What To Look For Inside - Walls and Ceilings Flashcards
What should a home inspector take note of when inspecting walls?
Bowing walls
Cracks
No visible support beneath load-bearing walls
Bulging paneling
Waves and bows
Walls out of plumb
Rusty nail heads
How can the condition of interior walls and floors provide clues to a home’s structural integrity?
The thickness of some interior walls may indicate how the house is constructed. For example, a wall framed with 2x6s or 2x8s could be a plumbing wall, a load-bearing wall, or a marriage wall in a modular home.
What do tiny cracks that follow the plaster surface, like spider veins, usually indicate?
They may indicate a moisture problem behind the plaster itself.
What might diagonal cracks in walls suggest?
They can be associated with settlement or shifting of foundational elements.
What do cracks over doors and windows usually result from?
They are typically caused by the expansion and contraction of wooden framing components and are generally not considered structural defects.
What can cause waves and bows in walls?
Waves and bows can be caused by the lath pulling away from wooden framing components.
What should a home inspector look for as signs of water intrusion?
Staining and dark areas
Mold and water stains
Rusty nail heads visible through wallpaper
These can indicate long-term problems from faulty plumbing or moisture intrusion from exterior walls or leaking roofs.
What should be checked if walls below windows appear stained or wet?
Check the sills of the windows above them for potential water intrusion issues.
What is truss uplift and how does it affect the ceiling drywall?
Truss uplift occurs when the bottom chord of a roof truss bends upward, causing cracks in the ceiling drywall. This is a non-structural issue, typically caused by temperature changes, moisture conditions, or wind.
What causes the cracks associated with truss uplift?
The bottom truss chord lifts up due to certain conditions, causing cracks to appear in the drywall below. The cracks may open in the summer when the truss lifts and close in the winter as the truss settles.
What is the solution to prevent truss uplift from causing ceiling cracks?
Contractors can attach the ceiling drywall without fasteners into the bottom truss chord near the ceiling corner, providing flexibility. Clips and truss backing angles can also be installed.
In crawlspaces, the grade (soil) should be at least ___ inches below the bottom of the floor joists, and ___ inches below the beams.
18…12
The maximum size of a hole should not exceed ________ the height of the joist.
One-third
T/F: Truss uplift is a major structural problem.
False
Rationale: It is not a major structural problem. Uplift causes drywall cracks.
In a crawlspace, if the distance between the soil and the bottom of a girder is 15 inches, the inspector should ______________.
Note it as restricted access in the report.
___________ What helps prevent rafter spread.
Collar ties
_____________ What poses the riskiest part of a home inspection.
Crawlspaces
T/F: Home inspectors should note floors that are unlevel.
True
Rationale: Unlevel floors are listed in the Standards of Practice.
T/F: Truss uplift occurs when the bottom chord of a roof truss arches up.
True
Rationale: Uplift refers to the bottom truss chord lifting upward.
Tiny cracks that follow the plaster surface that look like spider veins may be indicative of a ______ problem behind the plaster itself.
Moisture
Collar ties span between ___________.
Rafters
T/F: It is difficult to tell if slab-on-grade cracks indicate a major structural problem, so all such cracks should be noted and reported by a home inspector.
True
Rationale: It’s not the inspector’s job to analyze cracks to determine whether those cracks are major structural defects or not.
A notch in the middle third of a wooden floor joist is NOT permitted.
True
Rationale: Notches in the middle third of a floor joist are not allowed.
T/F: A lack of collar ties may allow roof rafters to separate and cause sagging of the roof’s ridge and structure.
True
__________ pressure refers to the pressures caused by water pushing against slabs and foundations, particularly underground concrete block or poured concrete walls of foundation and crawlspaces.
Hydrostatic
__________ action is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of, or even in opposition to, external forces like gravity.
Capillary
T/F: A wet soil condition near the building foundation perimeter can cause structural defects as the moisture is absorbed by the porous building materials.
True
T/F: The weight and pressure of the soil may affect and crack a foundation.
True
T/F: Poured concrete shrinks during the curing process, which usually results in small cracks.
True
When there are observed indications of __________ through the foundation wall, the inspector should recommend further evaluation by a qualified contractor and correction of the water problem, which may include an epoxy injection into the crack.
Water intrusion
Rationale: Water intrusion is a major defect that needs to be corrected.
T/F: The apparent condition of interior walls and floors may indicate clues to a home’s structural integrity.
True
Rationale: Cracking, bulging, or uneven surfaces may indicate structural issues.
T/F: The home inspector should look at all readily accessible surfaces in the house and report upon observed indications of marks created by water intrusion.
True
Rationale: Water marks should always be reported.
T/F: Hairline shrinkage cracks are not typically caused by major settlement, yet they can still be a cause for concern if there are indications of water intrusion through the hairline crack.
True
T/F: One ventilation opening should be installed within 3 feet of each corner of the crawlspace.
True
