Glossary, 153 terms
Home inspection terms: D
Each definition is the Key Term from the lesson named under it. Where two lessons define a term for different uses, both are here.
- Damp area
- 1. A location that small amounts of liquid water reach, for example a roofed exterior wall; it could include some basements and crawl spaces.
Lesson 26A, Receptacles - 2. A location that small amounts of liquid water reach, such as a roofed exterior wall.
Lesson 26B, Switches, Lights and Ceiling Fans - Damper (barometric)
- A hinged round metal plate, moved by vent connector pressure, that controls draft for an oil-burning appliance venting into a masonry chimney.
Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity - Damper (evaporative cooler)
- The part that closes off the ducts when the cooler is not running; it is usually concealed.
Lesson 28B, Cooling Systems: Inspecting Equipment and Typical Defects - Damper (fireplace)
- A metal plate that is opened for a fire and closed to keep outside air from entering the house.
Lesson 39A, Fireplace Types and Terms, Firebox, Hearth and Clearances - Damper (humidifier bypass duct)
- A device in a humidifier bypass duct, inserted or closed while the air conditioning operates.
Lesson 33E, Steam Boiler Components, Solid Fuel and Related Components - Damper (HVAC duct system)
- 1. Louvers or a plate in a duct that control airflow, manual or motorized; motorized dampers are one way to zone a single HVAC system with two or more thermostats.
Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System - 2. A duct plate or set of louvers that controls air flow, by hand or by motor.
Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity - Damper stop
- A clamp fitted to a chimney damper that holds it open; one way to keep the damper permanently opened for vented gas logs.
Lesson 31B, Floor and Wall Furnaces, Room Heaters and Unvented Appliances - Dampproofing
- A treatment meant to stop water vapor and a little liquid water when neither is under hydrostatic pressure.
Lesson 11C, Basement Foundations, Materials, Waterproofing and Defects - DASMA
- An association of door and access systems manufacturers whose guidelines are a standard for garage door openers.
Lesson 7, Garage Vehicle Doors and Operators - Daylighting
- Ending the discharge pipe of an underground drain in the open air.
Lesson 2B, Grade, Drainage and Vegetation - DC disconnect switch
- A service and safety device for isolating the solar arrays from downstream components during maintenance.
Lesson 27B, Alternative Energy Systems: Solar PV, Wind and Solar Water Heating - DC fast charging (Level 3)
- Direct current charging at up to 500 kW, typically from a three-phase AC input, at stations along heavy traffic corridors.
Lesson 27C, Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (Supplement) - DCA6-12
- A prescriptive guide to wood deck construction, published by the American Wood Council.
Lesson 6C, Deck Guards, Framing, Flooring, Bracing, Beams, Footings and Defects - Dead air spot
- An area at the corner of a ceiling and wall where smoke may not reach an alarm sensor; avoided by mounting the alarm 4 inches or more from the corner.
Lesson 27A, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms, Load Controllers and Generators - Dead front cover
- 1. The cover removed to reach energized parts inside an enclosure, usually behind a door.
Lesson 23A, Electrical Terms and Basic Electricity - 2. The cover over an enclosure interior that is removed to inspect the interior.
Lesson 24B, Overcurrent Protection, GFCI and AFCI - Dead load
- 1. Downward force from the building materials and permanently attached fixtures.
Lesson 11A, Structural Scope and Terms - 2. The weight of the materials used to build a house.
Lesson 11B, Forces and Soils, Footings, Piers and Columns - Dead zones
- The corners of a rectangular flue, where gases do not flow well.
Lesson 39B, Combustion Air, Masonry Chimney Construction, Liners, Flue Area and Defects - Dead-bolt lock
- A higher security lock whose solid bolt seats in a reinforced strike plate.
Lesson 5A, Exterior Doors and Safety Glazing at Doors - Deadman
- A buried anchor, connected to a retaining wall by a tieback, that keeps the wall from rotating.
