What is the purpose of a scupper?
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.
What does a roof scupper look like?
This drainage system looks like an opening in the parapet or wall of your flat commercial roof. Some scuppers have a simple spout that pours water down the side of your building, while others are connected to downspouts that send the water directly to the ground level.
What part of the roof is the scupper placed?
Location of Primary Scuppers All roofs (even “flat” roofs) will slope down to the primary scuppers. The scuppers will be located in the parapet wall at the lowest points of the roof.
Where is a scupper located?
Scuppers are installed at the perimeter of the roof area and can be located at openings in parapet walls and/or openings in the perimeter metal. Scuppers can be used as primary or secondary (overflow) drainage.
How does a roof scupper work?
Scuppers are essentially small devices that work by giving the water a mechanism through which it can escape the roof without passing through the interior of the building. If a roof scupper becomes blocked or clogged and prevents water from draining from the roof surface, this could cause ponding or roof leaks.
How much does it cost to install a scupper?
Installation of a roofing scupper will likely run you between $400-$800, depending on the time and materials needed for the job.
How are scuppers installed?
0:121:08How to Install EverGuard Pre-Manufactured Scupper HDYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUsing the appropriate screws. Weld along the interior edge of the metal flange on your first pass toMoreUsing the appropriate screws. Weld along the interior edge of the metal flange on your first pass to secure the scupper in place. Continue the weld around the perimeter of the target flaps.
Can scuppers be used as primary roof drainage?
Scuppers can also be provided as primary or secondary drainage points. Scuppers are rectangular openings in parapet walls that are a minimum of 4 inches in width and height ranging from 4 to 6 inches. If the scuppers are used as primary drainage, then they are applied flush with the roof level.
What is a scupper head?
A scupper is an architectural device that is used to allow water to escape from a roof by guiding water away from the building. You can have stand-alone scuppers that work with flat roof systems or scuppers what work with downspouts and gutters.
Why is it called a scupper?
Scupper Has Military Origins All we know for sure is that scupper meant "to ambush and massacre" in 19th-century military slang.
What do you call a wall on a flat roof?
Parapets, frequently referred to as parapet walls, are raised barriers at the edge of a roof.
What is a deck scupper?
Similar Terms: Scupper Drain holes on the Deck, in the toe rail, or in bulwarks or (with drain pipes) in the Deck itself to allow water to drain out and Overboard.
What is a roof scupper?
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.
How big should a roof scupper be?
Scupper openings shall be not less than 4 inches (102 mm) in height and have a width that is equal to or greater than the circumference of a roof drain sized for the same roof area. The flow through the primary system shall not be considered when locating and sizing secondary scuppers.
What is a scupper head?
A scupper is an architectural device that is used to allow water to escape from a roof by guiding water away from the building. You can have stand-alone scuppers that work with flat roof systems or scuppers what work with downspouts and gutters.
Can scuppers be used as primary roof drainage?
Scuppers can also be provided as primary or secondary drainage points. Scuppers are rectangular openings in parapet walls that are a minimum of 4 inches in width and height ranging from 4 to 6 inches. If the scuppers are used as primary drainage, then they are applied flush with the roof level.
How is a Scupper Used?
Basically, a scupper is used along with downspouts and gutters to force water to flow away from the side of a building. Sometimes a scupper is a hole cut into a wall.
What is a scupper in a roof?
In architecture, a scupper is a device that is used to allow water to flow away and down from a flat roof. Scuppers can be a simple hole in the wall through which water escapes, or fixtures that jut out from a sidewall. A scupper is different from a drain, which forces water into a limited space.
Where do scuppers meet?
Traditionally, scuppers were used where parapet walls met the edge of the flat roof. A parapet was a type of low protective guard wall on an area with a sudden steep drop like a roof or balcony. Scuppers were placed at intervals to prevent the parapet from filling up with water.
Where did the word "scupper" come from?
The origin of the word isn't completely certain, but it might come from the old French word escopir, which means literally 'to spit.' And that's what scuppers do. They spit rainwater away from a building. By the way, scuppers are also found on ships, but in this lesson we're concentrating on their use in architecture.
What does it mean to enroll in a course?
Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams.
Do you have to be a Study.com member to unlock this lesson?
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
How wide is a conductor head?
The conductor head must be at least 2" wider than the scupper. It is attached to the wood nailer through the fascia. The scupper spout is locked and soldered to the conductor head. All joints between scupper, conductor head, downspout, fascia and gravel stop are soldered.
How to attach conductor head to exterior wall?
The conductor head is attached to the exterior wall using masonry fasteners. The scupper spout is locked and soldered onto the back edge of the conductor head. If conductor heads without overflow are used, the rim of the head should be set 1" below the scupper.
What is soldered in a scupper?
The bottom edge of the scupper on the roof side is locked and soldered into a continuous copper cleat. A copper gravel stop is soldered in the scupper.
What is a scupper?
