Prepare for your Home Inspector certification exam with these practice questions and answers. This guide covers structural systems, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, and reporting standards.
Q: Air-admittance valves are __________ to vent fixtures installed at island structures in kitchens.
Answer: Permitted
Q: The door between an attached garage and a dwelling unit should be of solid wood not less than ________ inches thick.
Answer: 1 3/8
Q: If particleboard panels used as wall sheathing are applied in a horizontal pattern across the wall, the end joints should be offset so that four panel corners ________.
Answer: do not meet
Q: The size of a P-trap drainpipe should be at least _______ inches.
Answer: 1.5
Q: Notches in solid lumber joists, rafters and beams should not be longer than ____________ the depth of the member.
Answer: 1/3
Q: A minimum service of _____ amps is required for a single residential dwelling unit.
Answer: 100
Q: If the service or feeder rating in amps is 200, then the aluminum AWG size should be _______.
Answer: 4/0
Q: T/F: In homes located in areas having a history of ice forming along the eaves, an ice barrier consisting of at least three layers of underlayment cemented together is required.
Answer: True
Q: There should be at least ____-inch gypsum board applied on the garage side to separate the garage from the residence and its attic space.
Answer: 1/2
Q: A window well should have a horizontal area of at least ____ square feet, with a minimum horizontal projection and width of _____ inches.
Answer: 9 and 36
Q: The opening to an attic space that has any mechanical equipment located in it should be a minimum of ______ inches by ______ inches.
Answer: 30 and 20
Q: If there are appliances in the attic space, an opening at least _____ and a clear, unobstructed path should be provided.
Answer: 22 inches wide and 30 high
Q: Standpipes for clothes washers should extend at least ____ inches and no more than ____ inches above the trap weir.
Answer: 18 and 42
Q: T/F: A standpipe can serve as an indirect waste receptor.
Answer: True
Q: An open vent pipe that passes through a roof should extend at least _____ inches above the roof.
Answer: 6
Q: If a roof is used for a purpose other than weather protection, the vent extensions should extend above the roof by at least ____ feet.
Answer: 7
Q: If particleboard is used as wall sheathing, the grade mark with Type _____ or _____ should be stamped on it.
Answer: M-1 and M-2
Q: The purpose of gravel on a built-up tar-and-gravel roof is __________.
Answer: to prevent delamination of the plysto protect the membrane from ultraviolet raysto provide ballast to help hold down the roof membrane
Q: A roof that has a problem with ponding generally still has water on it at least ____ hours after it has rained.
Answer: 48
Q: The purpose of a cant strip is to __________.
Answer: prevent the roof membrane from cracking at a change in direction
Q: The roofing material having the shortest life expectancy is __________.
Answer: roll roofing
Q: A retaining wall ___________.
Answer: is used to prevent soil movement
Q: When lowering a basement floor, if the soil is excavated only to the bottom of the footing, it may result in _____________.
Answer: loss of lateral support for the footing
Q: The minimum end-bearing for beams is _____ inches.
Answer: 3-5/8
Q: A load-bearing stud wall has a ____________.
Answer: double top plate and a single sole plate
Q: Truss uplift is believed to be caused by ___________.
Answer: a differential in humidity levels within an attic
Q: T/F: It is preferable to have downspouts discharge below grade rather than above grade.
Answer: False
Q: T/F: Stucco over wood framing exhibits significantly fewer cracks than stucco over masonry walls.
Answer: False
Q: Stucco cracks and bulges often appear near the floor level because __________.
Answer: wood framing shrinks the most in this area
Q: If a basement walkout is to be added to a house, ___________ may be necessary.
Answer: a deeper footing near the walkout
Q: As they rust, steel lintels over doors and windows in masonry walls will _____________.
Answer: generate horizontal cracks in the mortar joints at the windows’ top corners
Q: Stucco cracks occur due to __________.
Answer: the natural shrinkage of stuccothe natural shrinkage of woodthe uncontrolled movement of the structure
Q: The maximum distance between foundation anchor bolts is ____ feet.
Answer: 6
Q: The minimum slope for ground adjacent to the foundation is _____ inches.
Answer: 1:10
Q: An anchor bolt should be within ____ inches of the end of the sill plate.
Answer: 12
Q: The maximum depth for a notch in a beam OR joist is ______ the board’s depth.
Answer: 1/6
Q: The maximum depth for a notch at the END of a joist is _____ the joist’s depth.
Answer: 1/4
Q: A joist below and parallel to a bearing wall should be ___________.
Answer: doubled
Q: T/F: Gypsum board can be used as bracing to resist wind and seismic forces.
Answer: True
Q: T/F: Lintels and headers are the same things.
Answer: True
Q: A non-bearing partition stud can be _____ notched.
Answer: 40%
Q: When the span of a header is greater than ____ feet, it’s necessary to double the trimmer and header rafters.
Answer: 4
Q: T/F: Purlins can be smaller than the supported rafters.
