of pooling within the bulwark or gunwales of a vessel, or within the curbing or walls of a building.

Where do scuppers drain to?

downspout

In short, a scupper is a detail that provides drainage to a roof system by allowing the water runoff from the roof to exit the roof through a metal edge, parapet wall or through the deck into a downspout or leader not run through the interior of the building.

What are scuppers on the roof?

Description: Scuppers are used to provide an outlet through parapet walls or gravel stops on flat and built-up roofs to allow drainage of excess water. They can be used in conjunction with gutters and downspouts to divert the flow to the desired location.

Is a scupper a drain?

Definition of Roof Scupper



Roof scuppers are not the same as roof drains. Roof drains channel water through the deck of the roof into a piping system that carries water away, while a scupper allows water to drain through an opening in the side of the roof edge.

Does a scupper need a downspout?

Roof scuppers should pour water directly off the side or into a downspout running outside of your exterior walls. This hands-off design, if constructed properly, requires little or no maintenance and effectively removes even the extreme levels of rainfall from your roof.

Is scupper a downspout?

As nouns the difference between scupper and downspout



is that scupper is (nautical) a drainage hole on the deck of a ship while downspout is a vertical pipe or conduit that carries rainwater from the scupper, guttering of a building to a lower roof level, drain, ground or storm water runoff system.

How do flat roofs handle snow?

It snows the flat roof supports an additional insulating blanket the r-value or resistance to heat flow for snow is about our 1 per inch.

Where does roof drain water go?

Interior Drains



These drains are placed in areas of the roof that collect the most water, and they lead the water into a system of pipes that is installed below the roof. The water travels through these pipes until it is dispensed into a gutter or downspout at the side of the building.

How do you slope a flat roof for drainage?

For drainage purposes, the current building codes require a minimum two percent slope or a one-fourth unit vertical for every 12 units horizontal. In other words, the roof must slope one-fourth of an inch for every 12 inches. The slope is barely noticeable to the naked eye.

How much pitch should a flat roof have?

What Pitch is a Flat Roof? If flat roofs are to work well, they have to have a slope, known as a fall, to shed rainwater. The fall should never be less than 1:80 and preferably about 1:40.

What is minimum pitch for flat roof?

A flat roof is generally any roof with a pitch of 1-10 degrees. That means flat roofs aren’t actually flat. It may look horizontal but often has a minimum slope of 1/4 inch per foot. This allows water to run off the roof to prevent damage.

Can you make a flat roof pitched?

You can install a shallow pitched roof over your existing flat roof, add a trussed ranch-style roof to convert to cathedral walls, or even build a new floor and install the pitched roof above that.

Is standing water on a flat roof a problem?

After any rainfall lands on a flat roof, water will begin to pool. On a performing flat roof ponding water is not a problem as it will drain, or even evaporate, away. However when your flat roof has uneven areas due to sagging, an insufficient slope, or drainage issues, the ponding water doesn’t dissipate.

How do I stop my flat roof from ponding?

The first step you can take if you notice ponding on your flat roof is to make sure your gutters are clean and free of debris. In some cases, this may be the extent of the problem and the pooled water will drain off.

Are flat roofs more expensive?

Cost Comparison



In terms of cost, flat roofs do tend to be more expensive than their sloped counterparts. Flat roofing involves more steps, and they typically require insulation to be installed. If you’re looking for a sturdy, cost-effective roof for your building, a sloped roof is more than likely the way to go.

What is the cheapest roof style?

While asphalt is the cheapest roofing material, there are 3 different types of asphalt shingles that vary in price and affect how much you’ll spend on your roof replacement. 3-tab shingles are the cheapest of the 3 types of asphalt shingles and are a great option for a tight budget.

Do all flat roofs leak?

Regardless of the workmanship, the fact of the matter is that almost every roof has the potential to leak at one point or another, especially if you live in an area of heavy rainfall. So leakage is not strictly an issue with flat roofs.