Champions School Home Inspection Questions and
Graded Answers.
Which statement is true?
(a) Increasing the insulation makes the attic warmer.
(b) If the attic is cold, then warm, moist air leaking into the attic from the house will condense
more quickly.
(c) If you increase the insulation level in a roof, you should decrease the ventilation.
(d) The insulation and ventilation cannot affect the structure of a roof. - ?
Four reasons why written reports are needed. - 1.The Standards require it
2.To help the client
3.To control your liability
4.Marketing tool
Two time options for report delivery. - 1.On site reports
2.Reports sent after the inspection
Three general types of report formats. - 1.Checklist
2.Narrative
3.Combination
Ten common components of the body of the report - 1.Scope/contract
2.Descriptions
3.Conditions or evaluations
4.Causes of conditions
5.Implications of conditions
,6.Recommended actions
7.Limitations
8.Life expectancy
9.Priorities
10.Ballpark costs
Three main functions of exterior cladding: - 1.Protect the structure from water;
2.Provide reasonable security;
3.Enhance the appearance of the home
What is efflorescence and what causes it: - Efflorescence is a whitish powdery salt deposit
that is associated with water moving through masonry. Water dissolves the salts from masonry or
mortar and deposits them on the surface as crystals when evaporating
Stucco is made up of - cement, aggregate and water
Stucco is similar to plaster, which is used on the inside of buildings. -
Six common problems with caulking, trim and flashings: - 1.Missing flashings;
2.Ineffective or incomplete flashings;
3.Loose;
4.Rust;
5.Rot;
6.Caulking missing or ineffective
Three mechanisms by which water may get into wall systems from the building exterior -
1.Rain driven by wind;
2.Rain running down the wall (gravity);
3.Water wicking into the wall (capillary action)
,In evaluating exterior trim and flashings, you'll have to use some common sense. Picture water
running down the walls and you should be able to predict whether a given detail is likely to be
successful or not. Remember that areas that catch water or allow it into wall sys-tems can cause
considerable concealed damage.One of the trickiest aspects of inspecting exterior flashings is
that you can't see most of what you'd like to see. In some cases, you can't even tell whether a
flashing is in place. Most of the time you have to settle for looking for evidence of
nonperformance of flashings. In some cases, what seems like an obvious entrance point is
protected by a concealed flashing and really isn't a problem. In other cases, details that look good
are leakage points.The conclusive evidence is water damage around and below the flashing,
visible on the sid-ing, the interior finishes, or the building skeleton. Since there -
Guardrails are typically required on porches, decks, or balconies - more than 24 or 30
inches above grade.
A single handrail is adequate for stairs up to - 44 inches wide
The openings between railing spindles should not be greater than - 4 3/8
Why you shouldn't align a beam with a gutter to check for sag: - Gutters slope so they
always look off level
Installing joists with hangers is considered superior to toe-nailing them to beams because: -
There is more protection against uplift and twisting with a joist hanger
The proper way to flash a ledgerboard installed over siding: - Flashing extends from under
the siding, over the top of the ledgerboard, and down
Deck boards often rot first - Where the joists penetrate the wall
There should be no supply or return registers from heating/cooling ductwork in a garage because:
- To prevent fumes from entering the house.
, A good concrete garage floor slab is usually - at least 3 inches thick and has 5 inches of
gravel beneath it.
Bad grading will always cause wet basements. T/F ? - False
Sloped roofs are not waterproof because: - They are designed to shed water like a series of
umbrel-las. They are not designed to control standing water.
A minor leak can be more of a problem than a major one because: - A minor roof leak
may cause considerable damage before it is noticed
The sides of a roof that will wear faster in climates where ultraviolet light is the main aging
factor are - South and west
Anything that restricts the drainage of water is a vulnerable area. Examples are: Wide chim-neys
near the lower edge of the roof; Chimneys in valleys; Skylights; Drains from upper roofs
discharging onto lower roof; Changes in material; Equipment that obstructs drainage; Com-plex
flashing details; Asymmetric valleys; Repaired areas; Changes in slope -
The following roofs are most prone to ice dams: - A low slope roof with a wide soffit.
The typical life expectancy of an asphalt shingle roof is: An asphalt shingle roof typically lasts -
15-25 years
Two good repair methods for slate are: - slate hooks and making babies
Openings located less than 3 feet from an interior property line shall be protected with what
minimum fire protection rating?
a.0 hours; no protection rating is required
Graded Answers.
