Site Conditions Flashcards
INSPECTION SCOPE
The condition of structures that are not attached to the house (auxiliary structures) is out of scope.
(True or False)
True
Swimming pool gates and access barriers are out of scope.
Walkway
A public accessway designed for pedestrian use.
(True or False)
False
private accessway
Culvert:
is a below ground passage that allows water to flow, usually through a large diameter metal or concrete pipe.
(True or False)
True
In residential construction, a culvert may be located at the end of a driveway to permit water to flow in a swale under the driveway.
Deadman
a. a buried component
b. railroad tie
c. landscape timber
d. all of the above
d. all of the above
connected to the retaining wall using a tieback.
Drainage (storm water) is may include components such as (choose the incorrect answer)
gutters and downspouts,
whales
underground drains
grading.
b. whales (should be swales)
Driveway:
a public road that is intended for vehicle use between a public road and a building.
(True or False)
False
private road, not public
Grade:
the elevation or level of the ground outside the house.
(True or False)
True
Grading:
This term is often used in conjunction with drainage to describe shaping land to affect air flow.
(True or False)
False
shaping land to affect water flow
Landscape (garden) block:
a manufactured (precast) solid concrete block used to construct a landscape wall.
(True or False)
True
Landscape wall:
a short height structure (usually 4 feet or less) that holds soil or fill on one side and moves water away from the wall; a short-height retaining wall.
(True or False)
False
keeps dirt/fill from moving beyond the wall;
usually 2 feet or less
Patio:
a flat outdoor recreational area, always adjacent to a house, on grade.
(True or False)
not always adjacent
Retaining wall:
a structure that holds soil or other fill on one side and keeps it from moving beyond the wall; usually applied to walls more than 2 feet tall.
(True or False)
True
swale:
a depression or channel in the soil intended to direct water in a particular direction.
(True or False)
True
Tieback:
is also called Deadman.
(True or False)
True
Tieback is a device used to resist the lateral force on a retaining wall.
RETAINING WALLS (Choose the INCORRECT answer)
a) Retaining walls less than about five feet tall are sometimes called landscape walls or garden walls.
b) Common retaining wall materials include wood, masonry, natural stone, poured concrete, and precast blocks.
c) Wood retaining walls may be constructed using preservative treated landscape timbers or railroad ties that are treated with creosote or a similar material.
a) Retaining walls less than about 2 FEET TALL, (not five feet tall) are sometimes called landscape walls or garden walls.
Typical Defects Typical defects that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) deterioration, rot, insect damage
b) spalling and efflorescence
c) rotation
d) bowing
e) pilling
e) pilling
Safety Issues Retaining Walls
A retaining wall with a walking surface on one side and a drop of more than 30 inches on the other side may be a reportable fall hazard, regardless of whether a guard is required.
(True or False)
True
Retaining walls rarely present safety issues; however, the case scenario presented is reportable.
GRADE AND DRAINAGE
a) Moist soil near the foundation can mean wood destroying organisms including termites may be present.
b) Water that enters into crawl spaces and basements can damage wood structural members, insulation, and finish materials. Fungus may be present.
c) Water can cause some unstable soils to expand and contract.
d) all of the above
d) all of the above
NOTES:
Grade must be established near the home to:
(1) separate framing and wall covering materials from earth and hard surfaces such as driveways
(2) direct water away from the foundation.
Common Drainage Systems (Choose the INCORRECT answer)
a) A swale is a depression or channel in the soil.
b) Underground drains are sometimes called French Drains.
c) Water may be captured above ground in a component called a catch basin or in a hole filled with stones called a dry well.
d) In cases where there is not enough slope for an open air termination a device sometimes referred to as a buttress is used.
d) BUBBLER, not buttress.
Typical defects of drainage systems that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) earth or hard surface slopes away from the foundation
b) depressions in soil at the foundation caused by soil settlement, recent foundation work, or recently modified landscaping,
c) gutter and downspout problems including blockage, damage, deterioration, improper slope, downspouts discharge too close to foundation,
d) foundation drains blocked or damaged
a) earth or hard surface slopes TOWARD (not away from) the foundation
VEGETATION
Issues such as vegetation condition and the appropriateness of the plant for its location are out of scope.
