Video, part 1 of 4
NHIE practice questions, part 1
50 practice questions for the National Home Inspector Exam, on site conditions, building exterior, roof, and structural. Each question is read aloud with its four options. Then you get 5 seconds to pick before the answer and the reason. The video runs about 41 minutes.
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Pick a question to start the video there.
The 50 questions, with answers
Here is every question in the video, in the same order, with the answer and the reason under it. None of them is on the free practice exam, a paid practice exam, or the mastery exam.
Question 1, Site conditions, at 0:17
A retaining wall with no horizontal support at its top requires an engineer approved design once it is taller than:
- A2 feet
- B2 1/2 feet
- C3 feet
- D4 feet
The answer is D
A wall lacking support at its top requires an engineer approved design once it is over 4 feet (48 inches), and a permit may also be needed. The 2 foot figure marks the usual upper limit of a landscape wall, 2 1/2 feet is the 30 inch drop that may make a wall a fall hazard, and 3 feet is the high end of the height a manufacturer may set for landscape block.
Question 2, Site conditions, at 1:09
Which retaining wall components are usually hidden from view during an inspection?
- AForm ties that stick out of the wall
- BButtresses and vertical shoring
- CReinforcing rods and filter fabric
- DWeep holes and footing drain ends
The answer is C
Rods set in grout or concrete, and the gravel and fabric laid behind a wall, are usually not open to inspection. Weep holes sit low on the wall face, and footing drain terminations are expected to show where the wall ends.
Question 3, Site conditions, at 1:55
What can narrow or fully block the weep holes in a retaining wall?
- ASpikes set between each of the wood courses
- BA drain pipe laid at the footing
- CDense fill such as clay behind the wall
- DGravel covered by filter fabric
The answer is C
Clay or other dense fill placed right against the back of a wall can shrink or close off the weep holes. Gravel topped with filter fabric is what should sit there instead, because it lets water reach the holes.
Question 4, Site conditions, at 2:38
A home inspector sees that soil has washed out from under the base of a garden block retaining wall. This defect is called:
- ABowing
- BSliding
- CRotation
- DSupport undercut
The answer is D
Soil eroded beneath a wall or its footing is the defect named support undercut. Sliding is lateral movement of some or all of the wall, rotation is the wall leaning away from the soil it holds, and bowing is one part pushing out past the rest.
Question 5, Site conditions, at 3:21
A home inspector finds no tiebacks anywhere along a wood retaining wall. Which typical defect does this describe?
- ASupport undercut
- BComponents that are loose or unsecured
- CSpalling and efflorescence
- DLack of visible reinforcement
The answer is D
On the defect list, a wood wall without tiebacks is the example given for a lack of visible reinforcement. Components that are loose or not secured in place are a separate defect on that list.
Question 6, Site conditions, at 4:06
Preservative treated wood in a retaining wall should be in which ground contact category?
- AUC2 or higher
- BUC1 or higher
- CUC3B or higher
- DUC4A or higher
The answer is D
Treated wood in a retaining wall should be in a category rated for ground contact, UC4A or higher. Lower categories are not rated for contact with the ground, and looking at the wall cannot reveal the treatment. The tag on the wood is the only visual way to identify it.
Question 7, Site conditions, at 4:51
In wildfire areas, defensible space around a home is recommended, and may be required, out to as much as:
- A15 feet
- B40 feet
- C50 feet
- D100 feet
The answer is D
Where wildfires are common, plants and their litter close to a house can be a fire danger. Defensible space is recommended as far as 100 feet from the home, and it may be required. The 15 foot and 40 foot figures are the usual setbacks from an upward and a downward slope.
Question 8, Site conditions, at 5:38
On a flat lot, an underground drain has too little slope to discharge into the open air. Which termination suits this case?
- AA bubbler that opens above ground when water flows
- BA tie-in to the foundation drain system
- CA catch basin placed in the lawn below the gutter downspout
- DA channel drain cut across the driveway
The answer is A
When a drain lacks the slope to end in the open air, a device sometimes called a bubbler serves; it opens above ground while water flows and shuts once the flow stops. A catch basin captures water above ground, channel drains tied into underground drains can be used where swales are impractical, and connecting foundation drains to underground drains is a significant defect.
