OT house winterizing in Las Vegas?

[Kayteg1]

It is not RV-related, but winterizing is what most of us do, so I hope-(knowing lot of smart people posting here) to get some answers.
Bought a house in Las Vegas that was build by AA pilot (poor guy died few years ago).
House is very sophisticated and when figuring out 40 audio controls was easy, I still have few of 120 light switches to label.
What was mysterious for some time are 2 valves on the wall in master bathroom.
I had water on and off due some other plumbing problems, but finally had a chance to see what they do.
So in master shower ceiling I have 1" pipe sticking down. When I open each valve (who are on other side of the wall) I have water coming down from the ceiling pipe into shower.
Looks to me like winterizing valve, but I frequent Vegas for last 30 years and so far have seen snow here only once-lasting about 6 hr
Any explanation what da hack it was build for?

[TxGearhead]

Around here in Houston, about 90% asphalt shingles, including upscale custom homes. Remainder is metal, tile, and slate.

[Kayteg1]

TxGearhead wrote:
Upon further (farther?sp) reflection, yeah if it was a rainhead there would be a valve in the shower to regulate hot/cold.
Jacuzzi on the roof. Jeez what kind of support does that need under it. You ever put water in it? Can you see the framing structure under it?
That was a weird dude.?

What you guys use for roofing in Texas?
I can only guess exact figure, but I know the Mexican tile roof on big house weights tens of tons.
What 2000+ lb is going to change in the balance? Especially when design for.
I can only wonder how the builder got it on the roof. The flat top has slope roofs all around and we are talking going over a railing close to 30' from ground level.
Had to be heck of the crane or ... helicopter.

[Kayteg1]

Rooftop Jacuzzi is one of those self-contain units that has drain directly on the deck.
Anyway, the system definitely flushes the water pipes and purge the air if needed, but not much of practical use I can think of.
Visit to Building Dept and getting house blueprints sure is on my TD list.
Thanks guys for all the suggestions and entertainment.

[TxGearhead]

Upon further (farther?sp) reflection, yeah if it was a rainhead there would be a valve in the shower to regulate hot/cold.
Jacuzzi on the roof. Jeez what kind of support does that need under it. You ever put water in it? Can you see the framing structure under it?
That was a weird dude.
Why wouldn't you run the drain inside a wall and into the sewer? Maybe an afterthought when the house was complete??

[Grit_dog]

Since the valves aren't accessible from the shower not likely it was a rain head. I would hazard a guess that it's a low point drain for the water lines to the jacuzzi above? Maybe?
Is there hot and cold running water up on the roof? Doesn't make sense to supply a hot tub with both hot and cold water, but a bar sink or something up there, outside that could reasonably be expected to need winterized?
You could turn off water supply to the house after seeing if valves separately run hot and cold and see if each valve opens/drains water after the supply is off.

I did something similar but it's low point water line drains in the basement ceiling of I house I built up north, for easy winterization. I made sure all water lines were sloped for drainage. Works well

[TxGearhead]

Do you know who the builder was? Ask him.
Sounds like a lot of useless stuff the builder probably got paid quiet well for. (notice how I worked in that miss spelled word?)
Rooftop jacuzzi? Tell us more. What, no backyard?
Oh wait, since he was a pilot maybe he could sit in the jacuzzi on the roof and determine if flight 999 was late??? lol

[Johno02]

Add a shower head and its a decontamination shower, or for sobering up. Just shove someone in, and turn the water on from outside so you don't get all wet while sobering them up. In Vegas, it makes sense.

[deltabravo]

WOW... that is a weird pipe location. Maybe a drain for the jacuzzi?

hmmm... but two valves as a drain wouldn't make sense.

[Kayteg1]

Valves are in toilet room -behind the door from shower.
Thinking about it more, the master shower is not the highest point of the house as there is rooftop Jacuzzi with 2 garden-style faucet out there.
The house has several small attics with no access to them and that where the pipes go. I know such build would not be permitted in California.
Soon I will act like Indiana Jones 😉

[deltabravo]

bob213 wrote:
It's like a tract home but spelled differently. What would we do without our spelling and grammar monitors?

LOL. when people replace the intended word with the wrong word, which has a different meaning and spelling, the sentence takes on a completely different meaning, hence we don't have a clue what they are/were trying to say.

Track home - first thing that came to mind was a home located near a track of some sort.

Tract home - totally different meaning.

Back on topic....

OP, can you post a photo of the valves? Are they normal household style valves like you'd see in a shower, etc, or are they more industrial looking valves like a "master shutoff valve" of sorts?

If I read your message correctly, these valves are on the shower wall, but on the opposite side of the shower wall, located "outside" of the shower?

Doesn't sound like a "winterizing" drain location, since a ceiling mounted drain wouldn't be a "low point" drain for the entire house plumbing system.

[Kayteg1]

timmac wrote:
Keyteg1
I have been in Vegas for many years and done work in many homes mostly track homes and we have no water pipes to drain the system during a freeze that never comes around but about every 50 years, since you said he had it built as a custom than that was what he thought he needed if he came from the East and did not knew we don't really get that cold.
.

That comes as only possible explanation, but wouldn't a commercial pilot know temperatures better?
Fact is that original builder spend lot of money on stuff 99.99 percent of people would never do.
I estimate there is about 20,000 W of installed halogen lighting on the house and 100 phone lines switch board for "only" 25 phone jacks. Sure you don't see it often, even in Vegas.

[bob213]

It's like a tract home but spelled differently. What would we do without our spelling and grammar monitors?

[deltabravo]

what is a "track" home?

[timmac]

Keyteg1
I have been in Vegas for many years and done work in many homes mostly track homes and we have no water pipes to drain the system during a freeze that never comes around but about every 50 years, since you said he had it built as a custom than that was what he thought he needed if he came from the East and did not knew we don't really get that cold.

I have seen some weird stuff in some custom and track homes here in Vegas, this town has seen many builders come and go over the years some left good work but many left junk built homes.