(True or False)
True
Typical Defects of Vegetation that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) plants touching wall coverings or roof coverings,
b) tall trees
c) visibly dead, diseased, and distressed trees that are near the house,
d) cracked or uplifted walkways, driveways, patios, retaining walls, and similar components that may be caused by vegetation,
b) tall trees
tree limbs overhanging the roof should be reported.
Vegetation Safety Issues (Choose the INCORRECT answer)
a) plants that obscure visibility at the front of the house can be a security hazard because they provide cover for burglars.
c) plants that obscure visibility from the side of the house can be a traffic safety hazard
c) both a) and b)
d) none of the above
b) plants that obscure visibility from the DRIVEWAYS and INTERSECTING STREETS (not the side of the house) is a traffic safety hazard
DRIVEWAYS, WALKWAYS, AND PATIOS (Choose the INCORRECT answer):
a) A driveway is a private road that is intended for vehicle use between a public road and a building
b) A walkway is a public path on private property that is intended for pedestrian use.
c) A patio is a flat outdoor recreational area adjacent to a house.
d) none of the above
b) private path on private property
Typical defects of driveways, walkways and patios that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) surface slopes toward the house or has inadequate slope away from the house
b) cracking, crazing, delamination, dusting, pop-outs in concrete or asphalt
c) surface is uplifted, usually caused by tree roots and expansive soil
d) a piece of clothing visible in the concrete or asphalt
d) a piece of clothing visible in the concrete or asphalt
Cracks (Choose the CORRECT answer):
a) There is no agreed upon standard for what constitutes a reportable crack.
b) A common guideline is that a ½ inch height difference between adjacent sections should be considered for repair.
c) both a) and b)
d) none of the above
c) both a) and b)
Safety Issues for Driveways, Walkways and Patios
(Choose the CORRECT answer):
a) There is no agreed upon standard for what constitutes a reportable trip hazard.
b) A common guideline is that a ½ inch height difference between adjacent sections should be considered for repair.
c) A common guideline is that ⅜ inch of standing water after 24 hours should be considered for repair.
d) all of the above
d) all of the above
POOL AND SPA ACCESS BARRIERS
Inspecting pool and spa access barriers is out of scope of a home inspection.
(True or False)
True
Pool and Spa Fences and Walls (Choose the INCORRECT ANSWER)
a) The objective of fences and walls around pools and spas is to keep unauthorized persons, especially children, out of the pool and spa area.
b) Chain link or lattice fences should have openings not more than 1¾ inches wide.
c) both a) and b)
d) none of the above
d) None of the above
Pool and Spa Gates
(Choose the INCORRECT answer)
a) A single gate should be self-closing and self-latching.
b) A double gate should be self-latching, but self-closing is not required.
c) Both types of gates should swing away from the pool.
d) none of the above
d) none of the above
House Walls around Pools/Spas
(Choose the INCORRECT answer)
a) A house wall is frequently part of the access barrier system.
b) A door should be self-closing and self-latching
c) The door lock be at least 54 inches above the floor and that the door swing into the house
d) A window latch be at least 54 inches above the floor or that the window opening size be limited to 2 inches or less
d) A window latch be at least 54 inches above the floor or that the window opening size be limited to 4 INCHES (not 2 inches) or less
Pool and Spa Access Barriers Typical Defects that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) absent, damaged, or deteriorated fence, wall, or gate
b) low fence, wall, or gate, or low gate latch
c) large openings in or under fence, wall, or gate
d) wood fence, wall, or gate
d) climbable, not WOOD fence, wall, or gate
RETAINING WALLS (Choose the INCORRECT answer)
a) Masonry retaining walls are usually built using concrete masonry units (CMUs), also called concrete blocks.
b) Poured concrete retaining walls are built by erecting metal or wood forms and pouring plastic between the forms.
c) Masonry and concrete retaining walls should be constructed on a poured concrete footing that is reinforced with steel as appropriate.
d) none of the above
b) Poured concrete retaining walls are built by erecting metal or wood forms and pouring CONCRETE (not plastic) between the forms.