Question 9, Site conditions, at 6:39
Which type of damage does the manual say is more common in some regions, the Southwest among them?
- ADamage from water pressure
- BDamage from unstable soils
- CDamage from termites
- DDamage from frost heave
The answer is B
Damage from soils that are unstable, expansive clays among them, is more common in some regions, the Southwest for one. Damage from water pressure against a foundation can happen almost anywhere.
Question 10, Site conditions, at 7:21
A stone-lined swale of greater depth is sometimes known as a:
- ADry bed
- BCatch basin
- CDry well
- DFrench drain
The answer is A
A swale of greater depth with a stone lining is sometimes known as a dry bed.
Question 11, Site conditions, at 7:50
Inspecting culverts under a driveway usually falls under:
- AThe driveway structural inspection
- BNo part of a home inspection
- CThe grade and drainage inspection
- DA bridge inspection by an engineer
The answer is C
Culverts usually fall within the grade and drainage inspection. Structures such as bridges are not usually included in a driveway inspection, so a structural label does not fit the culvert.
Question 12, Site conditions, at 8:30
A climbable tree on the neighboring lot overhangs the pool fence. What should the home inspector do?
- AAlert the client to the climbing risk
- BReport that the fence fails local code
- CAsk the neighbor to trim the tree back
- DLeave it out, since it is on another lot
The answer is A
Trees, pots, and similar climbing aids often sit on adjacent property, and the home inspector should still alert the client to them, even though the client cannot change that property. Reporting code compliance is outside what a barrier inspection covers.
Question 13, Site conditions, at 9:19
A common guideline says a concrete crack should be considered for reporting once its width or vertical displacement exceeds:
- A3/8 inch
- B1/4 inch
- C1/2 inch
- D1/8 inch
The answer is B
No agreed standard defines a reportable crack in concrete driveways, walkways, and patios. The common guideline is a crack wider than 1/4 inch, or displaced vertically more than 1/4 inch. The 1/2 inch figure is the trip hazard guideline for height differences between sections.
Question 14, Site conditions, at 10:07
A raised patio sits 36 inches above the surrounding grade and has no guards. What should the home inspector report?
- ANothing, unless it is a courtyard
- BThat a handrail is needed at four risers
- CThat guards should be installed
- DNothing, since patios never need guards
The answer is C
A patio raised over 30 inches above the grade around it should have guards, and at 36 inches this patio is past that line. The four riser rule governs handrails on walkway steps, not guards on a raised patio.
Question 15, Building exterior, at 10:55
The vinyl siding typical defect list gives the lap at joints as
- AAbout 1/4 inch
- BAbout 2 inches
- CAbout 1 inch
- DAbout 1/2 inch
The answer is C
Inadequate lap at joints is on the vinyl siding defect list, which gives the lap as about 1 inch. The 1/4 inch figure belongs to a different list item, the space at vertical trim that lets vinyl expand.
Question 16, Building exterior, at 11:34
A home inspector sees that the base layer of a proprietary two-coat stucco system has been painted rather than covered with a colored finish layer. Which statement is accurate?
- APainting may not be approved, though some markets commonly use it
- BPainting is the approved finish for these systems in most markets
- CPainting is a defect that calls for removal of the base layer
- DPainting is approved for some three-coat stucco applied over masonry walls
The answer is A
These proprietary systems may be finished with a colored finish layer, or their base layer may be painted. As a finishing method for these systems, painting may not be approved, though in some markets it is a common one. It is neither required nor called a defect.
Question 17, Building exterior, at 12:36
With brick walls, which vertical trim may be added between wall and fascia to conceal the end of the wall covering?
- ASoffit
- BFrieze
- CDentil molding
- DCornice return
The answer is B
With some wall coverings, brick among them, an extra vertical trim piece called the frieze may sit between the fascia and the building wall, where it conceals the top of the covering. The soffit runs horizontally and closes in the underside of the rafters.
