FLORIDA HOME INSPECTOR EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Service entrace conductors run from the service drop to the service box or service
panel. True or False? - Answers- True
The service size is determined by the amperage and the voltage ratings of the service. -
Answers- True
Is the service drop overhead or underground? - Answers- Overhead
Are service laterals overhead or underground? - Answers- Underground
The drip loop is typically part of the service drop. True or False? - Answers- False
The wire size for the service drop must be the same as the wire size for the service
entrance conductors. True or False? - Answers- False
How many wires would you typically find in a 240-volt service drop? - Answers- 3
What would 4 wires mean? - Answers- 3-phase electricity
The service entrance conductors run from the _________ to the ___________. -
Answers- service drop to service box
All service entrance conductors must be in conduit. True or False? - Answers- False
All service entrance conductors must be attached above roof level. True or False? -
Answers- False
The drip loop should be as close to the roof as possible. True or False? - Answers-
False
List 10 common problems with service entrance conductors. - Answers- 1. No drip loop
2. No mast head
3. Mast head not weather tight.
4. Mast or conduit bent.
5. Mast or conduit rusted.
6. Mast rotted (if wood).
7. Mast conduit or cable not well secured.
8. Mast conduit or cable not weather tight.
9. Conduit or cable not well sealed at house/wall penetration.
10. Cable frayed, damaged, or covered by siding.
,List 4 common areas of water penetration into service entrances. - Answers- 1. conduit
joints
2. mast head
3. roof flashing
4. meter base
5. house entry
What would 2 wires usually mean? - Answers- 120 volt service
List 7 common problems with service drops. - Answers- 1. Overhead wires too low.
2. Damaged or frayed wires.
3. Trees or vines interfering with wires.
4. Wires too close to doors or windows.
5. Wires not well-secured to the house.
6. Poor connection between service drop and service entrance.
7. Inadequate clearance from roofs.
List clearances above ground, swimming pools, and roofs. - Answers- above roadway--
18 ft.
above driveway--12 ft.
above flat roof--8 to 10 ft.
above sloped roof--18 inches
away from water in swimming pool--22.5 ft
3 ft. above sloped roof with pitch > 4 in 12
above walkway--10 ft.
List 2 functions of the drip loop. - Answers- 1. Prevents water entry into the conduit or
service entrance conductors.
2. Shows that the service drop wires are not straining the splices.
Roughly 999 out of 1000 houses have _________ volts available. - Answers- 240
Roughly 999 out of 1000 houses have __________ service entrance wires. - Answers-
3
Load calculations are part of a home inspection. - Answers- False
Implications of an undersized service include:
a. shock hazard
b. fire hazard
c. shock and fire hazard
d. melting insulation
e. nuisance tripping of the main fuses and breakers - Answers- e.
What is the largest single-phase service that you are likely to find in a home? -
Answers- 400 amps
,What size copper wire would you expect to find on the service entrance for:
a. 60-amp service
b. 100-amp service
c. 200-amp service - Answers- a. 6 gauge
b. 4 gauge
c. 2-0 gauge
Which of the following is a reliable way to identify the service size?
a. the size of the service drop wires
b. the distribution panel rating
c. the service box rating
d. the service entrance conductor
e. the service entrance conduit size - Answers- d.
Aluminum is an acceptable service entrance conductor material. True or False? -
Answers- True
A fused 200-amp service has two 100-amp fuses in the service box. True or False? -
Answers- False
If you can't read the size of the fuses in the service box, you should remove them to try
to get a better look. True or False? - Answers- False
Which of the following is a safety issue:
a. The main fuses have a lower rating than the service entrance wire.
b. The main fuses have a higher rating than the service entrance wire.
c. The service box has a higher rating than the service entrance wires.
d. The service box has the same rating as the service entrance wires.
e. The distribution panel has a larger rating than the service entrance wires. - Answers-
b
The service box can be inside, outside, or in the garage. True or False? - Answers-
True
There can be up to 10 throws to disconnect all the electricity in the house. True or
False? - Answers- False
The service box may stand alone or may be combined with the distribution panel. True
or False? - Answers- True
List common conditions you might find in a service box. - Answers- 1. poor access or
location
2. loose
3. rust or water in box
4. unprotected opening
, 5. damaged parts
6. overheating
7. incorrect fuse or breaker size; box rating too small
8. service entrance wires exposed in house
9. poor connections
10. illegal taps
11. neutral wire by-passes service box
12. fused neutral wire
13. fuses upstream of disconnect switch
14. obsolete box
15. exterior box not weather-tight
16. box not rated for aluminum
The functions of earth grounding systems include: - Answers- 1. Dissipate electricity
from lightning.
2. Avoid static electricity buildup.
The grounding electrode conductor may also be called __________. - Answers- the
ground wire
You are allowed to ground to the gas piping. True or False? - Answers- False
The grounding systems are connected to the house neutral at the ___________. -
Answers- Service box
From the point where the ground and neutral wires connect, there are 2 paths to
ground. What are they? - Answers- Through the neutral service wire or through the
grounding electrode conductor to water pipes or ground rods.
List 5 destinations where ground wires can terminate. - Answers- 1. metal water pipes
2. metal rods driven into the ground
3. wires buried in the footings (UFER ground)
4. buried grounding plates or rings
5. frame of metal buildings
6. metal well casings
List common problems found with grounding systems. - Answers- 1. no ground
2. ground wire attached to plastic pipe
3. ground wire after meter and valves with no jumper.
