Floor Drain Trap Seal Protection

1. Floor Drain Trap Seal Protection ASPE Kansas City Chapter Presented by: Rick Ensley SureSeal Manufacturing

2. Advent of Floor Drains • Floor drains were a great addition to plumbing systems. • They provided emergency protection and facilitated cleaning. • Engineers require floor drains throughout commercial buildings in the United States.

3. Floor Drain Trap Seal • Floor drains connect to standard traps in the drainage system. • All drains that are connected to the sewer system are required to have P-Traps to Protect against dangerous and noxious sewer gas • North American Standard is 2”water trap seal

4. Loss of Trap Seal • Water evaporation is a major problem with floor drains that have limited use. • A change in cleaning to dry mop limited the use of many floor drains. • Venting problems may cause the seal to be siphoned off when toilets or other fixtures are used. • Old traps may leak or may never have been installed. Loss of seal = No protection

5. Sewer GasesLife or Death Health Threat • Sewer Gases are a known threat to public health • Sewer Gases Contain • Hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, and other gases • Airborne pathogens, Corona Viruses, SARS, and other threats

6. Deep Seal Trap • First response by the industry was the installation of a deep seal trap. • The problem was that a deep seal trap merely doubled the time it takes to evaporate the trap seal.

7. Standard Protection Methods To prevent the escape through floor drain traps, some form of protection must be provided to protect the seal. Water Supply Drainage Supply Barrier Type

8. Water Supply Trap Seal Primers • The original method of protecting a trap seal was a water supplied trap seal primer regulated by ASSE 1018. • Main concern was backflow. • All have vacuum breaker component • Work on a pressure differential principle.

9. Water Trap Primer Limitations • Contractors and engineers would locate the valve in the wrong location. • Minimal pressure change in water supply. • Blocked water supply lines. • Maintenance may be required.

10. Drainage Supply Trap Seal Primer • To reduce the waste of water, a drainage supply trap seal primer was developed. • Regulated by ASSE 1044. • This style of valves catches a small quantity of water and directs it to the floor drain. • The length of unvented tubing is limited.

11. Drainage Limitations • No fixture in the close proximity. • Too long a run of piping • Fixture with minimal use. • Drain in an area infrequently visited. • Supply line plugged up. • Maintenance may still be required.

12. New Concept of Add-on Barrier Protection • New concept is to add floor drain trap seal protection device to existing floor drains. • Device is added without any change in the plumbing system.

13. Open Upon Flow • When water or waste flows into the floor drain the device opens to allow full flow. • When a no flow condition occurs, the device closes.

14. Floor Drain Trap Seal Protection Device • Installed into the floor drain • Protects the trap seal from evaporation – not part of the trap • When evaporation occurs, prevents escape of sewer gas. • Can be easily retrofitted into existing floor drains. • Saves Valuable Potable Water

15. ASSE 1072National Consensus Standard • ASSE developed a new standard to regulate floor drain trap seal protection devices. • ASSE 1072 has rigorous performance requirements • Devices must pass 9 compliance tests to meet Standard

16. ASSE 1072 Compliance Testing • Flow Test Purpose: The purpose of this test is to determine if the device allows the required flow of water through a floor drain.

17. ASSE 1072 Compliance Testing Continued • Evaporation Test Purpose The purpose of this test is to determine if the device will reduce evaporation from the trap seal of the floor drain. • Trap Seal Interference Test Purpose The purpose of this test is to determine if the device extends into the trap seal of a floor drain.

18. ASSE 1072 Compliance Testing Continued • Opening Test Purpose This purpose of this test is to determine that the device will open when there is a minimal amount of water on the membrane of the device. • Dirt and Debris Test Purpose The purpose of this test is to determine the ability of the device to seal after sand passes through the device.

19. ASSE 1072 Compliance Testing Continued • Floor Wax Test Purpose The purpose of this test is to determine if the device will open after being exposed to common liquid floor waxes. • Grease Test Purpose The purpose of this test is to determine if the device will open after receiving the discharge of grease-laden waste.

20. ASSE 1072 Compliance Testing Continued • Life Cycle Test Purpose The purpose of this test is to evaluate the performance of the device after cycling 2500 times. • Physical Test of Membrane Material Purpose The purpose of this test is to determine the suitability of the membrane material when exposed to the environment of a sanitary drainage system.

21. Application of ASSE 1072 Devices • Originally thought to be a supplement to water supply or drainage supply trap seal primers. • Now a stand alone device equivalent to trap seal primers.

22. ASSE 1072 & Plumbing Codes • PHCC • NSPC2012 Edition • ICC • IPC 2015 Edition • IAPMO – UPC Pending Approval for the 2015 Code Cycle

23. Cost Comparison New Construction

24. Cost Comparison Replacement

25. Cost Comparison Retrofit

26. Traditional Method Problems Water supplied Drainage supplied • Expensive to install and maintain • High Failure Rate • Blocked water supply lines • Repair frequently involves accessing parts under floors or behind walls • When they fail - trap is unprotected and endangering public health Water Supplied - Wastes Valuable Water

27. New Barrier Method Benefits • Tested to all of the ASSE 1072 requirements • Allows the floor drain to flow the stated flow rate per code • Installed into the floor drain -not in the plumbing system • Can be easily removed for inspection or cleaning • Are ECO-FriendlyGREEN Products • Reduces use of potable water – lowering water bills • Reduces flow of water through sewage treatment systems increasing existing plant capacity

28. Closing ?? Questions ?? Thank you!