Question 18, Building exterior, at 13:19
A home inspector finds roofing cement smeared over a gap between the flashing and a sidewall. How should this be reported?
- AAs a defect only if active leaking is seen
- BAs maintenance, with more cement each year
- CAs a defect in the flashing and its sealant repair
- DAs acceptable, since sealant may stand in for flashing
The answer is C
The flashing defect list names gaps between flashing and a sidewall, and it also names sealant used to fix those gaps. Where flashing is not practical, a sealant may go in instead, but a roof-to-sidewall joint is a flashing location, so the cement does not make the condition acceptable.
Question 19, Building exterior, at 14:14
Exterior wall covering trim is required:
- Awhere siding meets a door or window
- Bwhen the siding maker's instructions call for it
- Con houses built after about 2000
- Dwhere corner boards are customary
The answer is B
Trim is not required unless the installation instructions from the wall covering maker call for it. Where trim is usually present, such as corner boards, its absence may point to deficient or amateur work, but that does not turn the trim into a requirement.
Question 20, Building exterior, at 15:00
Glazing within 24 inches of a door edge is excepted from the safety glazing rule when it:
- Ais within 24 inches of the hinge edge
- Bis on the exterior side of the wall
- Chas a permanent barrier between it and the door on each side
- Dsits next to the operating panel of a glass door
The answer is C
Two cases are excepted: glazing next to a glass door's fixed panel, and a window that a permanent barrier shields from the door at each side. Glazing beside the operating panel is still covered. The 24 inch rule applies on the inside and the outside, and at either vertical edge of the door.
Question 21, Building exterior, at 15:54
What may be used instead of safety glazing to protect a large window pane?
- ADecorative grills set across the pane
- BMuntins that divide the pane into lights
- CA substantial bar or a similar device
- DA permanent label etched into one corner
The answer is C
In place of safety glazing, a large window may be protected by a substantial bar or a comparable device. Grills and muntins do not count as a substantial bar, and an etched corner label is how safety glazing should be identified, not a stand-in for it.
Question 22, Building exterior, at 16:43
Near the foot of a stairway, glazing within _____ of the bottom tread, with its bottom edge less than 36 inches up, should be safety glazing.
- A18 inches
- B24 inches
- C36 inches
- D60 inches
The answer is D
At the bottom of a stairway the distance is measured from the bottom tread, and glazing within 60 inches of it counts. The 36 inch figure is the horizontal distance used at an intermediate landing.
Question 23, Building exterior, at 17:26
Glazing that forms part of a stair guard or rail:
- Aneeds safety glazing only above 9 square feet
- Bmay be ordinary glass if it is 36 inches up
- Cshould be safety glazing
- Dneeds safety glazing only near the bottom tread
The answer is C
Glazing built into a stair guard or rail should be safety glazing. The distance and height conditions belong to the separate rule for window and door glazing close to a stairway.
Question 24, Building exterior, at 18:08
A fixed pane over 9 square feet meets all three large pane conditions. A rail 1-1/2 inches deep stands 36 inches high and clears the glazing under a 50 pound load. The pane:
- Ashould be reported, since a grill or muntin is missing from the pane
- Bshould be safety glazing, since the rail lies within 36 inches of the pane
- Cneeds no safety glazing, since the rail serves as a substantial bar
- Dneeds a rail at least 2 inches deep to count as a substantial bar
The answer is C
A large pane may be protected by a substantial bar or a comparable device in place of safety glazing. The rail measures 1-1/2 inches or more from top edge to bottom edge, stays clear of the glazing under a 50 pound load, and sits 34 to 38 inches above the walking surface. Grills and muntins are not a substantial bar.
Question 25, Building exterior, at 19:19
As an outdoor recreational space, a deck is:
- Aroofed and enclosed
- Buncovered and open-sided
- Ccovered by a roof and open-sided
- Dalways built at grade with no steps
The answer is B
A deck has no roof and is open on its sides. It is often attached to the house, though not always, and it is often raised above grade with steps leading up to it.
Question 26, Building exterior, at 19:57
A home inspector finds wood deck support posts embedded in concrete. What should the inspector do?