RETAINING WALLS (Choose the INCORRECT answer)
a) Retaining walls taller than about four feet should have structural components to help reduce wall failure caused by forces such as water pressure and frost heave.
b) Most retaining walls should have a means to drain water that accumulates behind the wall
c) Masonry and concrete walls should have openings, called weep (drain) holes, near the bottom of the wall.
d) none of the above
d) none of the above
Typical Defects Typical defects that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) cracking
b) sliding
c) lack of visible reinforcement
d) support undercut
e) none of the above
e) none of the above
Typical Defects Typical defects that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) too tall for material used
b) lack of visible weep holes
c) components are loose or are not secured in place
d) dirt is not compact
d) dirt is not compact
GRADE AND DRAINAGE (Fill in the blanks)
a) Earth should slope away from the foundation at least 6 inches in the first ___ feet.
b) The distance between a house and the beginning of a downward slope should usually be ____ feet or H/3 where H is the height of the slope.
c) The distance between a house and the beginning of an upward slope should usually be ____ feet or H/2.
a) 10
b) 40
c) 15
Typical defects of drainage systems that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) changes to swale slope caused by plant roots or by modified landscaping
b) debris in swale blocking water flow
c) underground drains blocked
d) soil is porous
d) soil is porous
Typical defects of drainage systems that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) earth or mulch at the foundation too close to or above wall coverings
b) planting boxes installed above the foundation,
c) soil settled in utility trenches,
d) none of the above
d) none of the above
Typical defects of drainage systems that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) soil erosion
b) evidence of water and drainage problems on lots at bottom of hills or in low-lying areas.
c) a GI Joe in the soil
d) none of the above
c) a GI Joe in the soil
Typical Defects of Vegetation that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) tree limbs near overhead utility wires
b) trees leaning toward the ground
c) trees supported by metal guy wires
d) plants are too close to HVAC condensers
b) trees leaning toward the HOUSE, not the ground
DRIVEWAYS, WALKWAYS, AND PATIOS (Choose the INCORRECT answer):
a) Common driveway and walkway materials include concrete, asphalt, soil, gravel, flagstone, and pavers.
b) Driveways, walkways, and patios rely on the soil and the base materials underneath to provide support and to resist settlement, uplift, and cracking
c) Concrete driveways, walkways, and patios should be at least 3½ inches thick.
d) Crack control joints should be installed in these structures at about 20 foot intervals and at depth of about ¼ of the slab thickness.
d) Crack control joints should be installed in these structures at about 10 FOOT INTERVALS, (not 20 foot) and at depth of about ¼ of the slab thickness.
DRIVEWAYS, WALKWAYS, AND PATIOS (Choose the INCORRECT answer):
a) Isolation joints should be installed where the driveway and walkway meet and where the driveway or where the walkway meets other structures such as the house or a column.
b) Concrete should not be placed when the temperature will fall below 32° F. within 24 hours.
c) Spalling (popping of the surface layer) is a common result of concrete that freezes before it cures.
d) Asphalt driveways and walkways should be between at least 5 and 7 inches compacted (installed) thickness.
d) Asphalt driveways and walkways should be between at least 2 and 4 (not 5 and 7) inches compacted (installed) thickness.
DRIVEWAYS, WALKWAYS, AND PATIOS (Choose the INCORRECT answer):
a) Driveways, walkways, and patios should slope away from the house and should not impede water flow.
b) Hard surfaces such as these should slope away from the house at least ¼ inch per foot.
c) both a) and b)
d) none of the above
d) none of the above
Typical defects of driveways, walkways and patios that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) surface settled, usually caused by improper soil compaction and expansive soil
b) ruts and thin gravel coverage in soil and gravel
c) erosion and voids any surface
d) sand hard around flagstones and pavers
d) sand SOFT (not hard) around flagstones and pavers
Typical defects of driveways, walkways and patios that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) carpets or tiles, cracked or deteriorated
b) evidence of water exists
c) edging materials such as bricks loose and deteriorated
d) walkway is higher than foundation planting bed
b) evidence of PONDING water exists
Pool and Spa Access Barriers Typical Defects that home inspectors should report include all, EXCEPT:
a) single gate or door not self-closing and self-latching, or mechanism not functioning properly
b) gate swings out away from the pool
c) disabled door alarm
d) pet door allows access to pool
b) gate swings IN TOWARD (not out away) from the pool
