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