Lesson 2A, Site Scope, Terms and Retaining Walls - Deal killer
- A reputation real estate agents give a home inspector they see as too picky or alarmist.
Lesson 22, Ethics, Starting a Business and Marketing - Deck
- 1. An outdoor recreational area on posts, usually attached to the house and usually uncovered.
Lesson 4A, Exterior Scope and Terms, Adhered Masonry Veneer, Metal and Asbestos Cement Siding and Brick Veneer - 2. An uncovered, open-sided outdoor recreation area, often attached to the house.
Lesson 6B, Deck Materials, Flashing, Ledger Attachment and Deck Stairs - Deck bracing
- Members that help a deck resist movement from wind, seismic loads, and people.
Lesson 6C, Deck Guards, Framing, Flooring, Bracing, Beams, Footings and Defects - Deck guard
- The barrier along an open edge of a deck walking surface.
Lesson 6C, Deck Guards, Framing, Flooring, Bracing, Beams, Footings and Defects - Deck ledger
- The board fastened to the house that carries the house end of a deck.
Lesson 6B, Deck Materials, Flashing, Ledger Attachment and Deck Stairs - Deck support post
- A vertical member that carries a deck beam down to a footing.
Lesson 6C, Deck Guards, Framing, Flooring, Bracing, Beams, Footings and Defects - Decorative appliance
- 1. A gas-fired or oil-fired unit made to resemble a wood-burning fireplace.
Lesson 39A, Fireplace Types and Terms, Firebox, Hearth and Clearances - 2. A unit that burns only gas or liquid fuel and is not a fireplace.
Lesson 40A, Factory-Built Fireplaces and Chimneys - Decorative gas appliance
- 1. A vented fireplace designed to burn only gas, also described as a decorative gas fireplace.
Lesson 19D, System Descriptions and Inspection Methods - 2. The more accurate term for a vented gas fireplace, insert, or vented gas log set; the oil version is a decorative oil appliance.
Lesson 31B, Floor and Wall Furnaces, Room Heaters and Unvented Appliances - Decorative trim
- Trim such as pediments and other facing materials, often installed over the wall covering.
Lesson 4C, Exterior Trim, Flashing and Sealants, Eaves and Cornice - Default judgment
- A judgment against a defendant who files neither an answer nor a motion to dismiss.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Defective per se
- 1. A defect category for a condition that is defective whether or not an adverse impact is visible yet.
Lesson 12A, Floor Framing, Spans, Bearing, Notching and Boring - 2. A condition that is a defect whether or not an adverse impact is visible.
Lesson 12D, Wood Wall Framing, Bracing and Wall Defects - 3. A condition that is a defect whether or not an adverse impact is visible yet.
Lesson 13B, Roof Framing Defects, Trusses and Attic Access - Defendant
- The party a civil case is brought against; here, the home inspector.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Defensible space
- Space of up to 100 feet around a home in a wildfire area, recommended and possibly required.
Lesson 2B, Grade, Drainage and Vegetation - Defensive reporting
- 1. Unduly alarmist reporting, or recommending evaluation of nearly everything, so the home inspector feels protected from litigation.
Lesson 22, Ethics, Starting a Business and Marketing - 2. Recommending evaluation of all PB, whether or not leak evidence is visible.
Lesson 34C, PB, Brass and Lead Pipe, Water Connectors and Valves - Deficiency statement
- The report entry for one deficiency; it describes the deficiency, explains its implication, and advises the client how to address it.
Lesson 19B, Deficiency Statements and Recommendations - Deflection
- 1. A temporary bend in a member, which recovers once the load comes off.
Lesson 11A, Structural Scope and Terms - 2. Bending of a floor member under load.
Lesson 12A, Floor Framing, Spans, Bearing, Notching and Boring - 3. Movement of a wall perpendicular to the wall, limited by a ratio of wall height such as H/180.
Lesson 12C, Wall Systems, Fireblocking and Fire Separation - 4. The bending of a rafter or ceiling joist under load.
