Home Inspector Inspection Methods & Limitations Practice Questions
Inspection Methods & Limitations makes up 4 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest Home Inspector practice test. Here are 10 of the 16 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 detail belongs in a report's description of a furnace?
- A.Its yearly utility cost
- B.Its fuel type and location
- C.Its original purchase price
- D.The installer's full name
Answer: B. Reports describe each system by its distinguishing features, such as type, energy source and location, so the client knows what was seen.
2. An infrared camera shows a cool spot on a ceiling below a bathroom. The inspector should:
- A.Report it as missing insulation
- B.Ignore it as a reflection
- C.Report it as a roof leak
- D.Confirm with a moisture meter
Answer: D. A cool spot can be moisture, missing insulation or air leakage. A moisture meter confirms whether the material is actually wet.
3. A pin-type moisture meter measures moisture in a material by:
- A.Resistance between two pins
- B.Reflected infrared light
- C.Surface temperature readings
- D.Radio frequency density
Answer: A. Pin meters drive two pins into the material and read resistance, which drops as moisture rises. Pinless meters use a radio frequency field.
4. When an inspector does not walk on a steep roof, the report should state:
- A.Which roofer to hire
- B.The roof's exact age
- C.How the roof was viewed
- D.That the roof has no defects
Answer: C. The report tells the client the method used, such as from a ladder at the eaves, with binoculars or by drone, so the limits are clear.
5. Stored boxes block most of a basement wall on inspection day. The report should:
- A.Estimate any hidden damage
- B.Leave the wall out
- C.Note it as a limitation
- D.Assume the wall is sound
Answer: C. What could not be seen is reported, with the reason, so the client knows to look again when the area is cleared.
6. A roof is covered with snow when the inspector arrives. The roof covering should be reported as:
- A.Not inspected, and why
- B.Needing replacement
- C.Fully inspected from below
- D.In satisfactory condition
Answer: A. Snow hides the covering, so the report says it was not inspected because of snow and suggests a later look.
7. A standard home inspection is limited mainly to:
- A.Systems that are shut down that day
- B.Code compliance of all work
- C.Concealed wiring in walls
- D.Readily accessible, visible items
Answer: D. Home inspection is a visual, non-invasive look at readily accessible systems and components, not a code inspection or a teardown.
8. The gas supply to a furnace is turned off on inspection day. The inspector generally should:
- A.Call the furnace defective
- B.Not operate it and report why
- C.Turn on the gas supply
- D.Relight the pilot light
Answer: B. Inspectors do not turn on shut-down utilities or systems. The report says the furnace was not operated and recommends a check once it is on.
9. Which instrument measures carbon monoxide in room air or near an appliance?
- A.An infrared thermometer
- B.A carbon monoxide meter
- C.A gas pressure manometer
- D.A hygrometer
Answer: B. A CO meter reads carbon monoxide in parts per million. A manometer reads gas pressure and a hygrometer reads humidity.
10. The home's lights, locks and thermostat are run through the owner's phone app. The report should note that:
- A.The app's password is weak
- B.The brand is unreliable
- C.The devices are unsafe
- D.App controls were not evaluated
Answer: D. Smart controls tied to an owner's account are usually beyond the inspection. The report states what was and was not operated.
Practice all 16 inspection methods & limitations 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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