Home Inspector National Exam Prep

It is important to maintain a positive grade away from the structure of at LEAST _______ inch drop per foot for six feet. A. 1/4 B. 1/2 C. 3/4 D. 1

1

The International Residential Code requires cleanouts for drain pipes to be established at intervals throughout the drain system. What is the maximum allowable distance between cleanouts? a. 50 feet horizontally b. 75 feet horizontally c. 100 feet horizontally d. 125 feet horizontally

100 feet horizontally

A 14-2 Romex wire should be used with _____-amp breakers. A. 20 B. 10 C. 15 D. 40 E. 30

15

A 14-AWG copper wire corresponds to ____-amp fuse size. A. 15 B. 30 C. 40 D. 20

15

A 12-AWG copper wire corresponds to ____-amp fuse size. A. 20 B. 30 C. 15 D. 40

20

A bathroom fan shall terminate a minimum of _____ feet from openings or the property line. A. 3 B. 2 C. 10 D. 5

3

A chimney top should be at least _____ above the roof and _____ higher than anything within _____ feet. A. 10..... 3..... 2 B. 2..... 10..... 3 C. 3..... 2..... 10 D. 3..... 10..... 2

3..... 2..... 10

The International Residential Code (IRC) requires rafters to be fastened to ridge boards or gusset plates if the pitch of the roof is greater than or equal to a certain angle. What is the angle? a. 3/12 b. 2/12 c. 4/12 d. 5/12

3/12

A 10-AWG copper wire corresponds to ____-amp fuse size. A. 15 B. 30 C. 40 D. 20

30

A chimney that is ______ inches or more wide should have saddle or cricket flashing. A. 48 B. 30 C. 36 D. 24 E. 18

30

A 8-AWG copper wire corresponds to _____-amp fuse size. A. 30 B. 40 C. 15 D. 20

40

What is the minimum and maximum pressure for a water supply system in a residential building? a. 30 and 60 psi b. 50 and 100 psi c. 60 and 120 psi d. 40 and 80 psi

40 and 80 psi

Which of the following would be most likely to have the highest R-value? a. 6" fiberglass batt insulation b. 12" cast-in-place concrete wall c. 2" extruded polystyrene panel d. Triple insulated glazing system with ½" air spaces

6" fiberglass batt insulation

A 2,000-watt, 240-volt electric heater would draw ________ amps of current. A. 10 B. 7 C. 3.72 D. 8.33 E. 6.45

8.33

The normal MINIMUM run for a residential stair tread is: A. 7 in. B. 8 in. C. 9 in. D. 11 in.

9 inches

How far from the foundation should the roof drainage system discharge water? a. >2 ft or into a drain pipe b. >3 ft or into a drain pipe c. >4 ft or into a drain pipe d. >5 ft or into a drain pipe

>5 ft or into a drain pipe

Which of the following conditions would be LEAST critical to your client's safety? A. A pin hole in the heat exchanger B. No handrails on an interior stairway C. Lack of a pressure and temperature relief valve on the water heater D. A non-reversing garage door opener

A pin hole in the heat exchanger

34. All of the following are common wood siding types except A. Flemish bond. B. Bevel C. Board and batten D. Tongue and groove

A. Flemish bond (is a brick pattern)

In which of the following locations are ground-fault circuit interceptors (GFCI) required? a. All bathroom outlets b. All outdoor outlets c. All countertop outlets d. All of the above

All of the above

Which of the following is a component of a roof drainage system? a. Downspouts b. Gutters c. Splash blocks d. All of the above

All of the above

Which of the following is not a solid fuel heating device? a. A fireplace b. A woodstove c. A coal furnace d. An electric heater

An electric heater

Which of the following would not be a structural component of a building? a. An exterior wall b. The floor of the second or higher story c. An interior wall that is not connected to a loft or the second story floor joists d. The floor of the main or only story

An interior wall that is not connected to a loft or the second story floor joists

Branch circuits must be installed in several locations in every building. Which of the following is not one of them? a. Central HVAC equipment b. An office or bedroom c. The laundry room d. Bathrooms

An office or bedroom

What is the proper slope for a horizontal drain pipe? a. Anywhere from 1/8:1 to 1/2:1 b. ≥1/8:1 c. ≤1/2:1 d. None of the above

Anywhere from 1/8:1 to 1/2:1

While inspecting a home, you observe a large ceiling fan with built-in lamps. This installation requires a(an): A. Strong ceiling. B. Pancake junction box. C. Approved brace or box. D. Larger junction box.

