Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity
Glossary, 160 terms
Home inspection terms: P
Each definition is the Key Term from the lesson named under it. Where two lessons define a term for different uses, both are here.
- P-trap
- The trap configuration accepted today, shaped like the letter P when turned with the outlet down.
Lesson 38A, Traps and Fixture Drains - Package heat pump
- A package heating and cooling system that is a heat pump.
Lesson 19D, System Descriptions and Inspection Methods - Package system
- A single cabinet holding the central heating and cooling equipment, mounted on the ground or roof, or sometimes inside.
Lesson 28B, Cooling Systems: Inspecting Equipment and Typical Defects - Package system (air conditioning)
- A heat pump or air conditioner with its evaporator coil and fan in one cabinet, usually outside on the ground or roof, and may be inside.
Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System - Packing nut
- The nut around a compression faucet valve stem; once it works loose, water tends to leak at the stem.
Lesson 34D, Faucets, Shower Valves, Hose Bibbs and Aerators - Paid to play
- A home inspector taking compensation from a vendor for recommending that vendor, directly or indirectly.
Lesson 22, Ethics, Starting a Business and Marketing - Palladian window
- A window of three parts: an arched center sash between two smaller sashes.
Lesson 5B, Windows, Window Flashing, Glazing, Window Wells, Escape Openings and Fall Protection - Pan flashing
- 1. Flashing at the sill of a door or window.
Lesson 4C, Exterior Trim, Flashing and Sealants, Eaves and Cornice - 2. Flashing installed under a door sill to reduce water infiltration.
Lesson 5A, Exterior Doors and Safety Glazing at Doors - 3. Flashing across the bottom of a window opening.
Lesson 5B, Windows, Window Flashing, Glazing, Window Wells, Escape Openings and Fall Protection - Panel (panelboard, load center)
- The assembly, with its terminal bars, that breakers or fuses mount on inside an enclosure.
Lesson 23A, Electrical Terms and Basic Electricity - Paper filter
- A disposable filter of pleated paper.
Lesson 29, Air Distribution Systems, Ducts, Returns and Filters - Parallel fault
- An arcing fault between conductors.
Lesson 24B, Overcurrent Protection, GFCI and AFCI - Parallel return path
- A second path for return current, created by a neutral to ground connection downstream of the service equipment.
Lesson 24C, Panelboard Defects, Subpanels and Problem Panels - Parallel strand lumber (PSL)
- Structural composite lumber made of wood strands, usually looking more like OSB.
Lesson 12B, I-Joists, SCL, Glulam and Floor Trusses - Parapet wall
- 1. A vertical sidewall around a roof.
Lesson 9C, Roof Drainage: Gutters, Scuppers and Internal Drains - 2. The part of a firewall that extends above the roof.
Lesson 12C, Wall Systems, Fireblocking and Fire Separation - Parge coat
- A coat of mortar over masonry, such as the visible parts of a smoke chamber and smoke shelf.
Lesson 39A, Fireplace Types and Terms, Firebox, Hearth and Clearances - Parging
- A coat of Portland cement applied to the outside face of a masonry wall.
Lesson 11C, Basement Foundations, Materials, Waterproofing and Defects - Partial shutdown
- A shutdown of part of a system, such as one fixture or one branch circuit.
Lesson 19E, Inspection Limitation Statements and Other Report Contents - Partially ducted
- The HRV or ERV duct configuration with its own exhaust ducts that sends outside air to the living areas by way of the HVAC return duct.
Lesson 16A, Mechanical Ventilation, HRV and ERV, Whole-House Fans - Partition corner post
- The framing where an interior wall meets an exterior wall.
Lesson 12D, Wood Wall Framing, Bracing and Wall Defects - Partnership
- A business with two or more owners who share its profits and losses.
Lesson 22, Ethics, Starting a Business and Marketing - Pass point
- The scaled score of 500 that a candidate must meet or exceed to pass.
Lesson 43, Scheduling, Taking and Passing the NHIE - Passage lock
- A knob or handle latch with no impediment to entry.