- ADig beside one post to confirm the depth of the footing
- BAccept the posts and give them no further attention
- CReport embedded posts as a method that is no longer allowed
- DInspect the posts carefully for indications of deterioration
The answer is D
Wood posts set in concrete or buried in the earth are considered acceptable. Constant moisture exposure means such posts will degrade over time, so home inspectors should inspect them carefully for signs of deterioration. Calling the method not allowed overstates the rule.
Question 27, Building exterior, at 20:54
A home inspector finds a garage door with extension springs and no cable in place to help keep either spring from flying loose if it breaks. What should the inspector report?
- Aabsent extension spring containment cables
- Ba missing torsion tube between the drums
- Cworn springs that call for replacement
- Dno defect, since cables go with torsion springs
The answer is A
Each extension spring should have a containment cable fastened to the tracks and track supports, a cable that helps stop a broken spring from flying loose. An absent containment cable is a typical defect. The torsion tube belongs to torsion spring doors.
Question 28, Building exterior, at 21:50
A garage vehicle door has weather stripping along its bottom and both sides, with small gaps that show daylight. This condition:
- Aneeds no correction, since the door is not expected to seal weather-tight
- Bis an unusually large gap, which is a typical defect
- Cis evidence of significant water infiltration, which is a typical defect
- Dis a typical defect, since the door should seal weather-tight
The answer is A
A garage vehicle door is not expected to seal weather-tight, so small gaps with weather stripping in place need no correction. An unusually large gap at the door opening and significant water infiltration are the typical defects.
Question 29, Roof, at 22:48
A home inspector measures a shingle roof at close to 2:12. Why do the valleys on such a roof need attention?
- AValley flashing may not be installed below a 4:12 slope
- BA valley carries more water, so it calls for a steeper slope than the planes
- CValleys are the only place double underlayment is specified
- DThe line where two planes meet is shallower than either plane
The answer is D
Two roof planes meeting always produce a line shallower than either plane, so a roof laid near the covering minimum can carry valleys below it. The same warning is given for tile.
Question 30, Roof, at 23:40
Over what slope range is double underlayment usually specified under asphalt shingles?
- ABetween 1/4:12 and 2:12
- BBetween 4:12 and 8:12
- CBetween 2:12 and 4:12
- DBetween 2 1/2:12 and 4:12
The answer is C
Double underlayment covers the shallow end of the shingle range, from the 2:12 minimum up to the 4:12 that industry guidelines recommend. The 2 1/2:12 to 4:12 band is the same rule written for tile, which starts higher.
Question 31, Roof, at 24:27
What governs the installation of fiber cement and metal roof coverings?
- AThe roofing contractor's own judgment
- BThe International Residential Code
- CThe manufacturer's own instructions
- DThe local building authority
The answer is C
Each covering is introduced by saying that installation follows the manufacturer's instructions, and that the figures given afterward are typical and vary by manufacturer. The IRC is cited as a standard for the two metal coverings only.
Question 32, Roof, at 25:13
On a slate roof sloped 4:12, a home inspector measures a head lap of 3 inches. How should that be treated?
- AAs inadequate head lap, since 4 inches is the minimum at that slope
- BAs adequate head lap, since side spacing governs at low slopes
- CAs inadequate head lap, since 4 inches is required at every roof slope
- DAs adequate head lap, since 3 inches is the minimum for slate
The answer is A
Head lap under slate follows the slope: 4 inches at 4:12 or greater, 3 inches at 8:12 or greater, and 2 inches at 20:12 or greater. The 3 inch minimum is a real figure, but it belongs to a roof of 8:12 or steeper, and inadequate head lap is its own item on the slate defect list.
Question 33, Roof, at 26:16
In July, a home inspector finds water stains under the eaves and on a ceiling beside an exterior wall of a house in a cold climate. What do those conditions suggest?
- AVisible signs typical of ice dams at the eave and wall
- BA gutter overflowing at the eave in every season
- CAn active roof covering leak, since staining means current water entry
- DCondensation in the attic, which stains the same surfaces each spring
The answer is A
Three kinds of visible evidence are listed: ice and icicles at the eaves and the gutters, staining and damage beneath an eave, and the same staining on an exterior wall or on a ceiling beside one. Stains under the eaves and on a ceiling beside an exterior wall match the second and third.
