Glossary, 79 terms
Home inspection terms: W to Z
Each definition is the Key Term from the lesson named under it. Where two lessons define a term for different uses, both are here.
- Wainscoting
- Wood finish on only the lower part of a wall.
Lesson 17A, Interior Walls, Ceilings, Drywall, Plaster and Trim - Walk-out or daylight basement
- A basement with a full-height exterior door.
Lesson 11C, Basement Foundations, Materials, Waterproofing and Defects - Walkabout
- An initial walk outside and inside the property for an overall impression and to locate equipment, access points, and shutoff valves.
Lesson 20, Inspection Tools and the Inspection Process - Walkline
- A line 12 inches in from the narrow, handrail side of a stairway.
Lesson 18A, Stairs, Ramps, Handrails and Guards - Walkway
- 1. A private pedestrian path on private property.
Lesson 2A, Site Scope, Terms and Retaining Walls - 2. A pedestrian path that is private and on private property.
Lesson 3, Driveways, Walkways, Patios and Pool/Spa Barriers - Wall cabinet
- A cabinet hung on the wall over the countertop.
Lesson 18B, Cabinets, Countertops and Smart Home Scope - Wall covering (cladding)
- A material or assembly over a house's exterior walls that carries no load.
Lesson 4A, Exterior Scope and Terms, Adhered Masonry Veneer, Metal and Asbestos Cement Siding and Brick Veneer - Wall furnace
- A vertical furnace, often inset between wall studs; some project from the wall or are console units attached to it.
Lesson 31B, Floor and Wall Furnaces, Room Heaters and Unvented Appliances - Wall oven
- An oven mounted in a cabinet instead of built into a range.
Lesson 41A, Appliance Scope and Terms, Cooktops, Ranges, Ovens and Dishwashers - Wall penetration flashing
- Flashing at doors, windows, horizontal siding seams, wall vents and ducts, and joints between different wall coverings.
Lesson 4C, Exterior Trim, Flashing and Sealants, Eaves and Cornice - Wall space
- The wall length used for room receptacle spacing: walls over 2 feet wide, fixed door panels, partial height walls, and room dividers, but not fireplaces, closets, or other obstructions.
Lesson 26A, Receptacles - Waste
- Drainage pipe liquid with no feces or urine.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Waste pipe
- A drainage pipe carrying no feces or urine.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Water connector
- A short length of tubing that joins a fixture or appliance to the water distribution pipes.
Lesson 34C, PB, Brass and Lead Pipe, Water Connectors and Valves - Water distribution pipes
- 1. The pipes that take potable water from the main shutoff valve to the fixtures and appliances.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - 2. The pipes beginning at the main shutoff valve.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - Water flow rate
- How much water a fixture delivers, usually in gallons per minute.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Water hammer
- 1. The banging sound of a steam system; a primary cause is steam and water fighting each other.
Lesson 33C, Steam Heating Systems and Distribution Piping - 2. Banging in the pipes of a steam system; it is not normal.
Lesson 33E, Steam Boiler Components, Solid Fuel and Related Components - 3. A banging or thumping noise when water flow stops suddenly.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Water hammer arrestor
- The device that takes up the shock of a sudden stop in water flow.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Water level shut off switch
- A switch in the overflow pan or at the evaporator coil that turns the air conditioning system off when water rises.
Lesson 28C, Cooling Systems: Condensate, Line Sets and Thermostats - Water pressure
- The force of water on pipe walls, usually in psi; 80 psi is the maximum.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Water pressure regulator
- An adjustable, usually bell-shaped device on the service pipe that reduces water pressure.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Water seal
- 1. The water standing in a trap between the dip and the crown weir.
Lesson 38A, Traps and Fixture Drains - 2. The water held in a trap.
Lesson 38B, Plumbing Vents: Purpose, Inspection, Terminals and Size - Water service pipe
- 1. The pipe from the water meter or well head to the main water shutoff valve.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - 2. The pipe that brings water into the house, from the water meter or well head to the main shutoff valve.