Answer: False
Q: Guardrails are required at the edges of walking surfaces higher than ____ inches.
Answer: 30
Q: On a stairway, the maximum rise is ____ inches, and minimum run is 10 inches.
Answer: 7-3/4
Q: The minimum required headroom above a stairway is _________.
Answer: 6 feet 8 inches
Q: A stairway that is _____ inches or more wide must have two handrails.
Answer: 48
Q: A weep screed should be placed ____ inches above grade.
Answer: 4
Q: Swimming pool barriers must be at least ___ feet above grade.
Answer: 4
Q: There must be at least _____ of clearance in front of the toilet to any wall, fixture or door.
Answer: 21
Q: If a plumbing vent extends too far above the roof line, there is a risk of ____________.
Answer: Frost Closure
Q: In new-construction homes, the minimum pipe size for the main water supply line is ______.
Answer: 3/4 inch
Q: The plumbing fixture notorious for leakage through small openings in the grout, caulking and/or weatherstripped areas is the _________.
Answer: Shower
Q: The main difference between brass and copper supply pipes is _______________.
Answer: brass pipes have threaded joints and copper pipes have soldered joints
Q: Plumbing stacks should terminate ____ feet horizontally from a window.
Answer: 10
Q: Water hammer can be corrected by ____________.
Answer: re-fastening loose pipes and installing air chambers or shock absorbers
Q: The most common supply piping material used in modern home construction is __________.
Answer: Copper
Q: The power available in a typical 15-amp, 120-volt household circuit is _____ watts.
Answer: 1,800
Q: Linking _________________.
Answer: ensures that two fuses or circuit breakers are disconnected at the same time
Q: The service entry size for a 200-amp service is ___________.
Answer: #2/0-gauge copper
Q: The only suitable receptacles for use with aluminum wire should be marked ______.
Answer: CO/ALR
Q: A kitchen split-receptacle is a ____________.
Answer: duplex receptacle whose top and bottom halves are on individual dedicated circuits
Q: A service mast must be used with a service drop if the _____________.
Answer: weatherhead does not clear the roof by 3 feet
Q: T/F: The purposes of bonding and grounding are the same.
Answer: False
Q: A forced-air heating system that is fueled by oil is evidenced by the presence of a ___________.
Answer: barometric damper
Q: In a steam-heating system, the operating cut-off control is set at _____ psi.
Answer: 2 to 3
Q: A radiant-heat systems uses _________ to radiate heat.
Answer: pipes and panels and/or entire walls, floors and/or the ceiling
Q: For fire safety, oil burners usually have ____________.
Answer: either a stack switch or a photo-electric device
Q: The typical range at which a fan/limit switch will turn the blower on is _______.
Answer: 130° to 150° F
Q: Pressure-reducing valves on hot-water heating systems are typically set at _________.
Answer: 12-22 psi
Q: For a conventional gas furnace, about ________ per 1,000 BTUs of ventilation for combustion air should be provided.
Answer: 2 square inches
Q: The ________ confirms ignition of the pilot light.
Answer: thermocouple
Q: Cleanouts for drainage pipes should be installed _____________ apart in horizontal drainage lines measured from the upstream entrance of the cleanout.
Answer: Not More Than 100 Feet
Q: House wrap is designed to ___________ water vapor to pass through it.
Answer: Allow
Q: A home inspector will typically find the ______-port burners installed in a furnace with a forced-draft, as they are common with high-efficiency furnaces.
Answer: Mono
Q: The required egress door has to provide a clear space of at least ___ inches wide, measured from the door surface to the door stop when the door is open at a 90 degree angle.
Answer: 32
Q: The minimum height for a stair riser is ________.
Answer: 4 in
Q: Footings for masonry chimneys must be made of concrete or solid masonry at least _____ thick.
Answer: 1 Foot
Q: The minimum clearance from an exhaust flue on a conventional oil furnace to combustibles is ____ inch(es).
Answer: 9
Q: Cracks at interior walls are not caused by ____________.
Answer: a lack of insulation
Q: Ideally, exterior doorways should be _______________.
Answer: installed with a step-up of at least 6 inches
Q: A fireplace hearth should extend beyond the front of the fireplace by at least _____ inches.
Answer: 16
Q: Perimeter foundation drainage tile should be installed _____________.
Answer: right beside the footing below the basement’s floor level
Q: At a skylight well within an attic space, the vapor barrier should be _________.
Answer: underneath the insulation
Q: Service drops around a swimming pool should be __________.
Answer: 22-1/2 feet above and 10 feet horizontally away
Q: The minimum size for a copper grounding electrode rod _______.
Answer: 5/8-inch diameter and 8 feet long
Q: A split-bus electrical panel uses a double-pole breaker to ______________ the 120-volt circuits.
Answer: isolate
Q: An access opening of at least _________ should be installed if a pump at a whirlpool bathtub is located more than 2 feet away from it.