Approved brace or box

Every basement and sleeping room is required to have an easily operable emergency escape window. How large must this window be? a. At least 5.7 sq. ft b. At least 4.7 sq. ft c. At least 6.7 sq. ft d. At least 3.7 sq. ft

At least 5.7 sq. ft

How far above grade should a concrete slab extend? a. At least 4" b. At least 6" c. At least 8" d. There is no minimum requirement

At least 8"

One is inspecting an EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finishing System) wall system for deficiencies. Where would these be most likely to occur? a. Window heads b. The center of large expanses of EIFS c. Along the bottom edge of the EIFS installation d. At the corners of the installation, such as around windows

At the corners of the installation, such as around windows

Federal and state regulations both require certain warnings to be conspicuous. As a home inspector, you will often have to determine whether or not hazardous components are adequately labeled. Which of the following would a reasonable person consider to be conspicuous? a. UNPLUG POWER BEFORE TOUCHING CIRCUIT (with graphic warning symbols) b. UNPLUG POWER BEFORE TOUCHING CIRCUIT (without graphic warning symbols) c. Unplug power BEFORE touching circuit d. Both A and B

Both A and B

OSB Siding is a. Fiber Cement b. A type of plywood. c. A type of waferboard. d. A type of hardboard.

C. A type of wafer board

You see during your inspection that the air conditioning system has supply registers in each bedroom, but only one large return register is located in the center hallway. Your FIRST course of action would be to: A. Recommend to your client that return ducts be installed in each bedroom. B. Check to see if the bedroom doors are undercut at the bottom. C. Report that the life of the A/C equipment will be reduced. D. Report that the A/C system will not work well.

Check to see if the bedroom doors are undercut at the bottom

Which of the following BEST describes the report statement shown below? "The roof is in good condition for its age." A. Conclusion B. Recommendation C. Description D. Disclaimer

Conclusion

_______ is a benefit or right for which the parties to a contract must bargain. A. Consideration B. Act of God C. lis pendens D. Contractual Indemnification

Consideration

Every sleeping room and habitable basement room should have at least one operable window or exterior door for emergency egress or rescue. B. Egress windows should have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet. C. Emergency egress or rescue windows and doors should not have bars or grilles unless they are releasable from inside without a key, tool, or special knowledge. D. Egress windows must have a clear height of at least 16 inches.

Egress windows must have a clear height of at least 16 inches.

A "cross connection" is a physical connection between two electrical circuits.

False

A "system" does not carry out one or more function in a structure and is composed of at least two interacting or interdependent components.

False

A drain with a "functional flow" empties in a reasonable amount of time.

False

The roofing material on a house or other building is considered a part of the roof drainage system.

False

While inspecting a crawl space, you should probe for decay if the _________ is dark in appearance. A. King joist B. Floor joist C. Masonry wall D. Bearing wall

Floor joist

Which of the following is not normally checked during aluminum siding inspection? A. Check for loose, bent, cracked, or broken pieces. B. Inspect all caulked joints. C. Check for such grounding (code requirement). D. Inspect the wood behind the siding by removing a piece.

Inspect the wood behind the siding by removing a piece.

Damage from ice dams could indicate: A. Over-exposure of shingles or slates. B. Rain gutters with too low an outer lip. C. Insufficient attic insulation. D. Attic vents left open during winter months.

Insufficient attic insulation

How large should the footing or foundation for a masonry fireplace be? a. It should be more than six inches thick and extend six inches beyond the fireplace on all sides. b. It should be more than 12 inches thick and extend six inches beyond the fireplace on all sides. c. It should be more than six inches thick and extend 12 inches beyond the fireplace on all sides. d. It should be more than 12 inches thick and extend 12 inches beyond the fireplace on all sides.

It should be more than 12 inches thick and extend six inches beyond the fireplace on all sides.

Which of the following is not true concerning lead paint? A. According to the EPA, it is estimated that lead-based paint was applied to approximately two-thirds of the homes built in the United States before 1940, one-third of the homes from 1940 to 1960. B. Lead can enter the air within a home when surfaces covered with lead-based paint are scraped, sanded or heated with an open flame in paint stripping procedures. C. It is best to leave lead-based paint undisturbed if it is in good condition and there is little possibility that it will be ingested by children. D. Lead particles freed in fine dust or vapors do not settle into carpet fibers.

Lead particles freed in fine dust or vapors do not settle into carpet fibers

EIFS is a siding material that: A. Is used in commercial buildings only. B. Looks like stucco but lacks a wire mesh. C. Can be installed on top of a modified bitumen membrane. D. Can be installed on top of a masonry surface.