Scuppers. 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. Scuppers can be installed to carry water into gutters or directly ...
How far should a gutter drip edge extend?
The drip edge of the fascia should extend over the back edge of the gutter by 1" minimum. The scupper and gravel stop flanges are nailed to the blocking. The gutter should be allowed to move independently of the fascia/gravel stop.
How far apart should scuppers be?
Scuppers should be spaced no greater than 10 feet apart depending on the roof area drained. Special Conditions: In areas with severe ice and snow conditions and/or excessive debris, conductor heads with overflow openings should be used.
How much copper is needed for scuppers?
The minimum recommended weight for the construction of scuppers is 16 oz. copper. Scuppers are fabricated with flanges on the roof side which extend 4" onto the roof. Wood blocking is required under scuppers to provide a nailable surface. Scuppers should be spaced no greater than 10 feet apart depending on the roof area drained.
What is a Roof Scupper?
A roof scupper is a drainage system that is an outlet in the wall, normally covered in sheet metal, that allows water to drain through an opening in the roof edge .
How does a roof scupper work?
A scupper and a roof drain differ because a roof drain uses an actual piping system, whereas a scupper generally allows water to flow out from the end of its spout down the side of the building. A scupper is usually placed in the parapet wall. Roof scuppers are used in a lot of different types of construction, but you’ll usually find them in ...
What do you need to know about scuppers?
What You Need To Know About Roof Scuppers. One important component of any roof is the drainage system. You need to be sure that rain and other water can drain from your roof, so that it doesn’t pool and create any damage . There are a couple of options to channel water, with cuppers and traditional roof drains being the two ...
How big should a scupper be?
To begin with, many different building codes in different cities have the following as a rule: a scupper shall not be less than four inches when it comes to the width of its opening. This tells us something: smaller scuppers tend to be bad, especially when we’re talking about larger amounts of water flowing through.
What happens if a scupper isn't sized?
The biggest and most consistent thing that can happen is clogging if your scupper isn’t the proper size for the level of flow it’s going to receive from your roof. You need to have enough space inside the scupper so that it doesn’t get clogged by things like mud, sticks, and leaves.
Why is my flat roof freezing?
The clogging can become a larger problem and lead to other issues on a flat roof due to water pooling on the top.
Where to use a scupper?
Roof scuppers are used in a lot of different types of construction, but you’ll usually find them in apartments and commercial buildings . Homes with flat roofs also sometimes may have them. There are multiple benefits to using a scupper over a roof drain, and there are also benefits to using a roof drain over a scupper.
What is a Roof Scupper?
The International Building Code defines a roof scupper as “an opening in a wall or parapet that allows water to drain from a roof”.
What is a scupper in a roof?
A scupper is usually part of a peripheral drainage system, which is a drainage system in which the water drains off the sides of the roof, instead of through the roof itself using drains (an internal drainage system).
How far above the roof should a scupper be?
The bottom edges of the overflow scuppers that you see on existing buildings today will almost always be about two inches above the adjacent roof surface.
Why do roof drains need to be blocked?
Its purpose is to drain water from the roof if the primary drains or scuppers become blocked so the roof structure doesn’t become overloaded by the weight of the water. Overloading can lead to deformation of the roof structure or even roof collapse.
What is the role of sealant on a roof?
This sealant plays a critical role in preventing roof leaks. It keeps water from getting between the metal scupper box and the wall masonry, and then backing up into the roof system and into the building.
How big can a round scupper be?
So we can at least be certain that round scuppers can’t have a diameter of less than 4 inches, and rectangular scuppers can’t have any side be less than 4 inches.
Why can't water flow through a wall?
Sometimes water can’t flow directly to the wall because of an obstruction ( such as a curbed expansion joint, for example) between the primary drain and the wall. In this case the overflow scupper will be installed in the nearest, lowest part of the wall that water can directly flow to from the drain location.
What is a scupper in a ship?
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. Ship's bulwark and scupper.
Why do ships have scuppers?
Ships have scuppers at deck level, to allow for ocean or rainwater drain-off. Buildings with railed rooftops may have scuppers to let rainwater drain instead of pooling within the railing. Scuppers can also be placed in a parapet, for the same purpose.
What does "scupper" mean in slang?
(One conjecture, that the blood of shipboard battle was "scuppered" when it was washed down the scuppers, unfortunately lacks backing in the form of any actual evidence of the verb used this way.) All we know for sure is that scupper meant "to ambush and massacre" in 19th-century military slang. Then, just before the century turned, it found its place in a magazine story in the sense of simply "doing (someone) in." The more common modern application to things rather than people being done in or defeated didn't appear until a couple of decades into the 20th century.
How many questions are there in the vocabulary quiz?
Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
What is a scupper?
Definition of scupper. (Entry 1 of 2) 1 : an opening cut through the bulwarks of a ship so that water falling on deck may flow overboard. 2 : an opening in the wall of a building through which water can drain from a floor or flat roof.