4. spliced ground wire
5. poor connection
6. ground connection not accessible
7. ground rod cut off
8. corroded ground rod
9. undersized ground wire
10. neutral bonded to ground wire after service box
ANSWERS
Service entrace conductors run from the service drop to the service box or service
panel. True or False? - Answers- True
The service size is determined by the amperage and the voltage ratings of the service. -
Answers- True
Is the service drop overhead or underground? - Answers- Overhead
Are service laterals overhead or underground? - Answers- Underground
The drip loop is typically part of the service drop. True or False? - Answers- False
The wire size for the service drop must be the same as the wire size for the service
entrance conductors. True or False? - Answers- False
How many wires would you typically find in a 240-volt service drop? - Answers- 3
What would 4 wires mean? - Answers- 3-phase electricity
The service entrance conductors run from the _________ to the ___________. -
Answers- service drop to service box
All service entrance conductors must be in conduit. True or False? - Answers- False
All service entrance conductors must be attached above roof level. True or False? -
Answers- False
The drip loop should be as close to the roof as possible. True or False? - Answers-
False
List 10 common problems with service entrance conductors. - Answers- 1. No drip loop
2. No mast head
3. Mast head not weather tight.
4. Mast or conduit bent.
5. Mast or conduit rusted.
6. Mast rotted (if wood).
7. Mast conduit or cable not well secured.
8. Mast conduit or cable not weather tight.
9. Conduit or cable not well sealed at house/wall penetration.
10. Cable frayed, damaged, or covered by siding.
,List 4 common areas of water penetration into service entrances. - Answers- 1. conduit
joints
2. mast head
3. roof flashing
4. meter base
5. house entry
What would 2 wires usually mean? - Answers- 120 volt service
List 7 common problems with service drops. - Answers- 1. Overhead wires too low.
2. Damaged or frayed wires.
3. Trees or vines interfering with wires.
4. Wires too close to doors or windows.
5. Wires not well-secured to the house.
6. Poor connection between service drop and service entrance.
7. Inadequate clearance from roofs.
List clearances above ground, swimming pools, and roofs. - Answers- above roadway--
18 ft.
above driveway--12 ft.
above flat roof--8 to 10 ft.
above sloped roof--18 inches
away from water in swimming pool--22.5 ft
3 ft. above sloped roof with pitch > 4 in 12
above walkway--10 ft.
List 2 functions of the drip loop. - Answers- 1. Prevents water entry into the conduit or
service entrance conductors.
2. Shows that the service drop wires are not straining the splices.
Roughly 999 out of 1000 houses have _________ volts available. - Answers- 240
Roughly 999 out of 1000 houses have __________ service entrance wires. - Answers-
3
Load calculations are part of a home inspection. - Answers- False
Implications of an undersized service include:
a. shock hazard
b. fire hazard
c. shock and fire hazard
d. melting insulation
e. nuisance tripping of the main fuses and breakers - Answers- e.
What is the largest single-phase service that you are likely to find in a home? -
Answers- 400 amps
,What size copper wire would you expect to find on the service entrance for:
a. 60-amp service
b. 100-amp service
c. 200-amp service - Answers- a. 6 gauge
b. 4 gauge
c. 2-0 gauge
Which of the following is a reliable way to identify the service size?
a. the size of the service drop wires
b. the distribution panel rating
c. the service box rating
d. the service entrance conductor
e. the service entrance conduit size - Answers- d.
Aluminum is an acceptable service entrance conductor material. True or False? -
Answers- True
A fused 200-amp service has two 100-amp fuses in the service box. True or False? -
Answers- False
If you can't read the size of the fuses in the service box, you should remove them to try
to get a better look. True or False? - Answers- False
Which of the following is a safety issue:
a. The main fuses have a lower rating than the service entrance wire.
b. The main fuses have a higher rating than the service entrance wire.
c. The service box has a higher rating than the service entrance wires.
d. The service box has the same rating as the service entrance wires.
e. The distribution panel has a larger rating than the service entrance wires. - Answers-
b
The service box can be inside, outside, or in the garage. True or False? - Answers-
True
There can be up to 10 throws to disconnect all the electricity in the house. True or
False? - Answers- False
The service box may stand alone or may be combined with the distribution panel. True
or False? - Answers- True
List common conditions you might find in a service box. - Answers- 1. poor access or
location
2. loose
3. rust or water in box
4. unprotected opening
, 5. damaged parts
6. overheating
7. incorrect fuse or breaker size; box rating too small
8. service entrance wires exposed in house
9. poor connections
10. illegal taps
11. neutral wire by-passes service box
12. fused neutral wire
13. fuses upstream of disconnect switch
14. obsolete box
15. exterior box not weather-tight
16. box not rated for aluminum
The functions of earth grounding systems include: - Answers- 1. Dissipate electricity
from lightning.
2. Avoid static electricity buildup.
The grounding electrode conductor may also be called __________. - Answers- the
ground wire
You are allowed to ground to the gas piping. True or False? - Answers- False
The grounding systems are connected to the house neutral at the ___________. -
Answers- Service box
From the point where the ground and neutral wires connect, there are 2 paths to
ground. What are they? - Answers- Through the neutral service wire or through the
grounding electrode conductor to water pipes or ground rods.
List 5 destinations where ground wires can terminate. - Answers- 1. metal water pipes
2. metal rods driven into the ground
3. wires buried in the footings (UFER ground)
4. buried grounding plates or rings
5. frame of metal buildings
6. metal well casings
List common problems found with grounding systems. - Answers- 1. no ground
2. ground wire attached to plastic pipe
3. ground wire after meter and valves with no jumper.
4. spliced ground wire
5. poor connection
6. ground connection not accessible
7. ground rod cut off
8. corroded ground rod
9. undersized ground wire
10. neutral bonded to ground wire after service box