Lesson 17B, Interior Doors and Floor Coverings - Passive methods
- Ways other than insulation to keep a house comfortable, such as orientation, light colors, deciduous trees, and wide eaves.
Lesson 14A, Insulation Scope and Terms, R-Value and How Insulation Works - Passive system
- A solar water heating system that moves water by convection.
Lesson 27B, Alternative Energy Systems: Solar PV, Wind and Solar Water Heating - Patina
- A protective coating, usually green, that forms inside copper tubing soon after it goes into service.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - Patio
- 1. A flat outdoor recreation area next to a house, often, though not always, on grade.
Lesson 2A, Site Scope, Terms and Retaining Walls - 2. A flat area next to a house for outdoor recreation.
Lesson 3, Driveways, Walkways, Patios and Pool/Spa Barriers - Pay to play
- A demand by a real estate company or other referral source for compensation for inclusion in a preferred provider or recommended home inspector list; it also covers payments made directly to referral sources in exchange for referrals.
Lesson 22, Ethics, Starting a Business and Marketing - Pedestal pump
- One of the two usual sump pump types; the other is the submersible pump.
Lesson 38E, Sewage Ejectors, Backwater Valves and Sump Pumps - Pedestal vanity
- A sink set on a matching pedestal.
Lesson 35C, Sinks - Pedestrian gate
- A pool area gate, usually a single gate; it should close and latch by itself.
Lesson 3, Driveways, Walkways, Patios and Pool/Spa Barriers - Pediment
- Decorative trim mounted over a door or window.
Lesson 4C, Exterior Trim, Flashing and Sealants, Eaves and Cornice - Pellet stove
- A wood-burning stove that burns pellets made from processed wood byproducts.
Lesson 40B, Draft Problems, Fireplace Inserts, Wood and Pellet Stoves - Penetration
- Anything passing through the roof covering, such as a vent, drain, cable, or raised curb.
Lesson 9B, Low Slope Roofing: Modified Bitumen, Foam and EPDM - Perc test
- A soil test that determines the percolation rate.
Lesson 38D, Septic Systems - Percolation (perc) rate
- The minimum rate at which soil must let water flow through it.
Lesson 38D, Septic Systems - Perforated panels
- The ventilation covers usually used on boxed eaves finished with vinyl and aluminum.
Lesson 16C, Attic Ventilation and Closed Attics - Perlite
- A material chemically similar to vermiculite, made as loose fill and as sheet insulation.
Lesson 14C, Insulation Materials - Permanent split capacitor (PSC) motor
- An older, less efficient fan motor design used in single speed fans.
Lesson 31A, Gas Appliance Categories and Gas Forced-Air Furnaces - Permanent tank
- A propane tank of 500 to 2,000 gallons that serves several gas appliances; it is often above ground and may be buried.
Lesson 38H, Gas Meters, Regulators, Sizing, Leak Detection and Propane Tanks - Permanent wood foundation
- A foundation with preservative treated plywood walls on a crushed stone or gravel footing.
Lesson 11C, Basement Foundations, Materials, Waterproofing and Defects - Permeability
- 1. How readily a material lets water vapor diffuse through it, measured in perms.
Lesson 14A, Insulation Scope and Terms, R-Value and How Insulation Works - 2. The property of a material that sets how readily water vapor passes (diffuses) through it.
Lesson 14B, Vapor Retarders and the House as a System - PEX-AL-PEX
- PEX tubing with an aluminum layer that acts as an oxygen barrier.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - Photoelectric alarm
- The less common smoke alarm type, in which smoke reflects light onto a sensor set at 90 degrees to the light.
Lesson 27A, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms, Load Controllers and Generators; Lesson 42, Life Safety Systems: Egress, Fire Separation, Alarms and Sprinklers - Pick-proof hinge
- A hinge with top and bottom caps that keep its pin from being removed.
Lesson 5A, Exterior Doors and Safety Glazing at Doors - Pier
- 1. A column for a concentrated vertical load, often set above ground, though it may be set below ground.
Lesson 11A, Structural Scope and Terms - 2. A support that carries a point (concentrated) load, above or below grade.
