Jim's Student Questions for NHIE Flashcards
- In an older home, a forced hot air furnace is replaced by a heat pump. The heat coming out of the register is:
a. Hotter
b. Cooler
c. Same
d. Depends on the air duct layout
Cooler
- What is the most serious safety hazard with an exterior door?
a. Door knob set at 3’ 6”
b. A foot quick release, security bracket
c. Double cylinder dead bolt (keyed inside and outside)
Double cylinder dead bolt (keyed inside and outside)
- When inspecting kitchen cabinets:
a. Observe that they are securely attached to the wall
b. Remove everything from the cabinets and inspect the attachment method
c. Report ‘unable to determine method’
Observe that they are securely attached to the wall
- The following is beyond the basic home inspection:
a. Check the heat flow at all registers
b. Check all ground faulted receptacles
c. Check function of all plumbing fixtures
d. Operate incoming water main valve
Operate incoming water main valve
- The real estate agent requests a copy of your inspection report:
a. You would give a copy as a professional courtesy
b. You would get permission from the buyer
c. You would never give a copy to a Realtor.
You would get permission from the buyer
- On the interior door leading to the attached garage, the door:
a. Must swing into the garage
b. Must have self-closing hinges
c. Must have metal on the garage side
d. Must be 1 3/8” thick wood, metal, or fire-rated
Must be 1 3/8” thick wood, metal, or fire-rated
- A house is built on a sloping hill. The surface water should be drained
a. Directly into the sump pump
b. Into a 4-inch perforated plastic drain line and directed downhill to daylight
c. Into a gravel filled container (inside the basement)
d. Drained laterally.
Into a 4-inch perforated plastic drain line and directed downhill to daylight
- A flat roof with a two-foot surrounding parapet wall, what must be provided to allow drainage:
a. Gutters
b. Scuppers
c. Roof drain with secondary overflow drain
d. Either b or c above
Either b or c above
Scuppers
Roof drain with secondary overflow drain
- A deck is 4 feet off the ground and you note that the ledger board has four 16d nails in each bay:
a. Tell the buyer that proper bolts should be installed
b. Should add more 16d nails
c. Place another 2x10, nailed under the ledger board
d. Don’t buy the house
Tell the buyer that proper bolts should be installed
- You are inspecting a house where the second-story balcony is observed and every cantilevered joist is rotted halfway out from the wall.
a. Tell all appropriate parties that there is a hazard, and no one should step out on it.
b. Say nothing
c. Tell the client of the problem and report as such.
d. Contact the city building inspector and let them know of the problem.
Tell all appropriate parties that there is a hazard, and no one should step out on it.
- What is a common reason for water overflowing a gutter?
a. Roof too steep for the gutter system design.
b. Downspout too small for the gutters.
c. Gutter not large enough for the area of roof covered.
d. None of the above
Gutter not large enough for the area of roof covered.
- How can you determine if a home is on sinking soil or on unsteady soil?
a. The streets and sidewalks in an older community are broken up.
b. Only a geotechnical evaluation can make that kind of determination.
c. You should make that conclusion from a standard home inspection.
You should make that conclusion from a standard home inspection.
- Why would you install a pressure regulator?
a. You are near a fire main.
b. The pressure in the home is too high.
c. You do not have enough water pressure in the house.
d. You are controlling the amount of water coming into the home.
The pressure in the home is too high.
- You are inspecting a flat roof with a rock ballast finish. You see an A/C platform sitting on two 4”x4” SPF boards:
a. Say nothing.
b. Tell buyer that the 4x4’s should be replaced with pressure treated wood.
c. Inform the client that this arrangement may damage the roof system.
Tell buyer that the 4x4’s should be replaced with pressure treated wood.
- A home is built with a second floor and a trussed attic/roof above it. Which one of the following is not a consideration when determining joist depth?
a. The eventual use of the attic
b. The weight of the roof system
c. The design of the roof system
d. The depth of the insulation to be installed
The depth of the insulation to be installed
- You are inspecting a wood retaining wall. You notice 6”x 6” squares every fourfeet along the wall:
a. These are a decoration
b. These are part of the tie back system
c. These do not mean anything
These are part of the tie back system
- What is efflorescence?
