FULL NHIE EXAM PRACTICE - Questions and Answers (Complete Solutions) Where you have found evidence of footing settlement, how can you predict whether
... [Show More] there will be further settlement? (a) You can count the number of planes of movement. (b) You can determine the type of foundation material. (c) You cannot predict settlement from a single inspection. (d) You can determine the depth of the footing. You typically identify a Freon leak (a) As an oil stain (b) As refrigerant coming out of the Freon line in the form of a cold mist. (c) By the strong odor. (d) By looking for evidence of ice along the refrigerant lines Typical wood frame wall assemblies include all of the following components EXCEPT. (a) Studs (b) Bridging (c) Sheathing (d) Siding All of the following are common approaches to improving chimney draft EXCEPT (a) Adding a draft inducer fan. (b) Adding a rain cap. (c) Extending the chimney upward. (d) Resloping the cap. All of the following statements are true of shrinkage cracks EXCEPT that (a) Shrinkage cracks do not typically go into the footings. (b) Shrinkage cracks do not necessarily have corresponding cracks elsewhere in the building. (c) Vertical shear is associated with shrinkage cracks. (d) Shrinkage cracks are common with poured concrete foundation walls. Which of the following is NOT typically a component of a private water supply system? (a) Foot valve (b) Pump (c) Pressure regulator (d) Pressure tank Split-system, air-cooled, central air-conditioning systems have how many fans? (a) None (b) One (c) Two (d) Four Insulated metal exterior doors with storm doors should be avoided because they may (a) Increase heat loss. (b) Increase air leakage. (c) Overheat. (d) Have poor architectural appeal. You plug your circuit tester into an outlet that has a washing machine plugged into it. Your tester shows that the outlet is properly wired and grounded. How could you improve this inspection process? (a) Use a voltage tester (b) Use a circuit tester with a GFI test button (c) Unplug the washing machine (d) Turn the washing machine on before doing your test. Given a foundation wall that is cracked due to horizontal force (a) You will not be able to determine whether the wall has also moved inward. (b) If the wall has moved inward, the cracks would typically be wider on the inside face. (c) If the wall has moved inward, cracks will typically be wider on the outside face. (d) You should not be concerned unless the crack is at least ¼ in width. On most steep roofs, exposed fasteners are (a) Used for anchorage against wind. (b) A sign of poor installation. (c) A sign of good installation. (d) Used to prevent ice dams. All of the following are slab-on-grade-construction techniques EXCEPT (a) Monolithic slab. (b) Floating slab. (c) Inverted slab. (d) Reinforced slab. Masonry chimneys should have a clearance from combustible framing members of (a) 1 inch. (b) 2 inches. (c) 4 inches. (d) 12 inches. Efflorescence (a) Is associated with water moving through masonry walls. (b) Can only appear on the cold side of a wall. (c) Only occurs in freezing climates. (d) Is an organic growth. On a conventional split-system air-conditioning system, the high-pressure side is the portion of the refrigerant line from the (a) Compressor to the expansion device. (b) Metering device to the evaporator coil. (c) Expansion device to the compressor. (d) Evaporator to the compressor. The presence of step flashing on an asphalt shingle roof can typically be verified by (a) Looking at the counter flashing. (b) Knowing the age of the shingles on the roof. (c) Knowing the number of layers of shingles on the roof. (d) Lifting the shingles adjacent to the chimney or wall Why are you more likely to see a house with a full basement in cold northern climates than in warm southern climates? (a) People in cold climates have snow removal equipment to store. (b) Having to excavate below the frost line for the footings makes a basement cost effective. (c) Homes with basements need heat. In southern climates, it is a waste of energy to heat the basement. (d) There is a lot of bedrock in the southern climates " blasting would be required to make a basement. All of the following are advantages to having clients attend inspections EXCEPT (a) An opportunity for better communication. (b) You can charge a premium for allowing clients to attend. (c) That showing is better than telling. (d) You have the opportunity to adjust expectations. The flame of the left burner in a two-burner conventional efficiency furnace touches the heat exchanger only when the blower is running. What is likely to be the problem? (a) The heat exchanger is cracked on the left side. (b) The heat exchanger is cracked on the right side. (c) The left burner is