Principles 14 Flashcards
Anchor bolts
Bolts that fasten the spill plate of a wood-frame house to the house’s foundation, required in California since 1931 for all new construction as an earthquake safety measure.
Asbestos
- Fibrous silicate linked with various forms of cancer when inhaled used until 1970s
- used for insulation
Backfill
Dirt placed against the foundation of a structure after the concrete used to create the foundation wall has cured and the wood forms in which the concrete was poured have been removed.
Bracing
Use of one or more construction methods, such as plywood wall sheating, to enable a structure to withstand the pressures caused by high winds and earth movement.
Brown fields
A site identified by the environmental protection agency as containing hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants
Building permit
Approval granted by the appropriate municipal, county, or other governing authority to begin construction of an improvement to real estate following review of the building plan submitted by the permit applicant and revision of the plan as required.
California department of insurance
California agency that regulates insurers
California department of public health
- California agency that regulates construction activities affecting the water supply and other public issues
- Formerly known as “California Department of Health Services “
California solar initiative
State law effective January 1, 2008, that requires municipal utilities to offer a solar incentive program to customers
Department of housing and community development
State agency that carries out California’s state housing law by adopting building standards and administrative regulations that ensure safe and durable housing while safeguarding affordability.
Downspout
Part of the rainwater drainage system that conducts water from a gutter that runs along a roof eave to ground level.
Eave
Portion of roof that extends over the exterior wall
Energy efficiency ratio (EER)
Measure of an electrical appliance’s energy consumption found by dividing its capacity measured in British thermal units (BTU) by the number of watts of electricity needed to run it.
Fire stops
Wood blocks placed at intervals between wall studs to slow spread of fire.
Flashing
Metal strips intended to prevent water entry at openings in a roof for chimneys, vents, dormers, and changes in roof line.
Frame
- support posts
- beams, and roof members, typically wood in residential construction
Girders
Beams that span foundation walls and footings to provide support for floor of structure
Gutter
Helps divert water out of the structure
Home energy rating program
Program of the California Energy Commission that certifies home energy rating services and is intended to provide reliable homes and to guide investment in cost-effective home energy efficiency measures.
Homeowner’s bill of rights of 2004
Law enacted after 2003 southern Cali wildfires to clarify rights of homeowners under homeowners insurance policies.
Insulation
-Use of wrapping and filing materials to reduce heat conductivity and improve energy efficiency of buildings and building components
Joists
Beams used to support flooring
Lath and plaster
Method of interior wall finishing used in older homes in which wet plaster is applied to a framework of wood slats, called laths, and wire
Manufactured Home
- A structure built on or after June 15, 1967
- transportable in one or more sections, designed and equipped to contain no more than two dwelling units and to comply with HUD building specifications.
Minimum property requirements (MPRs)
- Minimally acceptable property condition for FHA-insured or VA-guaranteed loans
- usually determined by compliance with loan building codes
Orientation
Placement of structure on a site, ideally to make maximum advantage of street frontage, view, and access to light and air.
Perc test
Test to determine drainage capability of soil.
Plasterboard
- Drywall
- interior wall finishing material
Platform frame
Construction technique in which each floor of building provides support for the floor above it.
Uniform codes
-Building codes that are developed by national or international groups and adopted by states and local jurisdictions
R-value
Cumulative rating of the effectiveness of various types of insulation
Post-and-beam frame
Construction technique in which interior posts support ceiling boards, allowing for more open space within a structure than is possible with other forms of construction.
Radon
- cancer causing colorless, odorless radioactive gas caused by the breakdown of natural elements in soil
- remediation includes venting of basements and crawl spaces
Rafters
Beams that extend from ridge line of roof to eave
Ridge board
Beam that runs along top of roof
Sheathing
- insulating and branching material, such as plywood
- applied to exterior walls of wood-frame structure, to which exterior finishing material, such as siding or masonry, is applied.
Siding
Exterior wall finishing, applied in horizontal boards that can be wood, aluminum, vinyl, or a composite material
Sill
- Wood member placed directly on foundation
- in California, state law requires anchor bolts to fasten sill to foundation for earthquake safety
Soffit
Enclosed opening between outside wall of structure and end of room overhang
Solar heating
-System that uses warmth of sun to warm tiles or other materials
Stucco
Type of plaster used for exterior finishing of walls
Studs
- vertical wall supports
- wood studs are used in a wood-frame structure and steel studs are used in a steel-frame structure
Urea-formaldehyde
Chemical used in manufacturing process of many home building components and household goods that can emit toxic fumes.
Wallboard
Interior wall finishing material