Lesson 11B, Forces and Soils, Footings, Piers and Columns - Pier pad (pad footing)
- The footing of appropriate size that a pier rests on.
Lesson 11B, Forces and Soils, Footings, Piers and Columns - Piggyback truss
- A truss that bears on another truss below it.
Lesson 13B, Roof Framing Defects, Trusses and Attic Access - Pigtail
- The loop in the tube that attaches a pressuretrol to the boiler.
Lesson 33E, Steam Boiler Components, Solid Fuel and Related Components - Pilaster
- 1. Decorative trim attached beside a door.
Lesson 4C, Exterior Trim, Flashing and Sealants, Eaves and Cornice - 2. A column, inside or outside a building, that may be more decorative and taller than a pier.
Lesson 11A, Structural Scope and Terms - Pile
- 1. A column set in the ground as part of a house foundation, usually where soil is unstable or bears loads poorly.
Lesson 11A, Structural Scope and Terms - 2. A support, usually wood in houses, driven or drilled into the soil, that carries its load by soil friction or by bearing on rock or soil with good load-bearing capacity.
Lesson 11B, Forces and Soils, Footings, Piers and Columns - Pin-type moisture meter
- A moisture meter that reads the resistance between pins pushed into a material, to a depth of about the pin length.
Lesson 20, Inspection Tools and the Inspection Process - Pinless moisture meter
- A moisture meter that uses radio frequency and reads one-half inch to one inch deep.
Lesson 20, Inspection Tools and the Inspection Process - Pipe joint compound (pipe dope)
- A sealant applied over the threads of a gas pipe joint.
Lesson 38F, Gas Pipe Materials: Black Steel, Copper and CSST - Pitch (of a roof)
- A roof's total height over the total horizontal distance it covers, expressed as a ratio.
Lesson 11A, Structural Scope and Terms - Pitless adapter
- The underground fitting, below the frost line, that connects the drop pipe to the water service pipe.
Lesson 35G, Wells: Types, Location and Components - Plaintiff
- The party who brings a civil case; here, the client.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Plaster
- Lime, gypsum, or cement mixed with water and an aggregate, applied wet, and dried to a rigid finish.
Lesson 17A, Interior Walls, Ceilings, Drywall, Plaster and Trim - Plastic guard
- A cover over the energized parts behind an element access cover, usually present on newer electric water heaters.
Lesson 36B, Electric and Gas Storage Tank Water Heaters - Plate anchors
- A wall repair like tieback anchors, except that the anchor in the yard is a plate.
Lesson 11D, Foundation Repairs, Crawl Spaces and Slabs - Platform framing
- 1. The framing system most common in houses, in which each upper floor system bears on the lower story walls.
Lesson 12A, Floor Framing, Spans, Bearing, Notching and Boring - 2. A framing system in which each story's walls bear on that story's floor system.
Lesson 12C, Wall Systems, Fireblocking and Fire Separation - Platform-framed wall
- The most common North American house wall, built of dimensional lumber.
Lesson 12D, Wood Wall Framing, Bracing and Wall Defects - Pleadings
- The stage of civil litigation that begins with the complaint.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Plenum
- An enclosed space for airflow that feeds air to branch ducts or takes air from them, usually on both the supply and return sides of a furnace or air handler; a distribution plenum takes air from a duct and splits it among branch ducts.
Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System; Lesson 33A, Electric Heating Systems - Plinth block
- The block at the foot of a door casing, where it meets the base.
Lesson 17A, Interior Walls, Ceilings, Drywall, Plaster and Trim - Plumb
- Vertical.
Lesson 11A, Structural Scope and Terms - Plumb cut
- 1. The vertical cut at the upper end of a rafter, where it bears on the ridge board.
Lesson 13A, Roof and Ceiling Framing, Rafters, Ties and Purlins - 2. The vertical cut at the top of a stringer.
Lesson 18A, Stairs, Ramps, Handrails and Guards - Plumbing appliance
- An energy-using appliance tied into the plumbing system.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Plumbing fixture group
- A set of fixtures such as a bathroom, the kitchen, or the laundry.