Looks like stucco but lacks a wire mesh

A bathroom light switch that is reachable from the tub or shower should be ____________. A. covered by an insulated face plate B. moved C. a GFCI receptacle D. grounded

Moved

You are inspecting a residential property. You have to observe and/or test all of the readily accessible components of each system. Determine which of the following is not considered to be a readily accessible component of a room. a. A small window b. The doorknob on the closet door c. Nails or screws in the floor d. None of the above

Nails or screws in the floor

Which of the following would need further investigation when checking the stucco on a home? A. Old and weathered cracks B. New, sharp cracks C. No areas of water infiltration D. No evidence of crubling sections

New, sharp cracks

Identify the definition of the term: Collar beam. Home Inspector Test Study Guide with Practice Questions A. Nominal 1- or 2-inch-thick members connecting opposite roof rafters. They serve to stiffen the roof structure. B. Concrete either without reinforcement, or reinforced only for shrinkage or temperature changes. C. A horizontal projection from a wall, forming a ledge or supporting the structure above it, usually built with masonry. D. Nominal 2-inch-thick members, usually 2 by 4's, cut in between each stud diagonally.

Nominal 1- or 2-inch-thick members connecting opposite roof rafters. They serve to stiffen the roof structure.

While inspecting a one-year-old house, slab on grade, you observe hairline cracks in the concrete floor with no vertical displacement. This indicates: A. Insufficient reinforcement. B. Unstable subsoil. C. Over hydrated concrete. D. Normal plastic shrinkage.

Over hydrated concrete.

An inspector can often determine the approximate age of a home by its method of construction. Which of the following choices shows the methods of construction in order from first developed to most recently developed? a. Post and beam construction, balloon framing, platform framing, ICF construction b. Balloon framing, post and beam construction, ICF construction, platform framing c. ICF construction, balloon framing, post and beam construction, platform framing d. Post and beam construction, platform framing, balloon framing, ICF construction

Post and beam construction, balloon framing, platform framing, ICF construction

Bulging plaster is observed high up on several bedroom walls. The primary concern is the bulging plaster is a(n): A. installation defect B. indication the home was very cold for a period of time C. indication the air handler leaked D. potential safety issue

Potential safety issue

Which of the following is not part of a pool inspection? A. Proximity to electrical wires, location of electrical outlets and placement to the home. B. Pool and deck surface condition (cracks, discoloration, and pitting) and the coping surrounding the pool (open joints, cracking). C. Inspection of pool lights, the presence of GFCI devices. D. Risk of small children falling in the pool.

Risk of small children falling in the pool.

What are the types of heat that must be taken into account when calculating the cooling loads for an HVAC system? a. Sensible and radiant heat b. Radiant and conductive heat c. Conductive and latent heat d. Sensible and latent heat

Sensible and latent heat

Which of the following terms matches the definition: One who has contracted to be responsible for another, especially one who assumes responsibilities or debts in the event of default? A. Surety B. Privity C. Compensation D. Quittance

Surety

A bathroom door sticks and there is a drywall crack above the door. What should you report? A. The bathroom door is causing foundation problems. B. Foundation problems are causing doors to stick and walls to crack. C. A structural engineer should be consulted. D. The bathroom door sticks, which may have caused the drywall crack above it.

The bathroom door sticks, which may have caused the drywall crack above it.

An inspector notes that the heat pump is not functioning and that the condensate pan under the air handler is full of water. Why might these two things be related? a. The full condensate pan tripped a condensate overflow switch. The unit turned off in order to ensure that condensate did not spill. b. The full condensate pan indicates that the fan in the air handler is not functioning, as it should. c. The full condensate pan indicates that there is a leak in the heat exchanger, which has depressurized the unit, causing it to turn off. d. The full condensate pan means that combustion byproducts have condensed and are flowing back into the house through the flue. This tripped the flue gas spill switch, turning the unit off.

The full condensate pan tripped a condensate overflow switch. The unit turned off in order to ensure that condensate did not spill.

Which of the following is not a normal operating control? a. A wall switch b. The fuse box c. A safety switch d. A thermostat

The fuse box

"Double-tapping" is ____________. A. the term for connecting two wires in a wire nut before connecting them to a breaker or fuse B. an approved method for extending a service panel's capacity C. the term for attaching two wires to a single fuse or breaker terminal D. the certified approach for installing a sub-panel E. not acceptable unless the same number of taps occur on one bus as the other

The term for attaching two wires to a single fuse or breaker terminal

Which of the following is a safety mandate in a remodeled home where a hydromassage bathtub has been added? A. The faucets must be at the drain end. B. The tub area must have a venting fan. C. There must be a vacuum breaker. D. There must be a ground fault circuit interrupter.

There must be a ground fault circuit interrupter.

A builder has added an additional load to a wood truss in the form of a water heater. Under what circumstances does the IRC allow this? a. This is never allowed. b. This is always allowed. c. This is allowed only if the additional load has been verified as acceptable by a certified engineer. d. None of the above

This is allowed only if the additional load has been verified as acceptable by a certified engineer.

A 3-phase electrical system has ___ poles. A. two B. four C. six D. three

Three

Standard three light electrical testers are NOT always reliable because: A. Some receptacles only have two prongs B. Three light testers sometimes have broken bulbs C. Three light testers will not detect multiple wiring problems D. Different test device manufactures have different light patterns

Three light testers will not detect multiple wiring problems

A "system" carries out one or more functions in a structure and is composed of at least two interacting or interdependent components.