Lesson 13A, Roof and Ceiling Framing, Rafters, Ties and Purlins - 5. Bending of a bathtub under the weight of water and a person.
Lesson 35A, Bathtubs - Deformed (deformation)
- A change in a member's shape or dimension from normal.
Lesson 11A, Structural Scope and Terms - Defrost cycle
- A few minutes of cooling mode that a heat pump should start when frost forms on the condenser fins near or below 32 degrees F.
Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System - Delamination
- Separation of a material, such as slate, into layers.
Lesson 8C, Steep Slope Roofing: Slate, Polymer, Wood and Ice Dams - Demand water heater
- 1. Domestic hot water equipment, often called tankless.
Lesson 19D, System Descriptions and Inspection Methods - 2. A water heater type, also called tank-less, that requires a pressure relief valve.
Lesson 36A, Domestic Hot Water, Storage Tank Basics and Components - 3. A water heater with no storage tank that heats water only when it is needed, by passing it through a very hot heat exchanger; also called a tankless water heater.
Lesson 36C, Demand, Oil and Heat Pump Water Heaters, Relief Valves and Drain Pans - Deposition
- Verbal answers, under oath, to the opposing attorney's questions, recorded by a court reporter.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Depreciation
- Allocating the cost of a long life asset over the years it helps produce revenue.
Lesson 22, Ethics, Starting a Business and Marketing - Describe
- To report a system or component accurately, in enough detail to tell it apart from similar ones.
Lesson 19D, System Descriptions and Inspection Methods - Design layer
- The layer of a laminate floor covering that is a photograph of the covering it imitates.
Lesson 17B, Interior Doors and Floor Coverings - Detached building
- A structure apart from the house, such as a storage shed, a work shed, a barn, or a guest house whose electricity comes from the main house.
Lesson 24C, Panelboard Defects, Subpanels and Problem Panels - Developed length
- 1. A duct's straight length plus an allowance for each fitting that changes direction.
Lesson 16B, Dryer, Kitchen and Bathroom Exhaust - 2. Pipe length measured along the pipe and its fittings.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - 3. The distance measured along a pipe, which is how far a snake travels to reach a blockage.
Lesson 37B, DWV Fittings, Cleanouts and Defects - 4. The length of a pipe measured along its run.
Lesson 38B, Plumbing Vents: Purpose, Inspection, Terminals and Size - Developed length method
- The most often used, easiest, and most conservative way to size water pipe, which multiplies actual pipe length by a 20% loss factor.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - Dew point
- The air temperature at which water vapor may condense into liquid water.
Lesson 14B, Vapor Retarders and the House as a System; Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System - Dew point (temperature)
- The air temperature where water vapor may condense to liquid water.
Lesson 14A, Insulation Scope and Terms, R-Value and How Insulation Works - Dezincification
- Zinc leaching out of a brass fitting, leaving a white powder; the powder can reduce flow, and the fitting can weaken.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - DHW
- Domestic hot water.
Lesson 36A, Domestic Hot Water, Storage Tank Basics and Components - Diaphragm
- The part of a thermostatic trap that closes once the trapped water reaches a certain temperature and opens as it cools.
Lesson 33D, Steam Distribution Components, Vents and Traps - Dielectric fitting
- A fitting between copper tubing and iron or steel, such as a short brass nipple or a dielectric union.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - Dielectric union
- A union that breaks conductivity between the metals it joins.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - Difference control (DIFF)
- The aquastat control that works with the low limit control to set the shutoff temperature.
Lesson 33B, Hot Water Heating Systems - Diligence
- The attention and care a situation requires of a person.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Dilution air
- Air that mixes with vent gasses at a draft regulator or draft hood to cool and dilute them.
Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity - Dimensional lumber
- Wood cut to standard sizes and identified by nominal size, species, and grade.
Lesson 12A, Floor Framing, Spans, Bearing, Notching and Boring - Dimensional shingle
- The asphalt shingle style above the three-tab, with a raised profile and a warranty of usually 25 to 30 years.
