North Carolina Home Inspection Licensing Exam
Study Guide CORRECT QUESTIONS & SOLUTIONS
2024 LATEST UPDATE
The ________ and _________ breaker panels are known to be major electrical fire
hazards and have been recalled. - ANSWER FPE Stab-lok and Zinsco
The service drop cable running over a 4:12 or greater pitch roof has to be ____ over the
ridge. - ANSWER 3'
If you have a 8 gauge stranded aluminum cable running to a 40 amp breaker that goes
to an electric stove and a 10 gauge single strand copper cable running to a 40 amp
breaker that goes to the condenser unit, which one is wrong and how would you fix it? -
ANSWER The aluminum wire is too small for the breaker, it requires a 6 gauge wire
In the sub panel the grounding bus bar has been bonded to the neutral bus bar, this
action is called what? - ANSWER Parallel Paths
Indoor staircases are required to have a three-way switch at the top and bottom if they
have __ or more risers. - ANSWER 6
In a complete circuit the ___ wire carries the current with no energy back to the source.
- ANSWER Neutral
Every Home must have at least __ plumbing Vents extending through the roof by at
least __ inches. - ANSWER 1 and 6 inches
Minimum size for the bathroom drain fixtures? - ANSWER 1 ¼ in
Must have a union fitting on all pipes within __ feet of the water heater? - ANSWER 5 ft
What does the R-Value mean in attic Insulation? - ANSWER Resistant
Electric Safety eye sensor should be __ Inches from floor? - ANSWER 3 - 6"
With a vapor Barrier there should be __ Sqft per __ of attic Space? - ANSWER 1 sq ft
per 300 Sq ft
What should a steam boil have to prevent cross connections? - ANSWER BFP: back
flow preventer
_______ are any material which allow its electrons to move through the material. -
ANSWER Conductors
,A complete circuit must include a ______. - ANSWER Load
The amount of energy is known as _____. - ANSWER Amps
The pressure behind electrical current is _____. - ANSWER Volts
The resistance to current flow is known as ______. - ANSWER Ohms
Higher Amp circuits need thicker wire gage because more amps generate more _____.
- ANSWER Heat
The rate of work or power is known as _____ . - ANSWER Watts
Doubling the ____ quadruples the amount of ____ generated. - ANSWER Current / heat
Service ____ are overhead from a utility pole and service ____ are underground from a
utility trench. - ANSWER Drops / Laterals
The neutral wire has the same _____ as the black/hot wire but does not have the ____
to shock you. - ANSWER Amps / Energy
How many wires in a Three Phase service drop cable? - ANSWER 4, (3) 120 volts and
(1) neutral
A Mansard style of roof is most likely to have leaks where? - ANSWER The eyebrows
You are inspecting a 25 year old roof that has cedar shakes, the full length of the shake
is 24", how much of the cedar shake can be exposed? - ANSWER 8" / ⅓ of the shingle
_____ is a moisture protection barrier that is installed on top of the roof sheathing prior
to installing shingles. - ANSWER Underlayment
You are inspecting a home in December that has architectural shingles and notice ice
damming around the eaves and gutters of the roof, what are two things that could cause
this? - ANSWER Lack of ventilation and Lack of Insulation in the attic
______ flashing is always interwoven with each course of roof material, starting at the
eaves (bottom roof edge) and working up. - ANSWER Step Flashing
The ______ is a secondary drain that is cut into the parapet walls on a flat roof to allow
water to escape in the event the primary drain clogs. - ANSWER Scupper
Cedar shakes require a minimum roof pitch of ____ . - ANSWER 4:12 pitch
, Where is the capacity and age found on an A/C unit? - ANSWER Capacity - Model
Number / Age - Serial Number
A heat pump should be tested in cooling mode only if the outside temperature is at or
above what temperature? What is the temperature if it was in heat mode? - ANSWER
Above 60-65 degrees / Below 60-65 Degrees
What is the key factor of geothermal heat pumps? - ANSWER Ground Loops
Which line of the A/C unit has to be insulated through its entire length? - ANSWER
Suction Line
What does SEER stand for? - ANSWER Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
3 Main type of Rafters? - ANSWER Purlins, Collar Tie, Knee Wall
What is the maximum diameter of a hole you're able to cut on a joist? Fraction depth? -
ANSWER 2" / 1/3
How much bearing do you need for a Joist? - ANSWER 1 ½" or rim board, 3" on beam
What 3 main types of foundations? - ANSWER Basement, Crawl Space, Slab
What soil type are houses commonly built on? - ANSWER Clay
What is usually the first thing you need to know when starting a house's foundation? -
ANSWER Frost Depth
What is it called when the ceiling lifts up away from the walls inside a house? -
ANSWER Truss Uplift
What is the max overhang for a deck? - ANSWER ¼ or deck span or 24", whichever is
smaller
When an I-joist deflects under a load the top flange is___ and Bottom is ___? -
ANSWER compression/tension
What is used to transfer the load around an I-joist at the bearing wall? - ANSWER
Squash Blocks
SOP applies to _____ or fewer dwelling units. - ANSWER 4
Attached garages should have a _____ between the house and garage - ANSWER
Firewall
Study Guide CORRECT QUESTIONS & SOLUTIONS
2024 LATEST UPDATE
The ________ and _________ breaker panels are known to be major electrical fire
hazards and have been recalled. - ANSWER FPE Stab-lok and Zinsco
The service drop cable running over a 4:12 or greater pitch roof has to be ____ over the
ridge. - ANSWER 3'
If you have a 8 gauge stranded aluminum cable running to a 40 amp breaker that goes
to an electric stove and a 10 gauge single strand copper cable running to a 40 amp
breaker that goes to the condenser unit, which one is wrong and how would you fix it? -
ANSWER The aluminum wire is too small for the breaker, it requires a 6 gauge wire
In the sub panel the grounding bus bar has been bonded to the neutral bus bar, this
action is called what? - ANSWER Parallel Paths
Indoor staircases are required to have a three-way switch at the top and bottom if they
have __ or more risers. - ANSWER 6
In a complete circuit the ___ wire carries the current with no energy back to the source.