Lesson 38B, Plumbing Vents: Purpose, Inspection, Terminals and Size - Plumbing vent
- 1. A pipe system carrying air to equalize pressure in drain and waste pipes.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - 2. A pipe or device that supplies air to the drainage pipes and protects trap water seals from being drained.
Lesson 38B, Plumbing Vents: Purpose, Inspection, Terminals and Size - Plywood
- A sheathing panel of layers set at 90 degree angles; it delaminates when wet over the long term.
Lesson 12A, Floor Framing, Spans, Bearing, Notching and Boring - Pocket door
- A sliding door that moves into an opening inside the wall.
Lesson 17B, Interior Doors and Floor Coverings - Point (concentrated) load
- A load applied at one location, such as the load a pier supports.
Lesson 11B, Forces and Soils, Footings, Piers and Columns - Point load
- 1. A load such as a bathtub holding water and a bather, a water bed, or someone crossing a room; it can differ from a uniformly distributed load.
Lesson 12A, Floor Framing, Spans, Bearing, Notching and Boring - 2. A load such as a slammed door, as distinct from a uniformly distributed load.
Lesson 12C, Wall Systems, Fireblocking and Fire Separation - Point of delivery
- The point on a gas system where the IRC begins to apply.
Lesson 38F, Gas Pipe Materials: Black Steel, Copper and CSST - Point of entry filter
- A filter in the water supply pipe that treats the water for the whole house.
Lesson 35F, Water Treatment Devices and Hot Water Circulation - Point of use filter
- A filter on a faucet, or under a sink supplying a separate drinking water faucet.
Lesson 35F, Water Treatment Devices and Hot Water Circulation - Point-of-use appliance
- An instant water heating appliance, usually at a kitchen sink, that supplies hot water for beverages.
Lesson 36A, Domestic Hot Water, Storage Tank Basics and Components - Polarized receptacle
- A receptacle with one slot of a different size or orientation, which helps prevent metal on a device such as a lamp from becoming energized.
Lesson 26A, Receptacles - Polybutylene (PB)
- A thermoplastic water service and distribution tubing, installed mostly between the late 1970s and the mid-1990s; a known problematic system.
Lesson 34C, PB, Brass and Lead Pipe, Water Connectors and Valves - Polyethylene (PE)
- A tubing and pipe used mainly by utilities, usually black, with no reported problems in residential uses.
Lesson 34C, PB, Brass and Lead Pipe, Water Connectors and Valves - Polyethylene sheathing
- The plastic cover over the corrugated tube of CSST, commonly yellow, black, or orange.
Lesson 38F, Gas Pipe Materials: Black Steel, Copper and CSST - Polyisocyanurate
- A foam insulation, usually light orange or light yellow, made as sheets and as spray foam.
Lesson 14C, Insulation Materials - Polymer modified bitumen
- An asphalt based membrane roof covering system.
Lesson 9B, Low Slope Roofing: Modified Bitumen, Foam and EPDM - Polymer roof covering
- A synthetic roof covering made of polymer resins and recycled materials such as plastic and rubber.
Lesson 8C, Steep Slope Roofing: Slate, Polymer, Wood and Ice Dams - Polymeric sand
- A special sand that may fill the joints between flagstones or pavers.
Lesson 3, Driveways, Walkways, Patios and Pool/Spa Barriers - Polypropylene
- A new Category IV vent material, made in rigid and flexible types.
Lesson 32B, Vent Connectors, Category III and IV Vents and Direct Vent Terminations - Polypropylene (PP)
- A pipe and tubing with a reported history of at least thirty years in Europe and limited availability in North America.
Lesson 34C, PB, Brass and Lead Pipe, Water Connectors and Valves - Polystyrene beads
- The material in the sealed tank of a softener that attracts calcium and magnesium.
Lesson 35F, Water Treatment Devices and Hot Water Circulation - Polyurethane
- A foam insulation, usually light orange or light yellow, made as sheets and as spray foam.
Lesson 14C, Insulation Materials - Pool and spa access barriers
- The fences, walls, gates, and house walls that keep unauthorized persons out of a pool or spa area; outside the scope of a home inspection.