Lesson 8A, Steep Slope Roofing: Asphalt Shingles and Tile - Dimmer
- A switch that varies the light output of a lamp or the speed of a ceiling fan.
Lesson 26B, Switches, Lights and Ceiling Fans - Dip
- The lowest point inside the bend of a trap.
Lesson 38A, Traps and Fixture Drains - Dip tube
- The cold water inlet tube, which releases incoming water near the tank bottom.
Lesson 36A, Domestic Hot Water, Storage Tank Basics and Components - Direct connection
- Venting a fireplace insert through the chimney itself.
Lesson 40B, Draft Problems, Fireplace Inserts, Wood and Pellet Stoves - Direct current
- Current that moves in one direction, positive pole to negative pole, as from a battery.
Lesson 23A, Electrical Terms and Basic Electricity - Direct exhaust appliance
- An appliance that burns fuel, taking combustion air from inside and expelling its products outside; its other name is non-direct vented appliance.
Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity - Direct return system
- A two pipe system in which the device returns join one pipe flowing directly back to the boiler.
Lesson 33B, Hot Water Heating Systems - Direct system
- A solar water heating system that runs the water itself through the collector.
Lesson 27B, Alternative Energy Systems: Solar PV, Wind and Solar Water Heating - Direct vent appliance
- 1. An appliance that burns fuel, taking combustion air from outside and expelling its products outside.
Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity - 2. An appliance whose vent pipe and combustion air pipe both terminate outdoors, in the same pressure zone.
Lesson 32B, Vent Connectors, Category III and IV Vents and Direct Vent Terminations - Direct-drive fan
- A furnace fan driven by its motor without a fan belt.
Lesson 31A, Gas Appliance Categories and Gas Forced-Air Furnaces - Directional fitting
- A fitting that keeps disposer waste out of the adjacent sink bowl, for example a sanitary tee or a diverter tee.
Lesson 41B, Microwave Ovens, Exhaust Hoods, Disposers, Trash Compactors, Refrigerators and Freezers - Disc faucet
- A single handle faucet that looks and works like a cartridge faucet.
Lesson 34D, Faucets, Shower Valves, Hose Bibbs and Aerators - Discharge pipe
- The pipe that carries water and steam released by a relief valve to its termination.
Lesson 36C, Demand, Oil and Heat Pump Water Heaters, Relief Valves and Drain Pans - Disconnecting means
- A device that cuts electricity to an appliance so that service personnel can work on it safely.
Lesson 26B, Switches, Lights and Ceiling Fans - Discovery
- The stage of litigation in which disclosing relevant information is compulsory.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Dishwashing machine (dishwasher)
- An appliance on the plumbing system that cleans cooking and eating utensils.
Lesson 41A, Appliance Scope and Terms, Cooktops, Ranges, Ovens and Dishwashers - Dismissal
- An end to litigation that may be granted on a defendant's motion when the complaint is legally defective.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Dissimilar metals
- Metals of different kinds used together, which have the potential to corrode.
Lesson 6B, Deck Materials, Flashing, Ledger Attachment and Deck Stairs - Distribution box
- A box between a septic tank and its drain field that divides effluent among field sections.
Lesson 38D, Septic Systems - Distribution device
- A device that delivers heat to rooms by radiation and convection, such as a radiator, baseboard device, or convector.
Lesson 33D, Steam Distribution Components, Vents and Traps - Diverter
- 1. (1) a tub spout valve that turns water up to the shower riser; (2) a valve routing water from one pipe into others.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - 2. A valve, most commonly on a bathtub spout, that redirects water from the tub spout up to the shower.
Lesson 34D, Faucets, Shower Valves, Hose Bibbs and Aerators - 3. The control on a tub/shower that sends water to the shower head instead of the tub spout.
Lesson 35B, Showers and Tub/Showers - Document production
- A discovery request for relevant documents, paper or electronic.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Domain
- The broadest content area of the outline, with its own weight.
