HOME INSPECTOR STRUCTURE 2026/2027 QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What force would exert the least amount of stress on a foundation? - ✔✔Wind
✔✔Shear - ✔✔Stress resulting from forces being applied on a structural member from
opposite directions. Shearing can cause structural members to crack or split or
completely separate.
✔✔Bending - ✔✔In terms of structure, refers to the movement of a structural member
out of its original position without shearing as a result of forces applied to the member
✔✔Grade - ✔✔The slope of the land at the building site. Below grade means "below the
surface of the ground"
✔✔Frost line - ✔✔The depth of penetration of frost into the ground. In cold climates, the
frost line is normally about 4' below the grade
✔✔Footing drain - ✔✔A drainage system laid around the perimeter of a foundation
below the level of the slab to drain water from the soil to another location
✔✔Drain tile - ✔✔Plastic piping that is used for the footing drain
✔✔Sump - ✔✔A pit located under the basement floor that contains an electric pump
✔✔Dry-laid - ✔✔A wall constructed of stone piled on stone without mortar and with no
footings
✔✔Mortar - ✔✔A mixture of a binder (lime, masonry cement, Portland cement), an
aggregate (sand), and water in many variations. Used to bond together masonry units
such as concrete blocks, stones, and bricks
✔✔Square - ✔✔All corners are at 90 degrees
✔✔Piles - ✔✔Generally steel, treated wood, or concrete that are columns that support
the structure by transmitting the weight to the footings or directly into the soil
✔✔Piers - ✔✔Columns of stone, brick, poured concrete, concrete block, cinder block or
wood. They support the structure by transmitting the weight to the footings or directly
into the soil
✔✔Grade beams - ✔✔Poured reinforced concrete beams that rest on the caps of the
pilings or piers and in certain unique systems using void forms
, ✔✔Slab-on-grade - ✔✔Consists of a poured concrete slab that rests directly on the
ground
✔✔Monolithic slab-on-grade - ✔✔The slab, foundation, and footing are poured as one
piece
✔✔Floating slab - ✔✔Constructed by pouring the footing and foundation or stem wall
first and then the slab so that the slab is not connected to the foundation walls
✔✔Post-tension slab - ✔✔Stronger than an ordinary slab and is widely used in parts of
the country with expansive soul, such as the south and southwest
✔✔Supported/Shoulder slab - ✔✔Poured separately from the rest of the foundation, but
rests on foundation walls typically made of concrete blocks.
✔✔Statues - ✔✔Laws
✔✔Rules - ✔✔Nuts and bolts of laws
✔✔Satisfactory - ✔✔Indicates the component is functionally consistent with its original
purpose but may show signs of normal wear and tear and deterioration
✔✔Marginal - ✔✔Indicates the component will need repair or replacement now or in the
very near future
✔✔Poor - ✔✔Indicates the component will need repair or replacement now or in the
very near future
✔✔CLUE - ✔✔Compressive loss underwriting exchange
✔✔Significant issues - ✔✔A system or component that is considered significantly
deficient, inoperable or is unsafe
✔✔Safety hazard - ✔✔Denotes a condition that is unsafe and in need of prompt
attention
✔✔Vertical cracks - ✔✔Often caused by settlement of the structure, soil compacting, or
soil washing away under footings
✔✔Vertical cracks in the foundation wall extending down to the footings can be caused
by? - ✔✔Settlement of the structure
✔✔Angled cracks - ✔✔When the upload and download offset each other
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What force would exert the least amount of stress on a foundation? - ✔✔Wind
✔✔Shear - ✔✔Stress resulting from forces being applied on a structural member from
opposite directions. Shearing can cause structural members to crack or split or
completely separate.
✔✔Bending - ✔✔In terms of structure, refers to the movement of a structural member
out of its original position without shearing as a result of forces applied to the member
✔✔Grade - ✔✔The slope of the land at the building site. Below grade means "below the
surface of the ground"
✔✔Frost line - ✔✔The depth of penetration of frost into the ground. In cold climates, the
frost line is normally about 4' below the grade
✔✔Footing drain - ✔✔A drainage system laid around the perimeter of a foundation
below the level of the slab to drain water from the soil to another location
✔✔Drain tile - ✔✔Plastic piping that is used for the footing drain
✔✔Sump - ✔✔A pit located under the basement floor that contains an electric pump
✔✔Dry-laid - ✔✔A wall constructed of stone piled on stone without mortar and with no
footings
✔✔Mortar - ✔✔A mixture of a binder (lime, masonry cement, Portland cement), an
aggregate (sand), and water in many variations. Used to bond together masonry units
such as concrete blocks, stones, and bricks
✔✔Square - ✔✔All corners are at 90 degrees
✔✔Piles - ✔✔Generally steel, treated wood, or concrete that are columns that support
the structure by transmitting the weight to the footings or directly into the soil
✔✔Piers - ✔✔Columns of stone, brick, poured concrete, concrete block, cinder block or
wood. They support the structure by transmitting the weight to the footings or directly
into the soil
✔✔Grade beams - ✔✔Poured reinforced concrete beams that rest on the caps of the
pilings or piers and in certain unique systems using void forms
, ✔✔Slab-on-grade - ✔✔Consists of a poured concrete slab that rests directly on the
ground
✔✔Monolithic slab-on-grade - ✔✔The slab, foundation, and footing are poured as one
piece
✔✔Floating slab - ✔✔Constructed by pouring the footing and foundation or stem wall
first and then the slab so that the slab is not connected to the foundation walls
✔✔Post-tension slab - ✔✔Stronger than an ordinary slab and is widely used in parts of
the country with expansive soul, such as the south and southwest
✔✔Supported/Shoulder slab - ✔✔Poured separately from the rest of the foundation, but
rests on foundation walls typically made of concrete blocks.
✔✔Statues - ✔✔Laws
✔✔Rules - ✔✔Nuts and bolts of laws
✔✔Satisfactory - ✔✔Indicates the component is functionally consistent with its original
purpose but may show signs of normal wear and tear and deterioration
✔✔Marginal - ✔✔Indicates the component will need repair or replacement now or in the
very near future
✔✔Poor - ✔✔Indicates the component will need repair or replacement now or in the
very near future
✔✔CLUE - ✔✔Compressive loss underwriting exchange
✔✔Significant issues - ✔✔A system or component that is considered significantly
deficient, inoperable or is unsafe
✔✔Safety hazard - ✔✔Denotes a condition that is unsafe and in need of prompt
attention
✔✔Vertical cracks - ✔✔Often caused by settlement of the structure, soil compacting, or
soil washing away under footings
✔✔Vertical cracks in the foundation wall extending down to the footings can be caused
by? - ✔✔Settlement of the structure
✔✔Angled cracks - ✔✔When the upload and download offset each other
