Home Inspector Defects, Service Life & Referrals Practice Questions
Defects, Service Life & Referrals makes up 6 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest Home Inspector practice test. Here are 10 of the 24 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.
Updated by the Tigertest team. Based on the EBPHI content outline for the National Home Inspector Examination. Original questions; 50 per test, weighted like the real 200-question exam. Not affiliated with EBPHI.
1. Which component usually has the shortest service life?
- A.A poured foundation
- B.A tank water heater
- C.A cast iron drain stack
- D.A copper supply line
Answer: B. Tank water heaters commonly last around a decade, far less than cast iron drains, copper supply lines or foundations.
2. Which finding commonly shows that a tank water heater is near the end of its life?
- A.A labeled relief valve
- B.Insulation on the hot pipe
- C.A cool cold-water inlet
- D.Rust at the base of the tank
Answer: D. Rust and water at the tank base often mean the tank is corroding through. A failing tank can leak or rupture.
3. An inspector smells strong gas near a furnace. The first step should be to:
- A.Leave and notify the utility
- B.Note it for the report
- C.Finish the inspection first
- D.Switch on lights to look
Answer: A. A gas leak is an immediate danger. Avoid sparks, get people out and have the gas utility respond. It goes in the report afterward.
4. An exposed live conductor in a garage, within a child's reach, should be:
- A.Taped by the inspector
- B.Left for the appraiser
- C.Reported to the client at once
- D.Listed with the minor repair items
Answer: C. Life-threatening hazards warrant immediate notice to the client, not just a line in the report. Inspectors do not make repairs.
5. A bowing block foundation wall with a long horizontal crack should be referred to:
- A.A mason for tuckpointing
- B.A waterproofing installer
- C.A structural engineer
- D.A general handyman
Answer: C. Inward bowing means the wall is failing under soil pressure. An engineer decides on the repair before any contractor is chosen.
6. Signs of a cracked furnace heat exchanger should be referred to:
- A.A qualified HVAC contractor
- B.A licensed electrician
- C.A roofing contractor
- D.A licensed plumber
Answer: A. Heat exchanger evaluation needs HVAC training and tools. The report explains the carbon monoxide risk and the referral.
7. When the inspector finds a panel with a known history of breakers that fail to trip, the report should recommend:
- A.Adding a surge protector
- B.Replacing the main breaker only
- C.No action while it works
- D.Evaluation by an electrician
Answer: D. A panel working today can still fail to trip in a fault. The report explains why and refers it to a licensed electrician.
8. If missing kickout flashing at a roof-to-wall joint is not corrected, the likely result is:
- A.Higher electric bills
- B.Hidden rot in the wall
- C.Faster shingle wear
- D.Ice dams at the ridge
Answer: B. Water runs off the roof edge and down behind the siding, rotting sheathing and framing where it cannot be seen.
9. If a toilet that rocks on the floor is not repaired, the likely result is:
- A.A tripped GFCI
- B.A leaking wax seal
- C.Low water pressure
- D.A siphoned trap
Answer: B. Movement breaks the wax ring seal, letting water and sewer gas escape and rotting the subfloor around the flange.
10. A loud grinding noise from an outdoor condenser fan most often means:
- A.A dirty indoor filter
- B.Normal startup sound
- C.Low refrigerant charge
- D.Worn motor bearings
Answer: D. Grinding or screeching from the fan points to failing bearings, an indicator of potential failure worth referring.
Practice all 24 defects, service life & referrals questions, and the rest of the 200-question bank, in the free Home Inspector training sets. Questions you miss come back until you have mastered them.
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