dirty. (d) The left burner is misaligned. What would you do if you saw that a roof truss had been cut? (a) Advise client to sister a 2 x 4 piece over the cut. The sistered piece should extend at least three feet on either side of the cut. (b) Advise client that cuts in trusses are not a problem. (c) Look for other signs of distress and, if none, do nothing. (d) Advise further evaluation by a specialist. CPVC water pipe may not be used for hot and cold supply lines (a) In single-family residences. (b) In multifamily residences. (c) Inside a building. (d) Below grade. Garage door problems include all of the following EXCEPT (a) A seven-inch step down into garage. (b) Poor weatherstripping. (c) That it has no self-closer. (d) If it opens into a bedroom. Which of the following statements is TRUE? (a) Uniform settlement is most often the result of building on undisturbed soils. (b) Expansive soils expand as they dry. (c) Lowering the basement floor to the top of the footing can cause settlement where there was no settlement initially. (d) Uniform settlement may stress utility pipes. Foundation irrigation is (a) A method of stabilizing expansive clay soils. (b) A method of strengthening the foundation concrete-the concrete is kept damp for a couple of days. (c) A foundation-drainage technique. (d) Used to prevent basement leakage. A horizontal fracture in the foundation (a) Is a shrinkage crack. (b) Is not as serious as a vertical crack. (c) Reduces the foundation's ability to resist soil pressure. (d) Cannot be caused by adfreezing. Water hammer can be solved or greatly reduced by (a) Installing modern quick-closing faucets (b) Using 12-inch vertical extensions at ends of lines. (c) Avoiding long, vertical rises in the pipe. (d) Avoiding long, horizontal runs of pipe. Piers may move because the (a) Footings are oversized. (b) Piers are not adequately loaded. (c) Soil below is disturbed. (d) Beams are undersized. Attic insulation may be wet as a result of any of the following EXCEPT (a) Insulation that is too close to chimneys. (b) A roof leak. (c) Condensation. (d) An exhaust fan discharging directly into the insulation. These products are all asphalt based EXCEPT for (a) Roofing cement. (b) Asphalt cement. (c) Plastic cement. (d) Caulking. All of the following are true with EIFS EXCEPT that (a) It is typically applied directly to a polystyrene insulation board. (b) It is typically a two-coat process. (c) A fiber glass mesh replaces wire lath. (d) The finish coat is thicker than with traditional stucco. The introductory discussion should (a) Help to adjust the expectations of the client. (b) Establish your credibility with the use of a number or technical terms (c) Include instructions for your clients to avoid questions since this will pull you from your routine. (d) Include questions about the clients preferred order for inspecting the components of the home. Which of the following statements is FALSE with respect to electric water heaters? (a) Most water heaters have two elements. (b) The upper element usually comes on first (c) The upper element has priority (d) It can be difficult to tell if one of the two elements is burned out If you drilled a hole through a properly laid asphalt-shingle roof, how many shingles would you go through? (a) One (b) Two (c) Three (d) Four Which phrase does NOT describe a home inspection? (a) Field review of performance (b) Evaluation of physical condition (c) Visual inspection of readily accessible, installed component (d) Appraisal inspection All of the following statements about hardboard siding are true except one. Which statement is FALSE? (a) Hardboard is a type of fiberboard. (b) Hardboard is non-combustible. (c) Common thicknesses are 5/16-1/2 inch. (d) It is denser than conventional wood siding. Exhaust flues on gas-fired or oil-fired water heaters should (a) Have a minimum length of 10 feet. (b) Slope down away from the water heater to allow for condensation. (c) Have a slope of ¼-inch per foot up away from the heater. (d) Be friction fit together. The most serious implication of any insulation, air/vapor barrier, or ventilation deficiency is (a) Excess heat loss. (b) Excess heat gain (in summer). (c) Reduced comfort levels. (d) Rot. Which of the following statements about home inspectors' liability is TRUE? (a) As long as you provide written reports, you have no liability. (b) Your liability is greater if your buyers' expectations are not realistic. (c) Home improvement contractors play no part in home inspector liability. (d) The last-one-in syndrome helps to reduce liability. The condensate drain pan or tray on a split-system air conditioner is typically located below the (a) Compressor. (b) Condenser coil. (c) Evaporator coil. (d) Expansion device. The most