Exterior Final Flashcards
Which of the following soils can support the least load-bearing pressure?
a. Silt with high compressibility
b. Poorly graded gravel
c. Poorly graded sands
d. Sedimentary Rock
a. Silt with high compressibility
Garage door operators may fail to operate for any of the following reasons EXCEPT
a. improper installation
b. the auto reverse sensitivity being set too low
c. poor door adjustment
d. tripping of the GFCI receptacle
b. the auto reverse sensitivity being set too low. If the auto-reverse sensitivity is set too low, the auto-reverse mechanism will not be very sensitive at all. This will not prevent the garage door from operating, but will perhaps prevent it from stopping and reversing automatically.
In crawl spaces, how much venting is needed?
a. 1 square foot for every 1500 square feet with in vent opening located within 3’ of every corner
b. 5 square foot for every 1500 square feet with in vent opening located within 5’ of every corner
c. 2 square foot for every 1000 square feet with in vent opening located within 3’ of every corner
d. 3 square foot for every 900 square feet with in vent opening located within 3’ of every cornera.
a. 1 square foot for every 1500 square feet with in vent opening located within 3’ of every corner
In general, the grading around a building should be positively sloped for how many feet away from the building?
a. 5 feet
b. 50 feet
c. 10 feet
d. 25 feet
c. 10 feet
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 wallb. Floor joist
b. Floor joist
How long should the minimum fire rating for a garage door be?
a. 5 minutes
b. 15 minutes
c. 20 minutes
d. 30 minutes
c. 20 minutes
When are porch railings required?
a. When the home will be owned by someone with children under 10.
b. When the porch is more than 30” above ground
c. When the porch is in the front yard
d. When the porch is built on a concrete slab.
b. When the porch is more than 30” above ground.
How high should ignition sources be above the ground in garages?
a. Minimum 10”
b. Minimum 12”
c. Minimum 16”
d. Minimum 18”
d. Minimum 18”
Rebar is made in 1/8 increments. Therefore; #4 rebar is…
a. 4/8ths or 1/2
b. 3/4ths
c. 5/8ths
d. 1/4
a. 4/8ths or 1/2
Venting for flood zoned crawl spaces should be
a. 1 sq inch for every 3 sq ft
b. 1 sq inch for every sq foot
c. 2 sq inches for every 3 sq ft
d. 1 sq inch for ever 5 sq ft
b. 1 sq inch for every sq foot
Why must building footings extend below the frost line?
a. Because the footing could crack when the soil around it freezes and expands if it is not below the frost line
b. so that the soil around the footing does not freeze, expand, and cause the footing to shift
c. Building footings are not required to extend below the frost line unless the building is located in a very cold climate
d. So that the water in the concrete will not freeze and cause spalling in the footing.
b. So that the soil around the footing does not freeze, expand, and cause the footing to shift
What type of foundation has a large amount of reinforced steel and is known as a floating foundation?
a. Pier-and-grade beam foundation system
b. “Inverted T” spread footing foundation
c. “Battered” foundation footing system
d. Mat foundation slab
d. Mat foundation slab
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’
d. 6”/10’
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.
c. At least 8”
How far should shrubbery be trimmed from house?
a. 6”
b. 1’
c. 2’
d. 3’
b. 1’
You are required to inspect all of the following EXCEPT?
a. Driveways
b. Patios
c. Adjacent Walkways
d. the neighbors sidewalk
d. the neighbors sidewalk
All of the following are common tools used by home inspectors EXCEPT ?
a. Marble
b. Flashlight
c. Awl
d. hammer
d. hammer - Common tools used by home inspectors include marbles used to determine if floors slant or are level, flashlights used to see in dark areas, and awls can be used instead of screwdrivers to search for wood decay.
Which of the following are you required to inspect during your inspection of the home’s exterior?
a. Sheds
b. Docks
c. Fences
d. Carport
d. Carport - During your inspection of the home’s exterior, you are required to inspect the carport. Other types of outbuildings such as sheds do not have to be inspected. Fences and docks are not required inspection areas since they are not connected to the home and cannot damage the home’s structural integrity.
