Domain 1, task 3
Roof practice questions
10 free roof questions in the style of the National Home Inspector Exam, each with the answer and the reason. The official outline calls this task "Roof" and gives it 6% of the exam, about 11 of the 175 scored questions.
Checked on October 4, 2026
Question 1 of 10
A home inspector examines the gable rake of a shingle roof. How should the underlayment meet the drip edge flashing there?
The answer is CThe order flips between the two roof edges. Underlayment lies on top of the flashing along the eave and tucks beneath it along the rake, which is the pair most often reversed on this covering.
Question 2 of 10
A home inspector finds roofing cement used in place of a flashing component. Why is that a problem?
The answer is ASunlight breaks this material down quickly once it is left in the open, so the repair needs upkeep that a flashing component never needed. For that reason it is not accepted as a substitute for shingles or for flashing, while several smaller uses are allowed.
Question 3 of 10
A home inspector observes waves running across the flat of several metal panels between the ribs. What is that defect called?
The answer is CExcessive ripples is the listed defect, and oil-canning is the name the trade gives it. The other three options are real entries or real topics from the chapter, but none of them describes waving in the flat of a panel.
Question 4 of 10
A home inspector measures a fiber cement valley and finds galvanized steel 18 inches wide with a 3/4 inch diverter. What is the deficiency?
The answer is DFiber cement valleys call for galvanized steel at least 22 to 24 inches wide. The 16 inch width and the 3/4 inch diverter belong to metal shingles. Galvanized steel is the specified metal here, and the base layer is #30 felt.
Question 5 of 10
A cracked slate shingle has been repaired with roofing cement. How is that repair treated?
The answer is AA cracked or damaged slate shingle is replaced, and the repair list says plainly that adhesive and roofing cement are not recommended for the work. What may be left alone is a shingle carrying minor delamination or a chipped edge, which is a different condition from a crack.
Question 6 of 10
A shed in a cold climate is being roofed with mineral surfaced roll roofing. Which statement about ice barrier underlayment applies?
The answer is BIce barriers are specified in cold climates where local authorities require them, and accessory structures usually do not need one. Replacing the felt is the best distractor because an ice barrier is an underlayment, but the #15 felt requirement under this covering stands on its own.
Question 7 of 10
What kind of top coating does polyurethane foam roofing require?
The answer is CFoam requires a top coating that is elastomeric and resists ultraviolet light. The liquid coating option is the best distractor, because a manufacturer approved coating is the optional one offered for modified bitumen, where it extends service life rather than being required.
Question 8 of 10
Dirt and staining fan back across a membrane from a scupper on a dry roof. What has the home inspector found?
The answer is CItem 1 on the low slope drainage defect list names standing water, dirt, and staining as evidence of water left on the roof longer than 48 hours, and on a dry day the stain is the evidence left. The leak option is the near miss: leak evidence around a scupper is a separate item on the same list.
Question 9 of 10
What size should a kick out flashing piece be?
The answer is CKick out flashing should be about 4 inches tall and 4 inches long, bent to turn water away from the sidewall. The 2 inch figure is the lap of higher flashing over lower flashing, and 3 inches is the counterflashing lap over base flashing at a brick wall.
Question 10 of 10
Why is there little flashing to look at on a round skylight?
The answer is DRound units arrive with their flashing from the manufacturer, and the skylight cover conceals most of it once the unit is set. The flashing is present and doing its job, so answers claiming there is none, or that sealant took its place, describe a defect rather than the normal installation.
Pick an answer to see the reason
What the outline puts in this task
- Roof coverings and how they are commonly repaired
- Roof drainage
- Roof flashing
- Skylights and other roof penetrations
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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Take a free 200 question practice exam, weighted like the NHIE, with your score by task.
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