Lesson 3, Driveways, Walkways, Patios and Pool/Spa Barriers - Poor water management
- Conditions such as improper flashing, blocked gutters, and blocked or absent weep holes, which can cause most less significant masonry defects.
Lesson 12E, CMU, Brick, ICF, SIPs and Uncommon Wall Materials - Pop-up stopper
- The most common bathroom sink stopper, worked by a rod and a lever in the tailpiece.
Lesson 35C, Sinks - Popcorn
- A drywall texture left as sprayed.
Lesson 17A, Interior Walls, Ceilings, Drywall, Plaster and Trim - Popout
- A small, usually cone-shaped part of a concrete surface that breaks away.
Lesson 11D, Foundation Repairs, Crawl Spaces and Slabs - Porcelain tile
- One subcategory within ceramic tile.
Lesson 17B, Interior Doors and Floor Coverings - Porch
- 1. An outdoor area attached to the house, usually covered.
Lesson 4A, Exterior Scope and Terms, Adhered Masonry Veneer, Metal and Asbestos Cement Siding and Brick Veneer - 2. An outdoor area attached to the house, often roofed and open-sided.
Lesson 6A, Stoops, Porches and Balconies - Portable heater
- A plug-and-cord connected heater; out of scope, though its presence should be reported.
Lesson 33A, Electric Heating Systems - Positive pressure
- 1. Pressure inside a vent higher than the pressure around it; a Category III vent operates under it, so its pipes must be sealed.
Lesson 32B, Vent Connectors, Category III and IV Vents and Direct Vent Terminations - 2. Air pressure from water flowing down a vertical pipe; it can blow a trap seal out and increases with the distance the water falls.
Lesson 38B, Plumbing Vents: Purpose, Inspection, Terminals and Size - Post and beam framing
- 1. A framing system of large wood beams and posts connected by mechanical fasteners and steel plates.
Lesson 12C, Wall Systems, Fireblocking and Fire Separation - 2. A framing system of large beams and posts connected with steel plates and mechanical fasteners such as bolts.
Lesson 12E, CMU, Brick, ICF, SIPs and Uncommon Wall Materials - Post base
- A metal connector that secures a wood deck support post to its footing.
Lesson 6C, Deck Guards, Framing, Flooring, Bracing, Beams, Footings and Defects - Post cap
- A manufactured connector that fastens a deck beam to the top of a support post.
Lesson 6C, Deck Guards, Framing, Flooring, Bracing, Beams, Footings and Defects - Post-tensioned slab
- A slab foundation reinforced with steel cables that are tightened after the concrete is poured.
Lesson 11D, Foundation Repairs, Crawl Spaces and Slabs - Pot-type
- An oil burner type that is uncommon in houses.
Lesson 32C, Oil Burners - Potable water
- Water safe to drink.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Power
- The work electricity performs in a load, measured in watts and written P.
Lesson 23A, Electrical Terms and Basic Electricity - Power failure alarm
- An alarm for a sewage ejector or sump pump that some jurisdictions may require and the IRC does not.
Lesson 38E, Sewage Ejectors, Backwater Valves and Sump Pumps - Powered attic ventilation fan
- A fan that can depressurize an attic.
Lesson 14B, Vapor Retarders and the House as a System - Powered attic ventilator
- A fan that draws air out of the attic.
Lesson 16C, Attic Ventilation and Closed Attics - Pre-inspection agreement
- The contract a home inspector and client sign before any inspection service.
Lesson 21B, Contracts and Insurance - Pre-inspection conference
- The talk with the client and agent before the inspection, covering the agreement, objectives, scope, limitations, and client concerns.
Lesson 20, Inspection Tools and the Inspection Process - Pre-purge cycle
- The start of a modern ignition sequence, when the air flow and ignition arc run several seconds before oil reaches the nozzle.
Lesson 32C, Oil Burners - Precast concrete stoop
- A concrete stoop built off-site and delivered.
Lesson 6A, Stoops, Porches and Balconies - Precast wall (panel)
- A concrete wall panel built in a factory and set in place by crane.