serious implication of a leaking humidifier is (a) Flooding. (b) Rusting of the furnace cabinet (c) Rusting of the heat exchanger. (d) Shorting out the furnace wiring. For a galvanized-steel roof (a) The surface should be coated with mastic to extend the useful life. (b) Painting the surface is one acceptable way of protecting the surface. (c) The metal should be held down with copper nails or screws to prevent corrosion. (d) Both a and c are true. The main service fuses have been installed with the labels facing backward, such that you cannot read their rating. No other markings are visible. You should (a) Turn off the house power and remove a fuse to check its rating. (b) Measure the diameter of the fuse body to determine its rating. (c) Report that the main service fuse rating was not determinable. (d) Carefully insert your inspection mirror until the label is visible, then read the rating from the label. After you turn an electric baseboard heater on, how long should it take for the heater to get warm? (a) Less than 10 seconds (b) Less than 1 minute (c) Less than 5 minutes (d) Less than 10 minutes Which statement about crawlspaces is FALSE? (a) Crawlspaces can be heated or unheated. (b) The floor will be more comfortable if the crawlspace floor is insulated. (c) It is typically easier to insulate the walls than the crawlspace ceiling. (d) Insulating the walls can be done on the inside or outside An auxiliary drain pan is needed on a split-system air conditioner when (a) The condensate cannot be drained by gravity. (b) There is no trap in the condensate line. (c) Leakage in the primary pan may damage interior finishes. (d) A high volume of condensate is anticipated. Engineered wood (a) Includes wood I-joists and open web steel joists. (b) Cannot use joist hangers. (c) Do not require rim joists. (d) Often need more end bearing than conventional lumber joists. You inspect a 4-year-old asphalt shingle roof. It seems well insulated and the attic is properly ventilated. Roughly 25 percent of shingles show irregular cracks in the surface. You report that (a) The shingles are suffering freeze-thaw damage. (b) This is a common cosmetic condition that does not affect performance or life expectancy. (c) There is a possible manufacturing defect and life expectancy may be shortened. (d) This is a result of expansion and contraction of waferboard sheathing as a result of changes in humidity. Common problems with clay or slate shingles include all of the following EXCEPT (a) Missing shingles. (b) Loose shingles. (c) Buckled shingles (d) Broken shingles. On which roof are exposed fasteners most likely to be acceptable? (a) Metal (b) Clay (c) Concrete (d) Asphalt How thick (maximum) should a creosote deposit in a wood stove be before it is removed? (a) ¼ inch (b) ½ inch (c) ¾ inch (d) 1 inch Spalling and mortar damage near the bottom of an exterior masonry column would likely be the result of (a) Eccentric loads (b) Frost heave (c) Soil erosion (d) Freeze/thaw cycles Recommendations to a client regarding brick cracks may include all of these EXCEPT to (a) Caulk them (b) Ignore them (c) Monitor them (d) Call in a specialist for further advice Obsolete service boxes typically have (a) Rusted covers (b) Black covers (c) Exposed terminals (d) Undersized fuses You are examining the side flashing for a masonry chimney. Where the asphalt shingles meet the counter flashing, roofing cement has been applied. Your report should include which of the following? (a) It is difficult to say if proper step flashings were installed. (b) Roofing cement should only be considered a temporary repair. (c) This is not a good building practice. (d) It should include all of the above. Common drainage piping problems include all of the following EXCEPT (a) Clogging (b) Cross connections (c) Undersizing (d) Slopes of ¼-inch to ½-inch per foot Jack studs (a) Support lintels (b) Are full-length studs (c) Support window sills (d) Support beams Wood deterioration is typically discovered during a home inspection by (a) Probing with an awl or similar tool (b) Visual observation (c) Tapping with a hammer (d) Both a and b Common and dangerous cracks in the hearth of a wood-burning fireplace are often found (a) At the back of the hearth (b) Between the hearth and hearth extension (c) At the front of the hearth extension (d) At the sides of the hearth extension There are two layers of shingles on the roof, with the most recent installation less than two-years-old. At the chimney, the original steel flashings are rusted. The shingles are sealed to the older metal with asphalt cement. The roofer should have (a) Used caulking instead of asphalt cement (b) Installed new flashings (c) Stripped off the old shingles first (d) Replaced only the flashings