a. Concrete mixture with too much fluoride
b. The remaining dissolved salts stuck to the concrete as a result of water penetration
c. The material used inside of a fluorescent bulb to help conduct electricity
The remaining dissolved salts stuck to the concrete as a result of water penetration
- You inspect a home with a wood stove 18” from the wall. You notice that the unit does not have a UL approved sticker. You should tell the client:
a. The stove has to go
b. The stove is too close to the wall
c. Do not buy the house
d. Everything is okay
The stove is too close to the wall
- When is NOT the time to have your inspection agreement signed:
a. When you first meet the client at the home.
b. In the Realtor’s office, before the inspection
c. Via fax
d. After the home inspection has been completed
After the home inspection has been completed
- Which of the following is the least safe for the occupants?
a. Dead bolts with a keyed interior arrangement
b. A garage without a safety reverse
c. A loose handrail
d. No safety glass
Dead bolts with a keyed interior arrangement
- A cedar shake roof will (wear out first) or (show light through the felt first)
a. At the valley
b. At the shake ends
c. At the ridge
d. Between shakes
Between shakes
- A dishwasher drain may be attached to the sink drain:
a. Below the trap
b. Above the trap
c. Doesn’t matter as long as it passes above the high-water level of the sink
Above the trap
- Flushing a toilet in a house that has been vacant for six months produces a gurgling in the tub drain. This is because:
a. It is drawing water from the tub trap
b. It is forcing water into the tub drain
c. It is improperly vented (or unvented)
d. The drain is plugged
It is improperly vented (or unvented)
- A house has recently been re-sided with vinyl. The new vinyl has been installed over the electric feed conduit from below the mast to the meter. This is okay?
a. True
b. False
False
- OSB:
a. Will deteriorate from rain if left exposed on the job site
b. Can be used for flooring
c. Is structurally sound
d. All of the above
All of the above
Will deteriorate from rain if left exposed on the job site
Can be used for flooring
Is structurally sound
- What is the proper spacing between foundation anchor bolts?
a. 2’
b. 4’
c. 6’
d. 8’
6’
- What is the acceptable distance between collar ties?
a. 2’
b. 4’
c. 6’
d. 8’
4’
- If you have a gas furnace and a gas water heater in the basement and a gas furnace in the attic, how many flues to you need for proper venting:
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
2
- If the furnace blower stops running after the burners have shut off and then the blower turns back on without the burners on - what is the most likely situation:
a. Bad thermocouple
b. Bad gas valve
c. Fan/Limit control switch does not operate properly
d. Fan/motor does not work properly
Fan/Limit control switch does not operate properly
- What is the typical clearance to combustibles for venting of a wall furnace?
a. 1”
b. 2”
c. 4”
d. 6”
1”
- The clearance from a wall furnace to the ceiling is:
a. 8”
b. 12”
c. 16”
d. Per manufacturer’s instructions
Per manufacturer’s instructions
- The clearance from a wall furnace to the nearest wall is:
a. 6”
b. 8”
c. 12”
d. 16”
6”
- Where is the draft hood for a wall-mounted furnace located?
a. The front of the furnace - top front
b. Combustion side of the furnace
c. Enclosed in the wall
The front of the furnace - top front
- At what point in an A/C cycle does the gas turn to a liquid:
a. Coming out of evaporator coil
b. Coming out of the compressor
c. Coming out of the condensing coil
d. After the expansion device
Coming out of the condensing coil
- At what point in an A/C cycle does the liquid turn to gas:
a. Passing through the expansion coil
b. Coming out of the compressor
c. Coming out of the evaporator coil
d. Coming out of the condensing coil
Coming out of the evaporator coil
- Vertical load on top of this truss has the following effect on foundation walls:
a. Vertical pressure only
b. Vertical and horizontal pressure
c. Horizontal pressure only
Vertical pressure only
- An HVAC installation requires the following:
a. Insulating the supply duct
b. Insulating the return duct
c. Insulating supply and return ducts
d. Insulating ducts outside building envelope only
Insulating ducts outside building envelope only
- The following roof type requires waterproof underlayment:
a. Asphalt
b. Metal
c. Tile
d. None of the above
None of the above
- When converting a gas-forced air furnace to heat pump, the ductwork is:
a. Oversized and will not perform properly
b. Oversized but will perform properly
c. Undersized and may or may not perform adequately