Lesson 11C, Basement Foundations, Materials, Waterproofing and Defects - Precharged tank
- The modern pressure tank (captive air tank), with a diaphragm or air bladder between its air and water.
Lesson 35G, Wells: Types, Location and Components - Prefabricated tray
- A factory-made shower pan, usually fiberglass.
Lesson 35B, Showers and Tub/Showers - Preponderance of the evidence
- The burden of proof used in most civil litigation, including negligence.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Prescriptive method
- The eight-condition method of attaching a deck ledger to a house.
Lesson 6B, Deck Materials, Flashing, Ledger Attachment and Deck Stairs - Preservative treated lumber
- Wood treated to resist rot and insect damage.
Lesson 6C, Deck Guards, Framing, Flooring, Bracing, Beams, Footings and Defects - Preservative treated wood
- Softwood treated with chemicals such as CCA or ACQ; the species varies by region.
Lesson 6B, Deck Materials, Flashing, Ledger Attachment and Deck Stairs - Press-connect fitting
- 1. A proprietary crimped joint for copper supply tubes and their valves.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - 2. A fitting that may join drawn copper tubing to drawn copper tubing or to other water supply materials.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - Pressure balance device
- A modulator in most modern shower faucets that brings hot and cold flow to one delivery pressure when one side loses pressure.
Lesson 34D, Faucets, Shower Valves, Hose Bibbs and Aerators - Pressure gauge
- A boiler gauge for steam pressure, with a meaningful scale of about 0 to 3 psi.
Lesson 33E, Steam Boiler Components, Solid Fuel and Related Components - Pressure relief duct
- A duct from a closed crawl space to the house interior that equalizes pressures.
Lesson 16D, Crawl Space Ventilation and Basement Wall Insulation - Pressure relief valve
- 1. A boiler valve, usually 30 psi in residential systems, with a pressure rating equal to the boiler rating plate maximum.
Lesson 33B, Hot Water Heating Systems - 2. A valve installed in the space the boiler provides for it; 15 psi on most house steam boilers.
Lesson 33E, Steam Boiler Components, Solid Fuel and Related Components - 3. The relief valve required on a demand water heater.
Lesson 36A, Domestic Hot Water, Storage Tank Basics and Components; Lesson 36C, Demand, Oil and Heat Pump Water Heaters, Relief Valves and Drain Pans - Pressure reversing function
- The opener safety function that reverses a closing door when it strikes an object.
Lesson 7, Garage Vehicle Doors and Operators - Pressure switch
- The switch near the pressure tank that turns the well pump on and off by tank pressure.
Lesson 35G, Wells: Types, Location and Components - Pressure tank
- The tank of pressurized air that buffers a well system and pushes water into the distribution pipes.
Lesson 35G, Wells: Types, Location and Components - Pressure vacuum breaker
- A backflow preventer often used on irrigation supplies; it stops backsiphonage but not backpressure.
Lesson 35E, Standpipes, Floor Drains and Backflow Prevention - Pressure-assist toilet
- A toilet that uses compressed air in a plastic tank to push water into the bowl.
Lesson 35D, Toilets and Bidets - Pressures
- Forces that move air and water vapor.
Lesson 14B, Vapor Retarders and the House as a System - Pressuretrol
- A common device that measures and controls boiler steam pressure.
Lesson 33E, Steam Boiler Components, Solid Fuel and Related Components - Pretest item
- An unscored NHIE item; 25 of the 200 items are pretest items.
Lesson 1, Course Introduction and NHIE Overview - Prevailing party
- The party that wins a dispute.
Lesson 21B, Contracts and Insurance - Primary air
- The share of combustion air that supplies combustion itself.
Lesson 30, Heating Fundamentals, Combustion and Capacity - Primary condensate disposal system
- The pipe that carries condensate from the evaporator coil, by gravity or by pump, to the outdoors or the plumbing drainage system.
Lesson 28C, Cooling Systems: Condensate, Line Sets and Thermostats - Primary control
- An oil burner flame shut off sensor, either the cadmium cell or the stack relay.