that are rusted through Masonry veneer walls are (a) Supported with header courses (b) Hung on studs (c) Watertight (d) Brittle You can check the thickness of the flooring and the subfloor material by (a) Referring to building plans (b) Lifting out a supply air register (c) Measuring the overall floor thickness and subtracting the joists (d) Drilling a small pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot You notice a wooden post as the support for the service drop. You should (a) Recommend replacing it right away with a steel mast. (b) Check for rot, damage, or movement (c) Assume that you'll find obsolete equipment inside the house (d) Tug on the service drop wires to make sure the mast doesn't give Rope wicks in veneer walls (a) Are better than weep holes (b) Are often used in place of weep holes (c) Replace brick ties (d) Are used with plastic screens Wood lintels need (a) Wood preservative (b) 6 inches of endbearing (c) Flashing (d) 1½ inches of endbearing Which of the following are the most appropriate deck fasteners? (a) Roofing nails (b) Hot-dipped galvanized nails (c) Drywall screws (d) Electroplate galvanized nails At roof-to-wall flashings, where wood siding is the counter-flashing, the siding should be kept (a) Less than one inch above the roof (b) One to two inches above the roof (c) Two to three inches above the roof (d) Four to five inches above the roof Which statement about suspended ceilings is FALSE? (a) Home inspectors should not lift the tiles because they can be difficult to get back in (b) They reduce the ceiling height (c) They are also called acoustic tile (d) They are often installed below damaged plaster ceilings The minimum head room for stairs in a home is roughly (a) 72 inches (b) 80 inches (c) 84 inches (d) 88 inches Where a steeply pitched shingle roof meets a lower-pitched shingle roof, the valley may be especially vulnerable to (a) Unusually rapid deterioration (b) Water penetration under the shingles on the lower-pitched side (c) Excessive shingle wear adjacent to the valley on the steeper- pitched side (d) Buckling of the flashing material Gravity, warm-air furnaces are different from forced-air furnaces in each of the following respects EXCEPT that (a) There is no fan (b) There is no high temperature limit switch (c) The furnace is always located in the center of the house (d) The supply and return duct systems are large, round, and sloped up from the furnace To check the connections of the wires inside the service box, you should (a) Measure the amperage in the neutral (b) Pull on the wire (c) Measure the voltage between the neutral and the ground (d) Look for melting, charring, or damage to the wire and insulation. Look for melting, charring, or damage to the wire and insulation. Good skylight inspections include all of these EXCEPT (a) Looking from inside the home below the skylight (b) Looking at the flashings (c) Standing on the glazed section (d) Tapping on the glazing=Standing on the glazed section Which of the following statements applies to notching or putting holes in truss members? (a) Holes should be no more than 1/3 of the depth of the member (b) Neither holes nor notches are permitted anywhere on a truss (c) Holes are permitted only in the middle-third of the bottom chord of a truss (d) Holes and notches are not permitted in the top or bottom chord but are permitted in the webs. The most common cross connection on a bathtub is (a) A pressure-balancing faucet set (b) A tub fill spout below the tub flood rim (c) A tub drain interconnected with the cold water supply (d) A faulty shower diverter Where ceiling joists or rafters are cut to make an opening (skylight, dormer etc.) the load from the cut members must be transferred to adjacent members. The framing installed to do this is called a (a) Trimmer (b) Swale (c) Strut (d) Header The exterior sides and bottom of the service box are rusting. The interior of the service box is not affected. There is a water stain on the foundation wall below the service box. The box is below grade. Your BEST conclusion from these clues is (a) Plumbing leakage; check for a pipe above (b) No sealant between the wires and the inside of the conduit (c) Defective service cap (weatherhead). (d) Leakage at the foundation wall conduit hole If, when looking at a slate roof, you see ribbons, you should tell your client that (a) These may be weak areas and the slate is not high quality (b) These are signs of particularly good, strong slates (c) These slates are rare and tend to be more expensive (d) These slates have changed color because of air pollution Common shower stall problems include all of the following EXCEPT (a) Slow drains (b) Rust (c) Water damage around sills and thresholds (d) Missing overflow [Show Less]