Which statement is true?
(a) Increasing the insulation makes the attic warmer.
(b) If the attic is cold, then warm, moist air leaking into the attic from the house will condense
more quickly.
(c) If you increase the insulation level in a roof, you should decrease the ventilation.
(d) The insulation and ventilation cannot affect the structure of a roof. - ?
Four reasons why written reports are needed. - 1.The Standards require it
2.To help the client
3.To control your liability
4.Marketing tool
Two time options for report delivery. - 1.On site reports
2.Reports sent after the inspection
Three general types of report formats. - 1.Checklist
2.Narrative
3.Combination
Ten common components of the body of the report - 1.Scope/contract
2.Descriptions
3.Conditions or evaluations
4.Causes of conditions
5.Implications of conditions
,6.Recommended actions
7.Limitations
8.Life expectancy
9.Priorities
10.Ballpark costs
Three main functions of exterior cladding: - 1.Protect the structure from water;
2.Provide reasonable security;
3.Enhance the appearance of the home
What is efflorescence and what causes it: - Efflorescence is a whitish powdery salt deposit
that is associated with water moving through masonry. Water dissolves the salts from masonry or
mortar and deposits them on the surface as crystals when evaporating
Stucco is made up of - cement, aggregate and water
Stucco is similar to plaster, which is used on the inside of buildings. -
Six common problems with caulking, trim and flashings: - 1.Missing flashings;
2.Ineffective or incomplete flashings;
3.Loose;
4.Rust;
5.Rot;
6.Caulking missing or ineffective
Three mechanisms by which water may get into wall systems from the building exterior -
1.Rain driven by wind;
2.Rain running down the wall (gravity);
3.Water wicking into the wall (capillary action)
,In evaluating exterior trim and flashings, you'll have to use some common sense. Picture water
running down the walls and you should be able to predict whether a given detail is likely to be
successful or not. Remember that areas that catch water or allow it into wall sys-tems can cause
considerable concealed damage.One of the trickiest aspects of inspecting exterior flashings is
that you can't see most of what you'd like to see. In some cases, you can't even tell whether a
flashing is in place. Most of the time you have to settle for looking for evidence of
nonperformance of flashings. In some cases, what seems like an obvious entrance point is
protected by a concealed flashing and really isn't a problem. In other cases, details that look good
are leakage points.The conclusive evidence is water damage around and below the flashing,
visible on the sid-ing, the interior finishes, or the building skeleton. Since there -
Guardrails are typically required on porches, decks, or balconies - more than 24 or 30
inches above grade.
A single handrail is adequate for stairs up to - 44 inches wide
The openings between railing spindles should not be greater than - 4 3/8
Why you shouldn't align a beam with a gutter to check for sag: - Gutters slope so they
always look off level
Installing joists with hangers is considered superior to toe-nailing them to beams because: -
There is more protection against uplift and twisting with a joist hanger
The proper way to flash a ledgerboard installed over siding: - Flashing extends from under
the siding, over the top of the ledgerboard, and down
Deck boards often rot first - Where the joists penetrate the wall
There should be no supply or return registers from heating/cooling ductwork in a garage because:
- To prevent fumes from entering the house.
, A good concrete garage floor slab is usually - at least 3 inches thick and has 5 inches of
gravel beneath it.
Bad grading will always cause wet basements. T/F ? - False
Sloped roofs are not waterproof because: - They are designed to shed water like a series of
umbrel-las. They are not designed to control standing water.
A minor leak can be more of a problem than a major one because: - A minor roof leak
may cause considerable damage before it is noticed
The sides of a roof that will wear faster in climates where ultraviolet light is the main aging
factor are - South and west
Anything that restricts the drainage of water is a vulnerable area. Examples are: Wide chim-neys
near the lower edge of the roof; Chimneys in valleys; Skylights; Drains from upper roofs
discharging onto lower roof; Changes in material; Equipment that obstructs drainage; Com-plex
flashing details; Asymmetric valleys; Repaired areas; Changes in slope -
The following roofs are most prone to ice dams: - A low slope roof with a wide soffit.
The typical life expectancy of an asphalt shingle roof is: An asphalt shingle roof typically lasts -
15-25 years
Two good repair methods for slate are: - slate hooks and making babies
Openings located less than 3 feet from an interior property line shall be protected with what
minimum fire protection rating?
a.0 hours; no protection rating is required