Lesson 32C, Oil Burners - Principal
- A contracting party; in agency, the party an agent acts for.
Lesson 21B, Contracts and Insurance - Prior acts coverage
- E&O coverage for inspections done before the policy began.
Lesson 21B, Contracts and Insurance - Privacy lock
- A lock that needs a key to open it from outside the room.
Lesson 17B, Interior Doors and Floor Coverings - Probe thermometer
- A thermometer that measures with a probe of thin metal, about six inches long, inserted into the object.
Lesson 20, Inspection Tools and the Inspection Process - Probe type thermometer
- A thermometer inserted on either side of the evaporator coil; it gives the most accurate temperature drop reading.
Lesson 28B, Cooling Systems: Inspecting Equipment and Typical Defects - Professional practice act
- A state law, neither licensing nor registration, that may only define the profession; some list prohibited acts.
Lesson 22, Ethics, Starting a Business and Marketing - Protective pipe sleeve
- A pipe that encloses a line set where it is buried or passes through the foundation.
Lesson 28C, Cooling Systems: Condensate, Line Sets and Thermostats - Protective screen
- A screen beneath glass skylights and sloped glazing, which may be required.
Lesson 10B, Skylights - Psig
- The unit in which steam system operating pressure is given.
Lesson 33C, Steam Heating Systems and Distribution Piping - Psychometrician
- The specialist who guides the expert panel that sets the NHIE passing score and runs a statistical analysis after each administration.
Lesson 1, Course Introduction and NHIE Overview - Public relations
- Information about a company placed in the media without payment.
Lesson 22, Ethics, Starting a Business and Marketing - Puffback
- Ignition of unburned oil that has collected in the refractory chamber; a dangerous condition.
Lesson 32C, Oil Burners - Pull-down stair
- A folding ladder on a spring-closed cover, usually plywood.
Lesson 13B, Roof Framing Defects, Trusses and Attic Access - Pump access opening
- The opening through which a whirlpool bathtub pump is reached for service and replacement.
Lesson 35A, Bathtubs - Pumping out
- Removal of the sludge layer from a septic tank; required maintenance.
Lesson 38D, Septic Systems - Punitive damages
- Damages a court may award in cases of fraud or gross negligence, and usually does not award for negligent misrepresentation.
Lesson 21A, Business Law, Claims and Liability - Purlin
- 1. A brace near a rafter's midpoint that carries the rafter load down to a load-bearing wall.
Lesson 11A, Structural Scope and Terms - 2. The horizontal member a rafter bears on, used where rafters span too far horizontally.
Lesson 13A, Roof and Ceiling Framing, Rafters, Ties and Purlins - Purlin brace (strut)
- The angled member that carries a purlin down to a load-bearing wall.
Lesson 13A, Roof and Ceiling Framing, Rafters, Ties and Purlins - Push pier
- A steel rod used to raise and stabilize settled footings.
Lesson 11D, Foundation Repairs, Crawl Spaces and Slabs - Push-connect (push-fit) fitting
- The proprietary fitting that holds a supply tube pushed into it without solder, washers, or nuts.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Push-connect fittings
- Fittings that may join CPVC, PEX, and copper, where the copper is drawn tubing only.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - PVC
- Polyvinyl chloride pipe, usually white, limited to cold water by a 100 degrees F maximum under pressure.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
- A plastic, usually white, used for building sewer, interior DWV, and water service pipe but not for interior water distribution pipe.
Lesson 37A, DWV Rules and Pipe Materials - Pyrolysis
- 1. A process that can lower the ignition temperature of wood exposed to a heat source over many years.
Lesson 19C, Deficient Conditions, Service Life and Imminent Threats - 2. A heat-driven chemical change in wood that lowers its ignition temperature.
Lesson 40B, Draft Problems, Fireplace Inserts, Wood and Pellet Stoves
Try the question style
Answer 20 practice questions from 17 of the 19 tasks on the outline. No email needed.
Not ready for that yet? Get the free NHIE study guide, a printable checklist of all 19 outline tasks, by email.