National Home Inspector Exam (NHIE)
Whole House Practice questions and
answers
What information is usually required when reporting a faulty component?
A. The component's location.
B. The deficiency's implication.
C. The building code section violated.
D. The component's age. ✔✔B. The deficiency's implication.
Generally, which type of item is NOT included in a home inspection?
A. Unsafe
B. Defective
C. Not present
D. Cosmetic ✔✔D. Cosmetic
The causes of roof decking buckling include
A. lack of panel clips and insulation.
B. lack of nails and gluing decking to the rafters.
C. improperly applied moisture barrier and roof shingles.
D. improperly installed materials that do not allow for expansion. ✔✔D. improperly
installed materials that do not allow for expansion.
Skip sheathing for Wood Shingles & Shakes should have a minimum dimension of
A. 1"x2"
B. 1"x3"
C. 1"x4"
D. 1"x6" ✔✔C. 1"x4"
Which is the most acceptable fastener for connecting a deck ledger to a rim joist?
A. ⅝ inch diameter stainless steel carriage bolt.
B. ½ inch diameter electroplated galvanized steel wood screw.
C. ½ inch diameter hot-dipped galvanized steel machine bolt.
D. ⅝ inch diameter brass machine screw. ✔✔C. ½ inch diameter hot-dipped galvanized
steel machine bolt.
A newer home you are inspecting has a below grade finished basement including a
bedroom. You should verify presence of a smoke detector and a
, A. second means of egress.
B. carbon monoxide alarm.
C. fire extinguisher.
D. fully adjustable heat vent. ✔✔A. second means of egress.
Which roof covering is most appropriate for a roof with a slope of 1½:12 above a single-
family house? Assume standard installation of any required underlayment.
A. Metal shingles.
B. Wood shakes.
C. Modified bitumen.
D. Slate shingles. ✔✔C. Modified bitumen.
Which of the following is an indication that a masonry wall is veneer and NOT
structural?
A. No bond courses are seen.
B. The lintels are made of steel.
C. The windows are inset 6" from the wall face.
D. There are no arches in the wall. ✔✔A. No bond courses are seen.
While inspecting a crawl space, you should probe wood members if you suspect
decay/deterioration in the
A. King joist
B. Floor joist
C. Masonry wall
D. Bearing wall ✔✔B. Floor joist
EIFS is a siding material that:
A. Is used in commercial buildings only.
B. Looks like stucco but lacks a wire mesh.
C. Can be installed on top of a modified bitumen membrane.
D. Can be installed on top of a masonry surface. ✔✔C. Can be installed on top of a
modified bitumen membrane.
Though I'd argue that it's B. Looks like stucco but lacks a wire mesh.
In a poured concrete basement you find an unusually high number of vertical cracks,
none wider than 1/32nd inch, the likely cause is
A. differential settlement from adverse drainage conditions.
B. excessive amount of aggregate in the concrete mix.
C. settlement from compaction of soils below the footings.
Whole House Practice questions and
answers
What information is usually required when reporting a faulty component?
A. The component's location.
B. The deficiency's implication.
C. The building code section violated.
D. The component's age. ✔✔B. The deficiency's implication.
Generally, which type of item is NOT included in a home inspection?
A. Unsafe
B. Defective
C. Not present
D. Cosmetic ✔✔D. Cosmetic
The causes of roof decking buckling include
A. lack of panel clips and insulation.
B. lack of nails and gluing decking to the rafters.
C. improperly applied moisture barrier and roof shingles.
D. improperly installed materials that do not allow for expansion. ✔✔D. improperly
installed materials that do not allow for expansion.
Skip sheathing for Wood Shingles & Shakes should have a minimum dimension of
A. 1"x2"
B. 1"x3"
C. 1"x4"
D. 1"x6" ✔✔C. 1"x4"
Which is the most acceptable fastener for connecting a deck ledger to a rim joist?
A. ⅝ inch diameter stainless steel carriage bolt.
B. ½ inch diameter electroplated galvanized steel wood screw.
C. ½ inch diameter hot-dipped galvanized steel machine bolt.
D. ⅝ inch diameter brass machine screw. ✔✔C. ½ inch diameter hot-dipped galvanized
steel machine bolt.
A newer home you are inspecting has a below grade finished basement including a
bedroom. You should verify presence of a smoke detector and a
, A. second means of egress.
B. carbon monoxide alarm.
C. fire extinguisher.
D. fully adjustable heat vent. ✔✔A. second means of egress.
Which roof covering is most appropriate for a roof with a slope of 1½:12 above a single-
family house? Assume standard installation of any required underlayment.
A. Metal shingles.
B. Wood shakes.
C. Modified bitumen.
D. Slate shingles. ✔✔C. Modified bitumen.
Which of the following is an indication that a masonry wall is veneer and NOT
structural?
A. No bond courses are seen.
B. The lintels are made of steel.
C. The windows are inset 6" from the wall face.
D. There are no arches in the wall. ✔✔A. No bond courses are seen.
While inspecting a crawl space, you should probe wood members if you suspect
decay/deterioration in the
A. King joist
B. Floor joist
C. Masonry wall
D. Bearing wall ✔✔B. Floor joist
EIFS is a siding material that:
A. Is used in commercial buildings only.
B. Looks like stucco but lacks a wire mesh.
C. Can be installed on top of a modified bitumen membrane.
D. Can be installed on top of a masonry surface. ✔✔C. Can be installed on top of a
modified bitumen membrane.
Though I'd argue that it's B. Looks like stucco but lacks a wire mesh.
In a poured concrete basement you find an unusually high number of vertical cracks,
none wider than 1/32nd inch, the likely cause is
A. differential settlement from adverse drainage conditions.
B. excessive amount of aggregate in the concrete mix.
C. settlement from compaction of soils below the footings.
