Roof Drainage Problem

[ANDY93Z]

New here , looking for a little insite.

These photos are of the 8" roof drainage system of a hotel. Having a problem with the drains (3 of the 6) stopping up and flooding rooms , hallways and lower rooms. Luckily it is only a 5 story hotel.

At the bottom of the "Y" cleanouts which are located in the walls of the hallways is a cast iron "something". What is this? What is the purpose of it?

It looks like it has maybe a 1/8" to 1/4" gap around the outside edge of it that maybe lets water trickle around it to slow the flow so quests at the hotel do not hear it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Is this piece necessary?
Looking down into the "Y" connection from the clean out cap

A pic of the "Y" connection...from the left from 45 degrees the pipe coming down from above , the "top" of the "Y" where you clean it out. The cast iron piece is located at the bottom of the "Y"

Thanks guys

 

[phishfood]

Is the bottom of this wye located in or very close to a fire rated assembly?

This looks suspiciously like an old style (I think the name was ProSet) fire wye assembly. It has been years since I have seen them. The steel or cast iron plug was held up by plastic restraints. The idea was that if a fire compromised the piping, the plastic restraints would melt and the plug would drop down, closing off the opening of the pipe.

Did you find anything like the remnants of the plastic restraints when you opened the top of the wye?

Be careful here, if I am right, just removing the plugs and capping the top of the wye would allow any fire in the area of these piping penetrations to spread between floors much faster than the life safety evacuation plan anticipated.

 

[desertwater]

that is strange. perhaps it shouldnt be there in the first place. you should check out the other roof drains that are actually draining and see if you see the same thing. but i would think that the drain should be full port and in no way be restricted.

 

[ANDY93Z]

Is the bottom of this wye located in or very close to a fire rated assembly?

This looks suspiciously like an old style (I think the name was ProSet) fire wye assembly. It has been years since I have seen them. The steel or cast iron plug was held up by plastic restraints. The idea was that if a fire compromised the piping, the plastic restraints would melt and the plug would drop down, closing off the opening of the pipe.

Did you find anything like the remnants of the plastic restraints when you opened the top of the wye?

Be careful here, if I am right, just removing the plugs and capping the top of the wye would allow any fire in the area of these piping penetrations to spread between floors much faster than the life safety evacuation plan anticipated.

These clean outs are located in the hallway wall and the interior rooms of the walls. You would have never even known they were in the walls if they had not stopped up and the pressure from the 30'-40' of water backing up to the roof had not pushed the clean out caps off.

Do you know of a way to clean and maintain these? Draino? wire brush?

Found the companys website and will contact Monday , that is exactly what it is.


http://www.proventsystems.com/?page_id=4

 

[phishfood]

No, sorry, I have only seen these once before, on a new construction apartment complex we were working on in Jacksonville, FL.

 

[ANDY93Z]

Thanks for the help guys. fhishfood , your post led me in the right direction.

 

[phishfood]

I am glad that we managed to be of help. I never thought that I would have the chance to use that bit of knowledge.