Lesson 1, Course Introduction and NHIE Overview - Door arm
- The opener part that connects the trolley to the door bracket.
Lesson 7, Garage Vehicle Doors and Operators - Door bracket
- The opener part attached to the door at the end of the door arm.
Lesson 7, Garage Vehicle Doors and Operators - Door lock (entry lock)
- A lock worked by a knob or handle that keeps out anyone without a key or combination.
Lesson 5A, Exterior Doors and Safety Glazing at Doors - Dormer
- A structure projecting above a sloped roof, usually with a window.
Lesson 11A, Structural Scope and Terms - Dormer cover
- A raised roof ventilation cover with louvered openings mostly vertical to the roof, shaped like a small dormer.
Lesson 16C, Attic Ventilation and Closed Attics - Double door
- Two door leaves hung in one frame.
Lesson 5A, Exterior Doors and Safety Glazing at Doors; Lesson 17B, Interior Doors and Floor Coverings - Double gate
- A pool area gate usually meant for vehicle or pedestrian entry; it should be self-latching.
Lesson 3, Driveways, Walkways, Patios and Pool/Spa Barriers - Double hung window
- An operable window in which both sashes move up and down.
Lesson 5B, Windows, Window Flashing, Glazing, Window Wells, Escape Openings and Fall Protection - Double saddle
- A fitting under the lug screw of some Square D breakers that holds two same-size conductors.
Lesson 24C, Panelboard Defects, Subpanels and Problem Panels - Double tap
- Two or more conductors in one circuit breaker lug.
Lesson 24C, Panelboard Defects, Subpanels and Problem Panels - Double-cylinder deadbolt
- A deadbolt that needs a key to operate from inside or outside.
Lesson 5A, Exterior Doors and Safety Glazing at Doors - Double-entry accounting
- Recording each transaction as both a debit and a credit.
Lesson 22, Ethics, Starting a Business and Marketing - Downdraft (kitchen exhaust)
- A kitchen exhaust type with the fan and duct below the cooktop.
Lesson 16B, Dryer, Kitchen and Bathroom Exhaust - Downdraft exhaust (vent)
- A fan under a cooktop that draws cooking odors and moisture down to a duct leading outdoors.
Lesson 41A, Appliance Scope and Terms, Cooktops, Ranges, Ovens and Dishwashers - Downspout (conductor, downpipe, leader)
- The vertical pipe of a gutter system, typically 2x3 or 3x4 inches, that carries water down from the gutter.
Lesson 9C, Roof Drainage: Gutters, Scuppers and Internal Drains - Downspout extension
- A length of downspout material or pipe that carries water from a downspout away from the foundation.
Lesson 9C, Roof Drainage: Gutters, Scuppers and Internal Drains - Draft
- The pull that moves combustion gasses through the appliance and out the vent.
Lesson 32D, Oil Vent Systems - Draft (forced)
- Mechanical draft in which a fan pushes combustion gasses through a sealed vent system; also called positive pressure draft.
Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity - Draft (induced)
- Mechanical draft in which a fan pulls combustion gasses with negative pressure, through a heat exchanger or through a vent system.
Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity - Draft (mechanical)
- Venting in which an electric fan helps expel combustion gasses; either forced or induced draft.
Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity - Draft (natural)
- The rise of hot, lower pressure combustion gasses up a chimney or vent; also called the stack effect.
Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity - Draft hood
- The fitting at the top of a gas water heater that takes gasses from the flue into the vent system.
Lesson 36B, Electric and Gas Storage Tank Water Heaters - Draft hood furnace
- A low efficiency Category I gas furnace, also called a natural draft furnace, not produced since the 1970s.
Lesson 31A, Gas Appliance Categories and Gas Forced-Air Furnaces - Draft inducer fan
- A fan that pulls combustion gasses through the curves of a serpentine heat exchanger.