Joists should have an end bearing of at least
a. 1”
b. 1.5”
c. 3.5”
d. 6”
“b. 1.5”” - Joists should have an end bearing of at least 1 1/2 inches.
When inspecting porch roofs, you should be checking for all of the following except
A) rot and loose connection points to the building.
B) insulation in the ceiling.
C) evidence of water damage on the underside.
D) sagging beams.
B
The answer is INSULATION IN THE CEILING. Insulation is not usually an issue with porch roofs since both sides of the porch roof are cold.
Elements of a well-constructed garage floor (slab-on-grade type) include all of the following except
A) well compacted backfill placed in the trenches around the garage foundation.
B) a free-draining granular base below the concrete.
C) rigid foam insulation under the concrete floor slab.
D) adequate slope toward the vehicle door.
C
The answer is RIGID FOAM INSULATION UNDER THE CONCRETE FLOOR SLAB. Foam insulation is not a necessary element in a well constructed garage floor slab.
All of the following are common surface water drainage problems except
A) porous soil.
B) improper ground surface slope.
C) basement windows without wells.
D) clogged catch basins.
C
The answer is BASEMENT WINDOWS WITHOUT WELLS. Basement windows without wells are not necessarily a grading problem. The basement windows may be above grade level.
Poor materials for porch floors include all of the following except
A) oriented strandboard (osb).
B) hardboard.
C) cedar.
D) plywood.
C
The answer is CEDAR. Cedar is a good material for a porch floor, although it is not as strong as some other softwoods.
All of the following are common problems with window wells except
A) a window well is missing.
B) the well walls are damaged.
C) the floor of the well is 12 inches below the window.
D) the well walls are rusted.
C
The answer is THE FLOOR OF THE WELL IS 12 INCHES BELOW THE WINDOW. It’s acceptable if the bottom of the well is 12 inches below the window.
All of the following are common downspout problems except
A) missing.
B) leaking.
C) discharging onto the ground.
D) too few.
C
The answer is DISCHARGING ONTO THE GROUND. Downspouts that discharge onto the ground are the arrangement preferred by most inspectors.
All of the following are flat roof drainage systems except
A) galvanized steel gutters.
B) yankee gutters.
C) interior drains.
D) scuppers.
B
The answer is YANKEE GUTTERS. Yankee gutters would not be used on a flat roof.
All of the following statements are true of structural garage floors except
A) structural garage floors should not be inspected for design adequacy as part of a home inspection.
B) cracks in structural garage floors indicate structural failure.
C) structural garage floors may need inspection by a specialist.
D) much of the strength in suspended concrete garage floors is derived from the steel reinforcement in the concrete.
B
The answer is CRACKS IN STRUCTURAL GARAGE FLOORS INDICATE STRUCTURAL FAILURE. Cracks in structural garage floors do not necessarily indicate structural failure. Much of the strength in the floor system is derived from the steel reinforcement.
The implications of trees or shrubs too close to a house include all of the following except
A) mechanical damage to the house.
B) excess soil moisture adjacent to the house.
C) reduced drying potential of siding.
D) roots blocking or collapsing sewer pipes.
B
The answer is EXCESS SOIL MOISTURE ADJACENT TO THE HOUSE. Having trees or shrubs too close to a house doesn’t usually create excess moisture in the soil adjacent to the house.
Common gutter problems include all of the following except
A) leaking.
B) undersized.
C) loose.
D) connected to two downspouts.
D
The answer is CONNECTED TO TWO DOWNSPOUTS. It’s acceptable for gutters to be connected to two downspouts.
The following are common problems with “Overhead Sectional Vehicle Doors” in garages EXCEPT.
a. Difficult to open or close
b. Rot
c. Dents or other mechanical damage
d. Counterweights
e. Automatic opener problems
d. Counterweights are NOT A PROBLEM with garage doors.
