Humber Real Estate - Course 2, Module 7,
Understanding Residential Construction -
Mechanical Systems UPDATED Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
From the street via the electrical service entrance cable into the electrical main disconnect,
where it can be shut off.
From there it goes to the Distribution panel and gets sent through circuits to various outlets,
where appliances can be plugged in.
The electrical main disconnect is often incorporated into the distribution panel. - Correct
Answer- How does electrical service enter a building?
Rating - Correct Answer- When an electrical system has fuses in the distribution panel, each
of these fuses must have the same _________ as the wire it is protecting.
- Copper (most modern & desirable)
- Aluminum (older, prone to oxidization, softer and more brittle than copper, can pose fire
risk)
- Knob-and-tube (Used prior to the 1930s, not grounded, can be dangerous) - Correct
Answer- What are the 3 types of wiring?
One with a ground fault circuit interrupter (to help avoid electrocution risk in locations near
water). - Correct Answer- What type of outlet should be used in a bathroom?
- Frequent blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers
- Hot or charred outlets
- Burning smells
- Flickering or dimming lights
- Electric shocks
- Light bulbs burning out too quickly - Correct Answer- What are some warning signs you
should look for that may indicate problems with an electrical system?
,- Can be installed in homes with enough roof space and access to sunshine
- With a net metering system, more electricity can be created during the summer months,
creating a surplus in the form of credit, which can be used to offset the cost of electricity bills
for days with decreased availability of sunlight (can also be sold to the electric company for
credits) - Correct Answer- What are the benefits and financial incentives or using solar
panels?
South / South-West - Correct Answer- What is the ideal direction a house's exposure for solar
panels to work effectively?
- Size (large enough to provide adequate heat on the coldest day)
- Reliability (reliable and safe)
- Cost (Economical to install and operate)
- Equal heating distribution (Capable of heating all parts of the home equally) - Correct
Answer- What are the primary requirements of any heating system?
How much heat a heating system can generate. - Correct Answer- Heating systems are rated
for capacity and efficiency. Capacity tells homeowners what?
- Input capacity (How much fuel is consumed for every hour of operation in British Thermal
Units [BTU] per hour)
- Output capacity (How much usable heating or cooling the unit provides to a home) - Correct
Answer- What are the 2 types of capacity in reference to heating systems?
Efficiency rating, expressed as a percentage. - Correct Answer- A heating system's input
capacity + Output capacity = ?
The Annual Fuel Utilization Rating (AFUE), which measures how much fuel is converted to
heat in a heating system.
Example: If a heating system has an AFUE rating of 60%, then 40 cents of every dollar spent
on heating are being wasted. - Correct Answer- What are heating system efficiency ratings
based on?
, 90 - Correct Answer- Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations mandate that gas furnaces
manufactured after December 31, 1999 must have a minimum efficiency rating of ____%
- Forced air
- Steam (radiators, good for allergies)
- Hot water (radiators, good for allergies)
- Electric (good for allergies)
- Radiant (good for allergies)
- Ground source heat pumps
- Air source heat pumps - Correct Answer- What types of heating systems are there?
Warms the house by circulating water through pipes embedded in the floor (copper or PEX). -
Correct Answer- How does a radiant heating system work?
Uses the earth, groundwater or both as the source of heat in the winter and as the sink for heat
removed from the home in the summer.
Liquid (usually antifreeze) circulates through a loop under the ground. The heat collected
from the ground is distributed through the house with an air handling system. - Correct
Answer- How does a ground-source heat pump or geothermal system work?
A system that transfers heat from outside to inside a building, or vice versa. Similar to ground
source heat pumps, except that they extract heat from the air rather than the ground and use it
to heat the house. - Correct Answer- Describe an air source heat pump.
- Electric
- Gas
- Oil
- Gravity (found in old homes ... fuelled by either gas or oil) - Correct Answer- What are the
types of furnaces available?
Electric - Correct Answer- Which furnace is most expensive to operate and takes the longest
to heat up the house? Gas, electric or oil?
