Domain 2, task 1
Describing the inspection practice questions
10 free report description questions in the style of the National Home Inspector Exam, each with the answer and the reason. The official outline calls this task "Describe what was inspected and how" and gives it 4% of the exam, about 7 of the 175 scored questions.
Checked on October 4, 2026
Question 1 of 10
A licensed home inspector works where the licensing authority lets inspectors pick from an approved list of SoPs. The inspector also belongs to two professional associations. Which approach follows the manual?
The answer is DUnder a government license, the SoP named by the licensing authority comes first, and some authorities allow a pick from an approved list. Whatever the source, the inspector should apply a single SoP to any one inspection. Applying two association SoPs at once breaks that one-SoP rule.
Question 2 of 10
Of the three questions a home inspector asks, which one does an SoP answer fully, rather than in part?
The answer is BAn SoP lists the systems and components to inspect, such as structural components and wall and roof coverings, which settles what to look at. It names deficiencies in general terms, so what to look for still depends on the inspector's knowledge and experience. Why something is deficient is answered only in part, through the duty to explain implications.
Question 3 of 10
A home inspector reports peeling paint on wood siding. Which implication fits the manual's example for deficient exterior paint?
The answer is AThe manual gives two implications for deficient paint: the cost of repainting, and the chance that unmaintained paint lets the wall coverings be damaged. Hidden rot behind the siding is a claim the inspector cannot make from what is visible on the surface.
Question 4 of 10
Which pair of exterior wall coverings is a common example of coverings that can be hard to tell apart?
The answer is CVinyl and aluminum siding are not offered as an example. EIFS and stucco are the manual's common example of wall coverings that look alike, and adhered artificial stone versus adhered natural stone is named as a less common one.
Question 5 of 10
In an area where interior closets often hold the main water shutoff valve, a home inspector finds it in one. Which description best fits the manual's guidance?
The answer is BA tag on the valve does not replace the location in the report. A valve location should be given in enough detail for the client to find the valve without unreasonable difficulty. Where valves are often in closets, the manual has the inspector name where the closet is and what it is used for.
Question 6 of 10
Some home inspectors tag the main water and fuel shutoff valves. Tagging the valves:
The answer is DTags are a good idea, but they are not required. The requirement to report where the main water and fuel shutoff valves are stays in place, tag or no tag. A tag on the valve is not a substitute for that written location.
Question 7 of 10
In a report, most central air conditioners and heat pumps are described as a split system with:
The answer is DReversing the two places the components on the wrong sides of the wall. A split system puts the air-source condenser outdoors and the evaporator coil indoors. A system with both parts in one cabinet is a package system, which is described differently.
Question 8 of 10
A vented fireplace designed to burn only gas should be described as a:
The answer is CVent-free is the term for an unvented unit, so it does not fit a vented one. A vented unit built to burn only gas is a decorative gas fireplace, or a decorative gas appliance. A vent system description is a good idea but is not required.
Question 9 of 10
A home inspector wants to measure the current an electric water heater is drawing. The tool for that measurement, and the way it is used, is a:
The answer is ACurrent draw is the clamp function, and the jaws close over a single live conductor feeding the appliance. Voltage and resistance come from the probes on the same instrument, not from the jaws.
Question 10 of 10
A home inspector takes an infrared temperature reading off a bare, shiny metal duct and gets a result that looks wrong. The property of the surface most likely responsible is its:
The answer is AA shiny metal surface radiates less readily than one that is dull or oxidized, and the less readily a surface radiates, the likelier the reported temperature is wrong. Metal generally sits at the low end unless something dark and dull covers it.
Pick an answer to see the reason
What the outline puts in this task
- What every report has to say
- Describing systems by type, size, and location
- Inspection methods and test tools such as moisture meters
These questions come from the course question bank and are set aside for free use. None of them is on a paid practice exam. See all 19 topics.
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