Lesson 34B, Pipe Supports, Copper, CPVC, Galvanized Steel and PEX - 3. The horizontal pipe that carries well water from the pitless adapter to the pressure tank.
Lesson 35G, Wells: Types, Location and Components - Water shedding roof covering
- 1. A roof covering that relies in part on the underlayment for a water-resistive barrier system.
Lesson 8A, Steep Slope Roofing: Asphalt Shingles and Tile - 2. A covering that depends on the underlayment, a secondary barrier, to keep water out; steep slope coverings are this type.
Lesson 9A, Low Slope Roofing: Built-Up Membranes and Roll Roofing - Water softener
- 1. A treatment device that deals with hard water only.
Lesson 35F, Water Treatment Devices and Hot Water Circulation - 2. Equipment that replaces the calcium and magnesium in hard water with sodium.
Lesson 35H, Cisterns, Water Quality and Fire Sprinklers - Water supply system
- The system that brings potable water into the house and distributes it to fixtures and appliances.
Lesson 34A, Plumbing Scope and Plumbing Terms - Water-resistant (green) drywall
- A moisture-resistant gypsum board, allowed on shower walls at one time but not now.
Lesson 35B, Showers and Tub/Showers - Water-resistive barrier (WRB)
- 1. Material that resists liquid water penetration, such as house wrap or #15 felt; also called a weather-resistive barrier.
Lesson 4A, Exterior Scope and Terms, Adhered Masonry Veneer, Metal and Asbestos Cement Siding and Brick Veneer - 2. The layer now required under all exterior wall cladding, also called a weather-resistant barrier.
Lesson 15A, Insulation Defects, Water-Resistive Barriers, Radiant Barriers and Fenestration - Water-source heat pump
- A heat pump that exchanges heat with water and may be open-loop or closed-loop.
Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System - Waterlogged
- 1. The condition of an expansion tank that has ceased to function, which a tank with a damaged bladder or no bladder may reach.
Lesson 33B, Hot Water Heating Systems - 2. Describes a steel tank whose air has leaked out or been absorbed into the water.
Lesson 35G, Wells: Types, Location and Components - Waterproof roof covering
- A covering that forms a waterproof barrier by itself; low slope coverings are this type.
Lesson 9A, Low Slope Roofing: Built-Up Membranes and Roll Roofing - Waterproofing
- A treatment meant to stop liquid water under hydrostatic pressure.
Lesson 11C, Basement Foundations, Materials, Waterproofing and Defects - Watt's Law and Ohm's Law
- Expressions relating current, voltage, power, and resistance, such as Power = Volts X Amps.
Lesson 23A, Electrical Terms and Basic Electricity - Wax O-ring
- The seal between a toilet bowl and the closet flange.
Lesson 35D, Toilets and Bidets - Weather resistant membrane
- The layer under hip and ridge pieces on a wood roof.
Lesson 8C, Steep Slope Roofing: Slate, Polymer, Wood and Ice Dams - Weather stripping
- 1. The seal between a door and its frame along the top and sides.
Lesson 5A, Exterior Doors and Safety Glazing at Doors - 2. Sealing material at the joints of a sash and frame.
Lesson 5B, Windows, Window Flashing, Glazing, Window Wells, Escape Openings and Fall Protection - Web (I-joist)
- The vertical OSB or plywood piece of an I-joist, usually about 3/8 inch thick.
Lesson 12B, I-Joists, SCL, Glulam and Floor Trusses - Web stiffeners
- Members fastened to both sides of an I-joist web to support a wall that bears on the joists.
Lesson 12B, I-Joists, SCL, Glulam and Floor Trusses - Webs (truss)
- 1. The members between the chords of a truss, which may be set vertically, diagonally, or both.
Lesson 12B, I-Joists, SCL, Glulam and Floor Trusses - 2. The members between the chords of a truss; they may be vertical, diagonal, or both.