Understanding Residential Construction -
Mechanical Systems UPDATED Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
From the street via the electrical service entrance cable into the electrical main disconnect,
where it can be shut off.
From there it goes to the Distribution panel and gets sent through circuits to various outlets,
where appliances can be plugged in.
The electrical main disconnect is often incorporated into the distribution panel. - Correct
Answer- How does electrical service enter a building?
Rating - Correct Answer- When an electrical system has fuses in the distribution panel, each
of these fuses must have the same _________ as the wire it is protecting.
- Copper (most modern & desirable)
- Aluminum (older, prone to oxidization, softer and more brittle than copper, can pose fire
risk)
- Knob-and-tube (Used prior to the 1930s, not grounded, can be dangerous) - Correct
Answer- What are the 3 types of wiring?
One with a ground fault circuit interrupter (to help avoid electrocution risk in locations near
water). - Correct Answer- What type of outlet should be used in a bathroom?
- Frequent blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers
- Hot or charred outlets
- Burning smells
- Flickering or dimming lights
- Electric shocks
- Light bulbs burning out too quickly - Correct Answer- What are some warning signs you
should look for that may indicate problems with an electrical system?
,- Can be installed in homes with enough roof space and access to sunshine
- With a net metering system, more electricity can be created during the summer months,
creating a surplus in the form of credit, which can be used to offset the cost of electricity bills
for days with decreased availability of sunlight (can also be sold to the electric company for
credits) - Correct Answer- What are the benefits and financial incentives or using solar
panels?
South / South-West - Correct Answer- What is the ideal direction a house's exposure for solar
panels to work effectively?
- Size (large enough to provide adequate heat on the coldest day)
- Reliability (reliable and safe)
- Cost (Economical to install and operate)
- Equal heating distribution (Capable of heating all parts of the home equally) - Correct
Answer- What are the primary requirements of any heating system?
How much heat a heating system can generate. - Correct Answer- Heating systems are rated
for capacity and efficiency. Capacity tells homeowners what?
- Input capacity (How much fuel is consumed for every hour of operation in British Thermal
Units [BTU] per hour)
- Output capacity (How much usable heating or cooling the unit provides to a home) - Correct
Answer- What are the 2 types of capacity in reference to heating systems?
Efficiency rating, expressed as a percentage. - Correct Answer- A heating system's input
capacity + Output capacity = ?
The Annual Fuel Utilization Rating (AFUE), which measures how much fuel is converted to
heat in a heating system.
Example: If a heating system has an AFUE rating of 60%, then 40 cents of every dollar spent
on heating are being wasted. - Correct Answer- What are heating system efficiency ratings
based on?
, 90 - Correct Answer- Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations mandate that gas furnaces
manufactured after December 31, 1999 must have a minimum efficiency rating of ____%
- Forced air
- Steam (radiators, good for allergies)
- Hot water (radiators, good for allergies)
- Electric (good for allergies)
- Radiant (good for allergies)
- Ground source heat pumps
- Air source heat pumps - Correct Answer- What types of heating systems are there?
Warms the house by circulating water through pipes embedded in the floor (copper or PEX). -
Correct Answer- How does a radiant heating system work?
Uses the earth, groundwater or both as the source of heat in the winter and as the sink for heat
removed from the home in the summer.
Liquid (usually antifreeze) circulates through a loop under the ground. The heat collected
from the ground is distributed through the house with an air handling system. - Correct
Answer- How does a ground-source heat pump or geothermal system work?
A system that transfers heat from outside to inside a building, or vice versa. Similar to ground
source heat pumps, except that they extract heat from the air rather than the ground and use it
to heat the house. - Correct Answer- Describe an air source heat pump.
- Electric
- Gas
- Oil
- Gravity (found in old homes ... fuelled by either gas or oil) - Correct Answer- What are the
types of furnaces available?
Electric - Correct Answer- Which furnace is most expensive to operate and takes the longest
to heat up the house? Gas, electric or oil?
