nearby vegetation

The inspector is required to report vegetation growing near the home according to the Home Inspection Standards of Practice. The home inspector should note the existence of any trees near the home, because the roots may affect the foundation or underground drainage pipes. Plants growing next to a house could raise the soil level too high against the foundation.

steep slope

The home inspector should note if a home is on a steep slope and, therefore, subject to erosion or movement. The maximum slope of a lot should be roughly 1-in-2.

There are two common styles of wood framing: balloon and platform. The main difference between balloon and platform framing is apparent at the floor lines. The balloon wall studs extend from the sill of the foundation all the way to the top plate of the second floor. The platform framed wall, on the other hand, is independent for each floor.

A slab-on-grade foundation is a type of foundation consisting of a structural concrete slab poured onto the ground, but usually, there is a layer of gravel and a vapor retarder between the ground and concrete. View illustration of a slab-on-grade installation. No accessible space exists in slab-on-grade construction. Slab-on-grade foundations are popular in areas where there is a high water table. For example, there are very few full basements in Southern Florida. In general terms, a slab-on-grade foundation is poured on the grade or ground. complements of InterNachi @ www.nachi.org

Common Structural Terms

In this section of the course, let's learn about some common terms or phrases that are used in the construction and building industry, particularly related to a residential building. Understanding construction terminology and knowing the purposes of building components and framing members (for example, studs, plates, load-bearing walls) will help a home inspector to do a better home inspection. Even though most building components are not readily accessible and are not readily visible to a home inspector performing a home inspection on an existing (already built house), it's important to know how buildings and homes are built. Sometimes defects can be seen by a home inspector, because the hidden, covered, or inaccessible system or component has a problem.

What's an Arc Flash?

An arc flash occurs when a flashover of electric current leaves its intended path and travels through the air from one conductor to another, or to neutral or ground. It often happens unexpectedly and can be explosive but brief, or it can last seconds and be rather visually spectacular. It can cause a little damage or it can disable a system and require the replacement of equipment. An arc flash of any size is quite dangerous because its path is unpredictable; it will be attracted to the nearest item with the greatest conductivity, such as an unsuspecting rodent or house pet, or a person. An arc flash can cause a serious electrical burn or even fatal electrocution.

All electrical systems require a means of disconnection so that the service can be shut down quickly if any dangerous conditions exist. In this section, we will look at the types of disconnects, and the common problems that need to be reported.

Many people use the name Romex® when referring to type-NM cable. Romex® is a trademarked name that has come into common usage for referring to plastic-covered wires, but type-NM just means "non-metallic" and also applies to other cable styles.

This is often seen by the home inspector as the supply conduit to outside installations, such as air-conditioning compressors.

Conductors protected by a spiral-wound outer metal sheathing have been around since the early part of the century, and they gained wide acceptance in the 1930s, especially after the NEC's acceptance in the 1932 Code.