Question 34, Roof, at 27:18
About how long is a typical roll of mineral surfaced roll roofing?
- A12 feet
- B18 feet
- C24 feet
- D36 feet
The answer is D
A roll usually comes about 36 feet long and 36 inches wide, and it covers about one square. A roll once weighed about 90 pounds, and today it weighs about 75 to 80 pounds.
Question 35, Roof, at 27:56
A home inspector walks a modified bitumen roof and finds several fastener heads standing above the surface. How is that condition treated?
- AA defect, because the sheets were lapped incorrectly
- BAcceptable, if the heads are sealed with roofing cement
- CA defect, because fasteners should not be exposed
- DAcceptable, because fasteners hold the sheets down
The answer is C
Fasteners, if the system uses any, should not be exposed, and fasteners backing out is item 10 on the typical defect list. Sealing the heads with roofing cement can look like a repair, but sealant is never offered as a cure for this condition.
Question 36, Roof, at 28:51
What is a base membrane in a modified bitumen roof covering system?
- AA sheet laid under the cap membrane in the system
- BA sheet turned up the wall at a parapet as flashing
- CA felt sheet nailed down as underlayment first
- DA layer of adhesive rolled on to bond the sheets
The answer is A
A full system carries one or more base membranes with a cap membrane over them, so the base membrane is the layer underneath. The cap may be granule surfaced, foil faced, or smooth surfaced.
Question 37, Roof, at 29:37
A home inspector finds a square cornered patch bonded over a hole in an EPDM membrane. Why is the shape worth reporting?
- APatches on this material should be cut from tape
- BSquare corners show the patch was cut on the roof
- CPatches on this material should carry rounded corners only
- DSquare corners mean the patch is under 8 inches
The answer is C
Both EPDM repair methods call for rounded corners, and so does the modified bitumen patch. Tape is a second repair method for this material, offered as an alternative rather than as a requirement.
Question 38, Roof, at 30:29
A home inspector walks a low slope roof with no walls rising around it. Which drainage method should be expected?
- AWater leaving through wall scuppers
- BWater leaving through internal drains
- CWater leaving over the roof edge
- DWater leaving through a secondary scupper
The answer is C
A roof not surrounded by vertical sidewalls usually drains over its edge, sometimes into a gutter hung below. Internal drains serve roofs surrounded by parapet walls.
Question 39, Roof, at 31:13
Every piece of flashing at a sidewall is present and undamaged, but each upper piece sits underneath the piece below it. How is that treated?
- AAcceptable, because no piece of flashing is missing
- BAcceptable, because the counterflashing covers the joints
- CA defect, because higher flashing should lap over lower
- DA defect, but only where the flashing is undersized
The answer is C
Item 4 on the defect list is an upper piece lapped beneath the piece below it. Higher pieces should lap the lower ones by 2 inches or more, so a complete set with reversed laps is still a defect.
Question 40, Roof, at 32:05
A kick out flashing is present at a sidewall but is too shallow to carry water past the wall below it. How is that treated?
- AA defect, because flashing too small is on the list
- BAcceptable, because a piece is present at the corner
- CAcceptable, where the siding below shows no staining
- DA defect, but only at houses built after about 2005
The answer is A
Item 3 covers flashing that is too small as well as flashing not run far enough up a sidewall, so a piece that is present and undersized is reported the same way an absent one is. The age option borrows the rule from absent kick out flashing, which is reported whatever the age of the house, and applies it where no age condition exists at all.
Question 41, Roof, at 33:06
Where does backer flashing belong on a rectangular skylight?
- AOn the up-slope side
- BDown both of the sides
- CAround the base of the curb
- DOn the downslope side
The answer is A
Backer flashing is the up-slope piece, and counterflashing goes over it there. The two sides take stepped base flashing, and the downslope side takes base and apron flashing.
Question 42, Roof, at 33:43
Which statement describes sloped glazing as the manual uses the term?