- ANSWER Neutral
Every Home must have at least __ plumbing Vents extending through the roof by at
least __ inches. - ANSWER 1 and 6 inches
Minimum size for the bathroom drain fixtures? - ANSWER 1 ¼ in
Must have a union fitting on all pipes within __ feet of the water heater? - ANSWER 5 ft
What does the R-Value mean in attic Insulation? - ANSWER Resistant
Electric Safety eye sensor should be __ Inches from floor? - ANSWER 3 - 6"
With a vapor Barrier there should be __ Sqft per __ of attic Space? - ANSWER 1 sq ft
per 300 Sq ft
What should a steam boil have to prevent cross connections? - ANSWER BFP: back
flow preventer
_______ are any material which allow its electrons to move through the material. -
ANSWER Conductors
,A complete circuit must include a ______. - ANSWER Load
The amount of energy is known as _____. - ANSWER Amps
The pressure behind electrical current is _____. - ANSWER Volts
The resistance to current flow is known as ______. - ANSWER Ohms
Higher Amp circuits need thicker wire gage because more amps generate more _____.
- ANSWER Heat
The rate of work or power is known as _____ . - ANSWER Watts
Doubling the ____ quadruples the amount of ____ generated. - ANSWER Current / heat
Service ____ are overhead from a utility pole and service ____ are underground from a
utility trench. - ANSWER Drops / Laterals
The neutral wire has the same _____ as the black/hot wire but does not have the ____
to shock you. - ANSWER Amps / Energy
How many wires in a Three Phase service drop cable? - ANSWER 4, (3) 120 volts and
(1) neutral
A Mansard style of roof is most likely to have leaks where? - ANSWER The eyebrows
You are inspecting a 25 year old roof that has cedar shakes, the full length of the shake
is 24", how much of the cedar shake can be exposed? - ANSWER 8" / ⅓ of the shingle
_____ is a moisture protection barrier that is installed on top of the roof sheathing prior
to installing shingles. - ANSWER Underlayment
You are inspecting a home in December that has architectural shingles and notice ice
damming around the eaves and gutters of the roof, what are two things that could cause
this? - ANSWER Lack of ventilation and Lack of Insulation in the attic
______ flashing is always interwoven with each course of roof material, starting at the
eaves (bottom roof edge) and working up. - ANSWER Step Flashing
The ______ is a secondary drain that is cut into the parapet walls on a flat roof to allow
water to escape in the event the primary drain clogs. - ANSWER Scupper
Cedar shakes require a minimum roof pitch of ____ . - ANSWER 4:12 pitch
, Where is the capacity and age found on an A/C unit? - ANSWER Capacity - Model
Number / Age - Serial Number
A heat pump should be tested in cooling mode only if the outside temperature is at or
above what temperature? What is the temperature if it was in heat mode? - ANSWER
Above 60-65 degrees / Below 60-65 Degrees
What is the key factor of geothermal heat pumps? - ANSWER Ground Loops
Which line of the A/C unit has to be insulated through its entire length? - ANSWER
Suction Line
What does SEER stand for? - ANSWER Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
3 Main type of Rafters? - ANSWER Purlins, Collar Tie, Knee Wall
What is the maximum diameter of a hole you're able to cut on a joist? Fraction depth? -
ANSWER 2" / 1/3
How much bearing do you need for a Joist? - ANSWER 1 ½" or rim board, 3" on beam
What 3 main types of foundations? - ANSWER Basement, Crawl Space, Slab
What soil type are houses commonly built on? - ANSWER Clay
What is usually the first thing you need to know when starting a house's foundation? -
ANSWER Frost Depth
What is it called when the ceiling lifts up away from the walls inside a house? -
ANSWER Truss Uplift
What is the max overhang for a deck? - ANSWER ¼ or deck span or 24", whichever is
smaller
When an I-joist deflects under a load the top flange is___ and Bottom is ___? -
ANSWER compression/tension
What is used to transfer the load around an I-joist at the bearing wall? - ANSWER
Squash Blocks
SOP applies to _____ or fewer dwelling units. - ANSWER 4
Attached garages should have a _____ between the house and garage - ANSWER
Firewall