d. Properly sized
Undersized and may or may not perform adequately
- A masonry building, circa 1910, has a horizontal metal star bolted to it on the outside at the top of first floor. These pieces are:
a. To fill holes from a portion of structure that was removed
b. Used to secure area around window openings
c. Used to anchor the wall structure to the roof
d. Installed for decorative purposes
Used to anchor the wall structure to the roof
- A house rests on an 8” concrete block foundation 8’ high. One wall is backfilled 6’ high while the opposite wall is exposed with a downhill slope in front. The backfilled wall has a horizontal crack across its length. The cause may be anything except:
a. Force of ground against wall
b. Freezing
c. Weight of house on foundation
d. Rusting of reinforcement rod
Weight of house on foundation
- Common metal roof material includes all, except:
a. Copper
b. Aluminum
c. V-seam
d. Metallica
Metallica
- OSB is most commonly used as:
a. Roof sheathing
b. Inside wall sheathing
c. Underlayment for tile floors in bath area
d. Underlayment for linoleum floors
Roof sheathing
- Installing a screened chimney cap does all of the following, except:
a. Interrupts proper draft
b. Keeps out birds and animals
c. Keeps out dirt and debris
d. Keeps rain from entering chimney
Interrupts proper draft
- The following can be run under a concrete floor, except:
a. Water line
b. Drain line
c. Gas pipe
d. Electrical conduit
Gas pipe
- The following roof type has the greatest life expectancy:
a. Asphalt
b. Fiberglass
c. BUR
d. Tile
Tile
- All of the following may be used as gas lines inside, except:
a. Black pipe
b. Galvanized pipe
c. Plastic pipe
d. Flared copper pipe
Plastic pipe
- If a second roof is applied, where is it most likely to leak?
a. Valley
b. Ridge
c. Gable
d. Field
Valley
- Can A/C have larger breaker than corresponding wire?
a. True
b. False
True
- Why would you put your mirror under a water heater draft hood?
a. To look up the flue
b. To check for CO
c. To detect back drafting
d. To look at the sky
To detect back drafting
- What size should TPR valve extension piping be? a. 1/2”
b. 3/4”
c. Doesn’t matter
d. Same size as the valve it’s connected to
Same size as the valve it’s connected to
- Where should TPR extension terminate?
a. Plumbing vent pipe
b. Within 6” of floor or ground
c. Plumbed to drain line
d. Attic
Within 6” of floor or ground
- Spacing of collar ties should be?
a. Collar ties are spaced every 4’
b. Collar ties are spaced every 6’
c. Collar ties are spaced every 8’
d. Collar ties are spaced every 10’
Collar ties are spaced every 4’
- Where is A/C tonnage encoded?
a. Model #
b. Serial #
c. RLA
d. LRA
Model #
- Concrete block retaining wall with 3-inch deflection. What should you say?
a. Have structural engineer examine
b. Normal position
c. Up to 4-inches is ok
d. Replace wall with new one
Have structural engineer examine
- Why is there a drip loop?
a. To keep the wires close to the ground
b. To keep water from running down the mast head
c. To allow sediment to collect
d. To add architectural effect
To keep water from running down the mast head
- What is the reasoning for gapped roof sheathing?
a. Expansion
b. Shrinkage
c. Drafts
d. Energy efficiency
Expansion
- What is the biggest hazard for a firebox?
a. Too much wood
b. Gap between frame & brick
c. Missing doors
d. Open damper
Gap between frame & brick
- What is the minimum curb height for a skylight?
a. 4-inch
b. 5-inch
c. 6-inch
d. No requirement
4-inch
- How far apart (maximum) can sill bolts be:
a. 6”
b. 3’
c. 6’
d. 3”
6’
- A downspout terminated 6” before the foundation - what should you say?
a. Recommend an extension
b. Recommend a splash block
c. Recommend a French drain
d. Recommend a new gutter
Recommend an extension
- What is not a material typically used for gutters?
a. Brass
b. Plastic
c. Aluminum
d. Steel
Brass
- What flashing is used where chimney and roof meet?
a. Modified Bitumen and Copper
b. Counter flashing and step flashing
c. Tar and gravel
d. Copper and Galvanized
Counter flashing and step flashing
- What is Swale?
a. Grading that directs water around a home.
Grading that directs water around a home.
- What is Sump?
a. Hole, pit, or crock in the ground that collects water
Hole, pit, or crock in the ground that collects water
- What to do with a $20 tip from a broker after the inspection is completed?
a. It is unethical - give it back.
It is unethical - give it back.
- What happens if the A/C unit has a dirty evaporator coil with many bent fins?
a. Expect a higher differential/split temperature.
- Size of a notch that is allowed in a non-bearing wall stud?
a. 40% of stud’s width
40% of stud’s width