Lesson 13B, Roof Framing Defects, Trusses and Attic Access - Weep (drain) holes
- Openings near the bottom of a masonry or concrete retaining wall that let water drain.
Lesson 2A, Site Scope, Terms and Retaining Walls - Weep holes
- 1. Openings in brick veneer, directly above the flashing, through which drained water leaves the wall.
Lesson 4C, Exterior Trim, Flashing and Sealants, Eaves and Cornice - 2. Small drain openings in the lower track of a shower door.
Lesson 35B, Showers and Tub/Showers - Weep screed
- A component with drain holes at the bottom edge of adhered veneer.
Lesson 4A, Exterior Scope and Terms, Adhered Masonry Veneer, Metal and Asbestos Cement Siding and Brick Veneer - Wet area
- 1. A location that large amounts of liquid water reach, for example an exterior wall with no roof over it.
Lesson 26A, Receptacles - 2. A location that large amounts of liquid water reach, such as an unroofed exterior wall.
Lesson 26B, Switches, Lights and Ceiling Fans - Wet bar sink
- A smaller sink, popular at one time and also found in kitchenettes in bedrooms.
Lesson 35C, Sinks - Wet return
- Return piping that runs below the boiler water level.
Lesson 33C, Steam Heating Systems and Distribution Piping - Wet steam
- Steam that flows and heats less well than dry steam; a system may be producing it when water drips from the sight glass at its top.
Lesson 33E, Steam Boiler Components, Solid Fuel and Related Components - Wet vent
- A vent system for the fixtures of up to two bathroom groups on one floor level.
Lesson 38C, Vent Systems, Vent Connections and Air Admittance Valves - Whirlpool tub
- A bathtub equipped with a pump and a motor, and sometimes a water heater; also called a hydromassage tub.
Lesson 35A, Bathtubs - Whole house mechanical ventilation
- Ventilation of the entire house by mechanical means, run intermittently or continuously.
Lesson 16A, Mechanical Ventilation, HRV and ERV, Whole-House Fans - Whole-house fan
- A large fan that draws air in through open windows and exhausts it to the attic or through a roof or gable opening.
Lesson 16A, Mechanical Ventilation, HRV and ERV, Whole-House Fans - Wicking
- Capillary water rise in masonry.
Lesson 12E, CMU, Brick, ICF, SIPs and Uncommon Wall Materials - Wind exposure risk
- The risk factor for houses on open fields, large lakes, or the ocean.
Lesson 12D, Wood Wall Framing, Bracing and Wall Defects - Wind speed risk
- The risk factor for areas with high wind events of 110+ mph.
Lesson 12D, Wood Wall Framing, Bracing and Wall Defects - Wind washing
- Convection around and through insulation.
Lesson 14A, Insulation Scope and Terms, R-Value and How Insulation Works - Winder treads
- Curved or triangular treads and landings that turn a stairway in a new direction of travel.
Lesson 18A, Stairs, Ramps, Handrails and Guards - Window frame
- The head jamb, jambs, and sill that support a window sash.
Lesson 5B, Windows, Window Flashing, Glazing, Window Wells, Escape Openings and Fall Protection - Window sash
- The framework that surrounds the glazing of a window.
Lesson 5B, Windows, Window Flashing, Glazing, Window Wells, Escape Openings and Fall Protection - Window unit
- 1. A portable room air conditioner installed in a window, considered personal property and out of scope.
Lesson 28A, Cooling Systems: Understanding the System - 2. A unit that cools, and sometimes heats, one room or area; not considered permanently installed, so out of scope.
Lesson 28B, Cooling Systems: Inspecting Equipment and Typical Defects - Window well
- 1. A well outside a window or other opening that is partly below grade.
Lesson 5B, Windows, Window Flashing, Glazing, Window Wells, Escape Openings and Fall Protection - 2. The well outside a window or other opening that lies partly or wholly below grade.
Lesson 42, Life Safety Systems: Egress, Fire Separation, Alarms and Sprinklers - Wire screen
- A fireplace accessory that helps stop embers from escaping.