Lesson 31A, Gas Appliance Categories and Gas Forced-Air Furnaces - Draft sensor
- A switch, tubed to the draft inducer fan, that halts the ignition sequence when draft is inadequate.
Lesson 31A, Gas Appliance Categories and Gas Forced-Air Furnaces - Draftstopping
- A membrane that divides an open area between stories into roughly equal parts each under 1,000 square feet and slows fire spreading horizontally.
Lesson 12B, I-Joists, SCL, Glulam and Floor Trusses - Drain (leach) field
- The area that receives the liquid draining from a septic tank.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Drain (soil) pipe
- A drainage pipe that carries feces and urine.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Drain field (absorption field, leach field)
- Trenches of gravel and slotted pipe that carry effluent from a septic tank into the soil.
Lesson 38D, Septic Systems - Drain pan
- A pan with a connected drain pipe, placed beneath a storage tank water heater where a leak from it will cause damage.
Lesson 36C, Demand, Oil and Heat Pump Water Heaters, Relief Valves and Drain Pans - Drain valve
- A required valve near the tank bottom for draining the tank and its sediment.
Lesson 36A, Domestic Hot Water, Storage Tank Basics and Components - Drainage (storm water)
- A system that captures water and directs it away from the house and off the property.
Lesson 2A, Site Scope, Terms and Retaining Walls - Drainage fixture
- A receptacle or device that empties supply water and other material into drainage pipes.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Drainage pipe
- The general term covering both waste pipes and drain pipes.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Drainage plane
- The surface a water-resistive barrier forms, down which water behind flashing and sealants drains to weep holes or other outlets.
Lesson 4C, Exterior Trim, Flashing and Sealants, Eaves and Cornice - Drainage quarter bend
- A quarter bend made for drainage piping, as a long turn or a short turn.
Lesson 37B, DWV Fittings, Cleanouts and Defects - Drained system (EIFS)
- The EIFS type in which penetration flashing and a water-resistive barrier form a secondary drainage path behind the finish.
Lesson 4B, Fiber Cement, Hardboard, Insulbrick, Stucco, EIFS, Vinyl, Wood and Wood Structural Panel Siding - Drawer base
- A cabinet with only drawers.
Lesson 18B, Cabinets, Countertops and Smart Home Scope - Drawer glides (slides)
- The hardware that cabinet drawers run on.
Lesson 18B, Cabinets, Countertops and Smart Home Scope - Drilled well
- A well bored with various methods and equipment, as deep as the aquifer requires.
Lesson 35G, Wells: Types, Location and Components - Drip edge
- A crown feature that keeps water from flowing down the chimney sides; without it and an overhang, water runs down the sides.
Lesson 39B, Combustion Air, Masonry Chimney Construction, Liners, Flue Area and Defects - Drip edge flashing
- Flashing at a roof edge where water drains over, installed to reduce water damage where water leaves the roof.
Lesson 9C, Roof Drainage: Gutters, Scuppers and Internal Drains - Drip leg (drip tee)
- A fitting intended to keep moisture out of a gas appliance so the appliance does not foul or rust; recommended where wet gas is present.
Lesson 38G, Other Gas Pipes, Connectors, Valves and Gas Pipe Installation - Drip loop
- A loop in the service entrance conductors below the service head, so water drains off before the conductors enter the head.
Lesson 23B, Grounding, Bonding and the Electrical Service - Drive-under garage (tuck-under garage)
- A garage located under the living area of a house.
Lesson 7, Garage Vehicle Doors and Operators - Driven well
- A well made by pounding small diameter pipe into loose sand or gravel that bears water.
Lesson 35G, Wells: Types, Location and Components - Driveway
- A private road for vehicles between a building and a public road.
Lesson 2A, Site Scope, Terms and Retaining Walls; Lesson 3, Driveways, Walkways, Patios and Pool/Spa Barriers - Drop header
- A header suspended from the deck, with stair stringers attached to it.