Answer: 18×18
Q: Methane gas, which may be present in confined spaces such as a basement, can cause death by __________.
Answer: Asphyxiation
Q: The vertical distance from a fixture outlet to the trap weir should not be more than _______ inches.
Answer: 24
Q: A “hammer test” test is important _____.
Answer: To see if bolts are tight
Q: A ___________ flue lining is suitable for wood-burning, gas and oil applications.
Answer: Stainless Steel
Q: The _____________ (chimney inner wall or flue inner wall) must be continuous and free of cracks, gaps, perforations, damage and deterioration.
Answer: Flue Liner
Q: A copper to steel connection undergoes a/an?
Answer: Electrolytic Reaction
Q: Three common locations for cross connections in plumbing are?
Answer: Bidet, Garden Hose, and Boiler
Q: What is the maximum length of a flexible gas appliance connector to a dryer or range?
Answer: 6 feet
Q: How much water does a modern residential toilet discharge into the waste system?
Answer: 1.6 gpf
Q: What kind of connector is required to connect attach plastic DWV to cast iron DWV?
Answer: Hubless
Q: What does voltage measure?
Answer: Electrical Pressure
Q: What breaker amperage can these copper wires go to in order?8,10,12,14
Answer: Amperages 40,30,20,15
Q: How might rafter spread be noticed from the exterior of the home?
Answer: Separation of the soffits from the wall
Q: What type of roof requires an underlayment of felt between courses?
Answer: Wood shakes
Q: 4 ply built up roof would have?
Answer: 4 layers of felt and 4 layers of bitumen
Q: What siding has a tendency to expand and contract the most?
Answer: Vinyl
Q: What is the lightest type of copper piping?
Answer: Type M
Q: What is the purpose of a Hartford Loop?
Answer: Precludes siphon action if the unit develops a leak
Q: Another name for a 4 way valve is a ?
Answer: Reversing Valve
Q: What is the purpose of an accumulator?
Answer: Keep liquid refrigerant out of the compressor
Q: The most likely area to find a crack or hole in the heat exchanger is in the?
Answer: Front and behind the heat shield
Q: Visualize a basement stairway with a wall on one side, what is not a safety defect?
Answer: No handrail on the wall side
Q: Three wires on a masthead, one tied back. What kind of service?
Answer: 120 Volt Service
Q: When does the defrost cycle on a heat pump normally turn on?
Answer: At 37 or below degrees F
Q: A dirty air filter can cause?
Answer: Reduced air flow and lower return air temperature
Q: A metering device is used to?
Answer: Reduce pressure on the coolant
Q: In the cooling cycle of a heat pump, the condensing coil is located?
Answer: Outside
Q: How long will a defrost cycle on a heat pump last in the heating season?
Answer: 10 minutes
Q: T/F: Styrofoam insulation is a potential carcinogen
Answer: False
Q: SE cable should be ___ from earth at the SE entrance, ___ from a driveway, and ___ from a window
Answer: 10 feet, 12 feet, 3 feet
Q: What is the minimum height of SE cables above a roof?Above a roof with a slope greater than 4:12?
Answer: 8 feet3 feet
Q: What is the minimum bearing of a wooden beam on a masonry column?
Answer: 3 inches
Q: When does a built up roof need flood coating?
Answer: When the tar paper is showing
Q: A 30 amp plug fuse is usually what color?
Answer: Green
Q: Where a roof ridge is closer than 10 feet to a chimney, the stack should be _______ higher.
Answer: 2
Q: A built up roof having a lap joint every 12″ has how many plys?
Answer: 3 ply
Q: Wood shakes and shingles are best maintained by ?
Answer: Applying a quality water seal coating periodically
Q: Electrical resistance is measured in?
Answer: Ohms
Q: Electrical current flow is measured in?
Answer: Amperes
Q: If a black wire carries 10 amps, how much will the white wire carry?
Answer: Same as the black wire
Q: Tempered glass is safer than regular glass because?
Answer: It breaks into small rectangular pieces
Q: For water to drain freely from a houses waste system, there must be adequate ?
Answer: Venting
Q: The temperature differential at the air return handler of a heating system in heating mode should be?
Answer: 10-15
Q: The anode rod in a water heater does what?
Answer: Protects the tank from corrosion
Q: Glass block is not?
Answer: Safety Glazed
Q: Substantial movement of a building will not be caused by?A. Missing lintelsB. Missing frost footingsC. Soft SoilD. Poor grading
Answer: A. Missing lintels
Q: What is recommended to repair polyurethane foam roofing?
Answer: Elastomeric caulking
Q: The outlet of a laundry tray should be no farther than _____ inches horizontally from the standpipe trap.
Answer: 30
Q: The horizontal distance from the fixture outlet to the trap weir should not be greater than _______ inches measured from the centerline of the fixture outlet to the centerline of the inlet of the trap.
Answer: 30