Lesson 40A, Factory-Built Fireplaces and Chimneys - Wiring method
- A type of cable, conduit, or tubing, such as AC, EMT, or NM.
Lesson 25A, Wiring Methods, Cables and Raceways - Wiring methods
- The approved cables and raceways that carry electricity past the service point to outlets and panelboards.
Lesson 23A, Electrical Terms and Basic Electricity - Wood I-joist
- A wood floor joist with an I-shaped cross-section.
Lesson 6B, Deck Materials, Flashing, Ledger Attachment and Deck Stairs - Wood lath
- Closely spaced wood boards used as a plaster base.
Lesson 17A, Interior Walls, Ceilings, Drywall, Plaster and Trim - Wood shake
- A wood roofing piece, usually split, thicker at the butt and less uniform on the surface than a shingle.
Lesson 8C, Steep Slope Roofing: Slate, Polymer, Wood and Ice Dams - Wood shingle
- A wood roofing piece, usually sawn, with a uniform butt thickness and a flat, smooth face.
Lesson 8C, Steep Slope Roofing: Slate, Polymer, Wood and Ice Dams - Wood siding
- Siding of wood planks, shingles, or shakes.
Lesson 4B, Fiber Cement, Hardboard, Insulbrick, Stucco, EIFS, Vinyl, Wood and Wood Structural Panel Siding - Wood structural panel brace
- A wall brace of OSB or plywood, usually 3/8 inch or thicker.
Lesson 12D, Wood Wall Framing, Bracing and Wall Defects - Wood structural panels
- Plywood panels used as siding, most often 4 by 8 or 4 by 9 feet.
Lesson 4B, Fiber Cement, Hardboard, Insulbrick, Stucco, EIFS, Vinyl, Wood and Wood Structural Panel Siding - Wood-burning stove
- A free-standing appliance that burns wood logs or wood pellets.
Lesson 40B, Draft Problems, Fireplace Inserts, Wood and Pellet Stoves - Worker's compensation insurance
- A government-run, no fault program that pays death benefits, lost wages, and medical care to employees killed or injured on the job.
Lesson 21B, Contracts and Insurance - Wye
- A fitting whose inlets meet the pipe at 45 degrees.
Lesson 37B, DWV Fittings, Cleanouts and Defects - Wye fitting
- 1. A fitting whose inlet meets the pipe at 45 degrees.
Lesson 38C, Vent Systems, Vent Connections and Air Admittance Valves - 2. The fitting a sewage ejector discharge pipe should use to enter a horizontal drain at its top.
Lesson 38E, Sewage Ejectors, Backwater Valves and Sump Pumps - Wythe
- 1. One wall of bricks.
Lesson 12E, CMU, Brick, ICF, SIPs and Uncommon Wall Materials - 2. A single brick thickness of a masonry wall; a 4 inch chimney wall is usually 1 wythe.
Lesson 39B, Combustion Air, Masonry Chimney Construction, Liners, Flue Area and Defects - Wythe (withe)
- (1) in a masonry chimney, a course separating one flue from another; (2) a vertical masonry wall one unit thick.
Lesson 4A, Exterior Scope and Terms, Adhered Masonry Veneer, Metal and Asbestos Cement Siding and Brick Veneer - X bridging
- Diagonal bridging between floor joists.
Lesson 12A, Floor Framing, Spans, Bearing, Notching and Boring - Yard hydrant
- A self-supporting hose connection valve installed away from buildings, more common in rural areas.
Lesson 34D, Faucets, Shower Valves, Hose Bibbs and Aerators - Z flashing
- Flashing where two sheets of panel siding meet in a horizontal seam.
Lesson 4C, Exterior Trim, Flashing and Sealants, Eaves and Cornice - Zoned system
- One HVAC system supplying several zones, each with its own thermostat and thermostat-controlled damper.
Lesson 29, Air Distribution Systems, Ducts, Returns and Filters
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