- AGlazing sloped more steeply than the roof plane it sits in
- BGlass sloped toward a gutter at the low end of a roof
- CPlastic glazing sloped to shed water off a factory built unit
- DGlass set at an angle, glazed and flashed like field built work
The answer is D
Sloped glazing is paired with field assembled skylights throughout: both usually use glass, both are flashed on site, and both get the closest look at an inspection. No geometry rule ties the term to a slope relative to the roof or to a gutter.
Question 43, Roof, at 34:36
A home inspector observes a rectangular skylight flashed with one continuous metal strip down each of its two sides. What does the manual call for there instead?
- AA kick out at the lower corner of each side
- BA base and apron running the length of each side
- CBacker flashing under a length of counterflashing
- DStepped base flashing under counterflashing
The answer is D
Rectangular skylights should be flashed the way chimneys are, with stepped base flashing and counterflashing down the sides. Backer flashing and the apron are both correct parts of this job, but each belongs to a different side of the unit.
Question 44, Roof, at 35:29
How does the manual treat a skylight put together on the roof rather than in a plant?
- AIt is inspected the way any other unit is inspected
- BIt is evaluated with more care than a factory built unit
- CIt is reported as built on site and left uninspected
- DIt is outside the scope, because the parts are not listed
The answer is B
Careful evaluation is asked for every skylight, and field assembled units and sloped glazing are singled out for more of it. Site built work is not taken out of scope, and it is not treated as an ordinary unit.
Question 45, Structural, at 36:20
Wall movement from a lateral force that the walls are not braced to resist is called:
- Afrost heave
- Buplift
- Cracking
- Dsliding
The answer is C
Walls must be braced adequately to resist the lateral force of wind so they do not rack. Sliding and uplift are earthquake forces on a building, not the name for wall movement from an unresisted lateral force.
Question 46, Structural, at 36:58
A pile supports its load either by resting on rock or soil with good bearing capacity, or by:
- Asuction from the soil below the pile
- Ba grade beam spanning to the next pile
- Ctension in the steel along the pile
- Dfriction with the soil around the pile
The answer is D
A pile either bears on rock or on soil with good load-bearing capacity, or it is held by the friction of the soil that surrounds it. Suction is a wind force on a building and has nothing to do with how a pile supports a load.
Question 47, Structural, at 37:45
Before dampproofing, the exterior of a masonry basement wall should be parged with Portland cement AT LEAST how thick?
- A1/4 inch
- B1/2 inch
- C3/8 inch
- D1/8 inch
The answer is C
A masonry wall should first be parged on its outside with Portland cement 3/8 inch or thicker, and a bituminous coating may follow. The 1/4 inch figure is a crack width from the measurement guidelines for significant foundation defects.
Question 48, Structural, at 38:29
Under current requirements, the MAXIMUM soil height and the MAXIMUM soil pressure against a stone foundation wall are:
- A6 feet and 20 pounds per square foot
- B8 feet and 30 pounds per square foot
- C4 feet and 15 pounds per square foot
- D7 feet and 25 pounds per square foot
The answer is B
Current requirements cap the soil against a stone foundation wall at 8 feet and the soil pressure on it at 30 pounds per square foot, and they set its thickness at 16 inches or more. In the D seismic zones, new stone walls may not be built.
Question 49, Structural, at 39:20
CMUs are sometimes called:
- Acinder blocks
- Bfieldstone
- Cinsulating forms
- Dprecast panels
The answer is A
Concrete masonry units are sometimes called cinder blocks. Modern CMU basement walls often have grout or insulation in their cores plus steel reinforcement, while older CMU walls often have empty cores and no reinforcement.
Question 50, Structural, at 39:58
A home inspector finds that the foundation drain at a house on a flat lot cannot be run to daylight. Where should the drain discharge?
- AUnder the basement slab
- BTo a sump pump
- CInto the basement floor drain
- DTo the sanitary sewer
The answer is B
Foundation drains may discharge to daylight where the site allows it. Where it does not, the drain should run to a sump pump. A sewer or a floor drain is not a discharge point given for a foundation drain.
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