Lesson 6B, Deck Materials, Flashing, Ledger Attachment and Deck Stairs - Drop in (self-rimming)
- A sink style set in a countertop opening and supported by its rim.
Lesson 35C, Sinks - Drop pipe
- The vertical pipe that carries water up from a submersible pump.
Lesson 35G, Wells: Types, Location and Components - Drum trap
- 1. An obsolete trap found on some older bathtubs.
Lesson 35A, Bathtubs - 2. A prohibited cylinder trap with pipes at the side or the top; very old houses occasionally have one under a bathtub.
Lesson 38A, Traps and Fixture Drains - Dry bed
- A deeper swale lined with stones.
Lesson 2B, Grade, Drainage and Vegetation - Dry return
- Return piping labeled as dry return, above the boiler water level.
Lesson 33C, Steam Heating Systems and Distribution Piping - Dry stacking
- Laying masonry units without mortar.
Lesson 11B, Forces and Soils, Footings, Piers and Columns - Dry well
- A stone-filled hole that collects water, which may then enter an underground drain.
Lesson 2B, Grade, Drainage and Vegetation - Dry-stacked
- Laid without mortar, as the stones of some stone foundation walls.
Lesson 11C, Basement Foundations, Materials, Waterproofing and Defects - Drywall (gypsum board, plasterboard)
- An interior wall and ceiling finish of gypsum between two sheets of paper.
Lesson 17A, Interior Walls, Ceilings, Drywall, Plaster and Trim - Dual flush toilet
- A toilet with two flush buttons, one for a reduced water flush for liquids and one for a full flush for solids.
Lesson 35D, Toilets and Bidets - Dual fuel furnaces and boilers
- A solid fuel furnace or boiler combined with one that burns another fuel, such as gas or oil.
Lesson 33E, Steam Boiler Components, Solid Fuel and Related Components - Dual fuel system
- A system combining two fuel types, such as a gas or oil furnace with an electric heat pump.
Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System - Duct (branch)
- A duct from a trunk duct or plenum to one supply or return boot.
Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System - Duct (stack)
- A duct, usually sheet metal, in a wall cavity that ends in a stack head rather than a boot.
Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System - Duct (trunk)
- A large duct serving several branch ducts.
Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System - Duct board
- Insulated rigid fiberglass duct, usually rectangular, covered by a foil-like vapor retarder.
Lesson 29, Air Distribution Systems, Ducts, Returns and Filters - Due diligence
- The diligence a reasonable person would apply to meet a legally required duty.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Due diligence period
- 1. The inspection period of a real estate transaction, within which every needed inspection and specialist consultation should take place.
Lesson 19E, Inspection Limitation Statements and Other Report Contents - 2. The inspection period of a real estate purchase contract, often short.
Lesson 21B, Contracts and Insurance - Dunnage
- 1. Wood blocks set directly on a roof covering to carry equipment; not recommended.
Lesson 9A, Low Slope Roofing: Built-Up Membranes and Roll Roofing - 2. Wood blocks laid on a roof covering to carry equipment; not a recommended support.
Lesson 9B, Low Slope Roofing: Modified Bitumen, Foam and EPDM - Duplex receptacle
- A 120 volt receptacle that accepts two plugs and counts as two receptacles; the most common modern type.
Lesson 26A, Receptacles - Dusting
- 1. Powdery material on a concrete surface.
Lesson 3, Driveways, Walkways, Patios and Pool/Spa Barriers - 2. A fine powder that keeps appearing on a finished concrete surface.
Lesson 11D, Foundation Repairs, Crawl Spaces and Slabs - Dutch door
- A hinged door split into an upper leaf and a lower leaf, each opening on its own.
Lesson 5A, Exterior Doors and Safety Glazing at Doors - DWV
- Drain, waste, and vent piping.
Lesson 19D, System Descriptions and Inspection Methods; Lesson 38E, Sewage Ejectors, Backwater Valves and Sump Pumps - DWV system
- The pipes for drain, waste, and vent, with their fittings and fixtures.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms
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