True

A "technically exhaustive" inspection uses measurements, tests, calculations and instruments to gather information on the structure under inspection.

True

An on-site water quality test is generally done only on structures that are on a non-municipal water supply.

True

If you observe a component, you make a visual examination.

True

The roofing material on a house or other building is not considered a part of the roof drainage system.

True

Which of the following terms matches the definition: A wall is usually considered unsafe if it leans to such an extent that a plumb line passing through its center of gravity does not fall inside the middle one-third of its base? A. V-1 rule B. V-2 rule C. V-3 rule D. V-4 rule

V-3 rule

When is an unvented conditioned attic permitted? a. When there is a vapor retarder applied on the floor of the attic, but there is no insulation applied to the underside of the roof deck. b. Where there is not a vapor retarder applied to the floor of the attic, but there is insulation applied to the underside of the roof deck. c. This is always allowed. d. This is never allowed.

Where there is not a vapor retarder applied to the floor of the attic, but there is insulation applied to the underside of the roof deck.

You observe on a home inspection a whitish, cottony growth on the surface of baseboards. Which of the following types of fungi are most likely the cause? A. White-rot fungi B. Water-conducting fungi C. Brown-rot fungi D. Sapstain fungi

White-rot fungi

You inspect a "representative number" of electrical outlets in a building. What does this mean? a. You inspect a percentage of all the electrical outlets in the structure. b. You inspect electrical outlets in the structure at random. c. You select one electrical outlet to test in each room of the structure. d. None of the above

You select one electrical outlet to test in each room of the structure.

A chimney should be ____________________. A. maximum of 5 feet high B. any height C. minimum of 2 feet high and 6 feet higher than any obstruction within 10 feet of the chimney D. minimum of 3 feet above the roof line and 2 feet higher than any other obstruction within 10 feet

a minimum of 3 feet above the roof line and 2 feet higher than any other obstruction within 10 feet

A chimney should be ______________. A. a minimum of 2 feet high and 3 feet higher than any obstruction within 10 feet of the chimney B. a minimum of 3 feet above the roofline and 2 feet higher than any other obstruction within 10 feet C. a maximum of 5 feet high D. as tall as possible, regardless of placement

a minimum of 3 feet above the roofline and 2 feet higher than any other obstruction within 10 feet

A chimney that has a height more than 2 feet above any roof within 10 feet is considered ______________. A. improper installation B. only proper if the roof is flat C. a proper installation D. too close to the highest roof

a proper installation

A bathroom's permanently installed ceiling heat lamp should be installed over ___________. A. the toilet seat to keep the area warm B. the shower rod so that it can dry damp towels C. the pathway of the bathroom door D. empty space so that it doesn't overheat anything

empty space so that it doesn't overheat anything

A 3-pole main disconnect might indicate ___________. A. fused neutral conductor B. allowance for future C. upgrades D. single-phase power E. that a sub-panel is present

that a sub-panel is present

A 60-amp electrical service panel at a home that is 2,800 square feet would be considered ________________. A. oversized B. undersized C. adequate D. the only option for a home that size

undersized

A butterfly roof has a ______________. A. traditional look B. ridge C. field D. valley

valley

A boiler system's pressure-relief valve that discharges just after you turn up the thermostat may do so because of a _______________. A. clogged Hartford loop B.faulty thermostat C. water-logged expansion tank D. faulty aquastat

water-logged expansion tank

A 40- to 50-year old galvanized steel water supply system _______________. A. should be flushed annually B. will probably have reduced water volume and pressure C. is the best system available D. should have the water tested for lead E. is not compatible with PVC drain lines

will probably have reduced water volume and pressure

A "Channel and drop" is a type of __________. A, technique for measuring a homesite B. wood siding C. method for digging D. irrigation ditches and laying in pipe E. technique for installing windows

wood siding

How far above a showerhead should the waterproof material in a bathroom extend? a. ≥ 2" b. ≥ 3" c. ≥ 4" d. ≥ 5"

≥ 3"

What is the minimum allowed slope of graded soil next to a building's foundation, according to the International Residential Code (IRC)? a. ≥ 5"/10' b. ≥ 5"/12' c. ≥ 6"/12' d. ≥ 6"/10'

≥ 6"/10'

What is the minimum slope requirement of a roof with asphalt shingles? a. ≥1:12 b. ≥2:12 c. ≥3:12 d. ≥4:12

≥2:12

How much glazing area should every habitable room in a residential dwelling contain? a. ≥8% of floor area b. ≥6% of floor area c. ≥10% of floor area d. ≥7% of floor area

≥8% of floor area