For safety reasons, all stair treads should be:
a. 6 inches
b. 8 inches
c. Consistent
d. Equal to rise
c. Consistent
What is the MINIMUM clearance from insulation for recessed electrical fixtures not rated for contact with insulation?
a. 3 inches
b. 4 inches
c. 6 inches
d. 8 inches
a. 3 inches
On an interior inspection of a skylight you might use:
a. Your eyes
b. A ladder
c. A moisture meter
d. All of the above
d. All of the above
A “GUARDRAIL” is required where and must have what?
a. For any “walk off” higher than 30 inches above floor or grade.
b. Minimum height is 36 inches (34” stair RAIL)
c. Maximum opening size 4” (6” at tread rise, under rail triangle).
d. All of the above
d. All of the above
an inspection done to the standards includes
a. Cabanas
b. detached workshops
c. detached garages
d. detached sheds
e. gazebos
C
typical problems with steps and landings include all of the following except
a. rise, run and slope
b. settlement
c. rot, wood/soil contact
d. cantilevered beams
e. spalling mortar/masonry units
D
A maximum rise for steps is commonly ____ inches
a. 7
b. 8
c. 9
d. 10
e. 11
B
A Landing may not be needed for exterior steps -
a. when it is a secondary entrance and there are three or fewer risers
b. where there are three or fewer risers, regardless of which entrance it is
c. if the steps have a handrail that is at least 30 in tall
d. where there are fewer than six steps
e. when the door opens inward
A
Generally speaking, guardrails are -
a. required on balconies only
b. required on any decks, porches or balconies 36 inches above grade
c. required on any decks, porches or balconies 2 feet or 30 inches above grade
d. not regulated by jurisdiction
e. required on stairs leading to any balcony
C
Why is a 2 x 6 on edge considered a poor handrail?
a. A 2 x 6 may not be strong enough to support a person’s weight
b. It can be difficult to grab
c. When wet, a 2 x 6 can become slippery
d. 2 x 6 boards tend to shrink as the wood dries, leaving exposed slivers
e. There isn’t room to get one’s hand behind the 2 x 6
B
when inspecting railings, the inspector should do all of the following except
a. make reference to the standards set by local authorities
b. consider height of surface above grade
c. consider spindle Spacing
d. consider guardrail height
e. test for adequate securement
A
exterior columns typically support all of the following except
a. porch floors
b. porch roofs
c. decks
d. carports
e. patios
E
spalling and mortar damage near the bottom of an exterior masonry column would likely be the result of
a. eccentric loads
b. Frost heave
c. soil erosion
d. freeze/thaw Cycles
e. insect or vermin damage
D
which of the following would not cause a column to shift?
a. Frost heave
b. eccentric loads
c. improper footings or foundations
d. mechanical damage
e. Rising damp
E
beams rely on at least _____ inches of bearing:
a. 1 1/4 inches
b. 2 inches
c. 3 1/4 inches
d. 4 inches
e. 6 inches
C
common beam problems on porches include all of the following except:
a. checking
b. sag
c. poor end support
d. rot or insect damage
e. wood/soil contact
A
probing the ends of beams with a screwdriver is a good way to check for:
a. rot
b. end bearing
c. sag
d. pressure treated wood
e. rotation
A
joists twisting or warping is commonly caused by
a. uneven settling
b. poor end bearing
c. wood rot
d. lumber shrinking unevenly as it dries
e. higher than anticipated loading of the deck
D
Cedar is not a good choice of cantilevered balconies because
a. it is resistant to rot
b. it is not very strong
c. it cannot be pressure treated
d. it is too expensive to be used as a framing member
e. it does not make as dramatic an architectural detail as other softwoods
B
sagging joists can be the result of any of the following except:
a. overspanned joists
b. excessive loads
c. undersized decking
d. sagging beams
e. undersized joists
C