How to Inspect the Attic, Insulation, Ventilation & Interior Flashcards
Over the course of a year, in a 100-square-foot wall, _________ water can diffuse through drywall without a vapor diffusion retarder.
1 Cup
Water shutoff valves should be ___________ so that the water supply can be easily turned off in the event of a plumbing leak.
identified and readily accessible
_____ accounts for more than 98% of all water vapor movement in building cavities.
Air movement
Basements and ________ should have at least one emergency escape and rescue opening
every sleeping room
A _____ is a vapor retarder of a certain class–Class I vapor retarder.
Vapor Barrier
A properly designed and installed whole-house ventilation system neither _____ nor _____ a house.
pressurizes….. depressurizes
The still air inside insulation is an effective insulator because it helps reduce _______________.
convection
A _____ retards the movement of water by vapor diffusion.
Vapor retarder
As air warms, its ability to hold water vapor _________________.
increases
Within a flight of stairs, the greatest tread depth should not exceed the smallest by more than ______.
3/8 inch
Vapor _____ are often applied in the crawlspace of a building to prevent ground moisture from evaporating and traveling up into the home.
retarders
_____ provides a controlled way of ventilating a home while minimizing energy loss.
An energy-recovery ventilation system
A window used for emergency escape and rescue should have a sill height of not more than ___ inches above the floor.
44”
_______ is the transfer of heat energy by electromagnetic wave motion.
Radiation
________ is the transfer of heat from one molecule to another, or through one substance to another.
Conduction
________ is the transfer of heat by warming the air next to a hot surface and then moving that warm air.
Convection
The total R-value for loose fiberglass when you see about 6 inches thick of insulation at the floor of the unfinished attic is approximately _____.
(6 inches x 2.5) = 15 R-value
According to the DOE, the minimum R-value for a ceiling in a home located in Zone 5 is _____.
49
It is recommended that the insulation installed in an attic covers the tops of the attic floor joists to stop _________.
Thermal Bridging
Many builders use common “1/2-inch wood sheathing, which has an R-value of ______.
0.6
For an attic space, there should be an opening to that space _____, and a clear, unobstructed passageway large enough to allow removal of the mechanical appliance.
at least 22 inches by 30 inches
T/F: Ventilation of attic areas is intended to prevent the accumulation of moisture vapor in the attic-roof space and to dry low levels of condensation that may form on the underside of a roof deck.
True
The rule of thumb to remember is to use 1 square foot of net-vent opening for every _____ square feet of insulated ceiling, or 1:____ if the insulation has a vapor diffusion retarder.
150….. 300
A common problem inspectors will see is insulation compressed into the eaves area that was done in order to fit it into the tight space, which ______ its R-value.
diminishes
_____ is an example of a Class III vapor retarder (greater than 1 perm and less than or equal to 10 perms).
Gypsum board
