EBPHI NHIE Exam Questions

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161.

Which mechanical device provides ventilation to the building and uses the heat in stale exhaust air to preheat incoming fresh air?

  • Heat Recovery Ventilators

  • Energy Recovery Ventilators

  • Whole-House Ventilation

  • Local/Spot Exhaust Fan

Correct answer: Heat Recovery Ventilators

Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) replace stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air in order to maintain healthy indoor air quality and provide proper ventilation of the building assembly. 

Energy (or Enthalpy) Recovery Ventilators work similarly to HRVs in that they also replace stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air, while capturing the humidity in the air to help keep the ambient internal humidity at a reasonable level. Whole-House Ventilation systems use fans and duct systems to exhaust stale air and/or supply fresh air to dilute potential contaminants throughout the home. Local (or Spot) Exhaust Fans are installed in moisture-rich rooms (such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens) to disperse excessive moisture and help control humidity levels.

162.

What is the minimum recommended ratio for ventilation in an attic by the U.S. Federal Housing Authority?

  • 1:300

  • 1:100

  • 1:10

  • 1:250

Correct answer: 1:300

Attic spaces are not always vented; but when they are, the minimum recommendation is 1 square foot of ventilation for every 300 square feet of attic floor. 

Additional jurisdiction or manufacturer requirements may require that installation meets the 1:150 option, which is the most commonly found ratio in the attic space.

163.

What are the four elements of a contract?

  • Offer, acceptance, consideration, and mutual assent

  • Agency, substitutions, terms, and adhesion

  • Agreement, governance, adhesion, and limitations

  • Limitations, substitutions, consideration, and adhesion

Correct answer: Offer, acceptance, consideration, and mutual assent

The four elements required for a contract are offer, acceptance, consideration, and mutual assent. An offer is an expression of preparedness to do something or to refrain from doing something. The offer needs to be accepted by the other party involved. Consideration is something of value in exchange for the offer. Both parties must mutually assent (agree) to the contractual relationship.

164.

Which of these lists of components are you most likely to find on a mid-efficiency furnace?

  • Type B vent pipe, mechanical draft, and indoor air handling unit

  • Barometric damper, natural draft venting system, and indoor air handling unit

  • Condensate management system, PVC/ABS vent piping, and closed combustion chamber

  • Condensate management system, indoor air handling unit, and exterior condenser

Correct answer: Type B vent pipe, mechanical draft, and indoor air handling unit

Type B vent pipes are used in mid-effiency forced air furnace installations and are often used with mechanical draft systems (inducer fan). 

High-efficiency furnaces operate at 88%+ efficiency and will have condensate as a byproduct of the burning of fuel. High-efficiency venting systems recycle the unused heat, so the vent pipe temperatures are low and plastic piping can be used. High-efficiency furnaces also use a closed combustion chamber. Mini-split systems are not furnaces, but they are necessarily considered high-efficiency; the main difference is that a furnace does not need an exterior condenser and can still be considered high-efficiency. Barometric dampers and natural draft venting systems are the least efficient and are often seen when an oil furnace is the heat source.

165.

Which of the following is a type of water heater?

  • FVIR

  • DWV

  • CSST

  • AAV

Correct answer: FVIR

FVIR stands for Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant, and it is a design feature that prevents the ignition of flammable vapors. 

DWV stands for Drain, Waste, and Vent; it refers to the plumbing waste system. CSST stands for Corrugate Stainless Steel Tubing, and it is used for gas piping. AAV is the Air Admittance Valve, which is a one-way valve that operates by gravity to vent the drain system.

166.

K-value refers to:

  • Thermal conductivity

  • Thermal conductance

  • Thermal resistance

  • Thermal transmittance

Correct answer: Thermal conductivity

K-value represents the amount of heat that flows through one square foot of a homogenous material one inch thick in one hour for each degree of temperature difference. 

C-value represents the thermal conductance of a material. R-value represents the thermal resistance of a material. U-value represents the thermal transmittance or overall coefficient of heat transmission.

167.

Macerating pumps are used in:

  • Sewage ejector systems

  • Crawlspace drainage systems

  • Well water systems

  • Kitchens

Correct answer: Sewage ejector systems

Sewage ejector or macerating pumps are often mistakenly identified as a sump pump. Macerating pumps have a grinder to chop up solid waste material so that it can easily be pumped against gravity more effectively. Conversely, crawlspace drainage systems use sump pumps due to the lack of solid organic materials entering the system. 

Well water systems have a variety of types of pumps that use centrifugal forces to draw water up from underground reservoirs.

168.

Which of the following best describes CPVC piping?

  • Yellowish; cannot be installed within 18" of the water heater inlet or outlet; prone to freezing

  • Bluish-gray; no longer permissible; microfracturers from reaction to common oxidants and disinfectants in the water system

  • White; not permissible for hot water supply line installation; prone to freezing

  • Milky-white; cannot be installed within 18" of the water heater inlet or outlet

Correct answer: Yellowish; cannot be installed within 18" of the water heater inlet or outlet; prone to freezing

CPVC is yellowish and can be used for both hot and cold supply, but it should not be used within 18" of a water heater. 

PEX can come in a variety of colors; a common one is milky white. Polybutylene piping is no longer permissible in residential construction. It was primarily used between the 1970s and 1990s. PVC is a white pipe only used for cold water. 

169.

The footing depth should be a minimum of:

  • 12” below the frost line

  • 24” below the frost line

  • 18” below the frost line

  • 6” below the frost line

Correct answer: 12” below the frost line

Footings transmit the loads of the building directly to the soil; and in order to not be subjected to frost upheaving, they need to be installed a minimum of 12" below the frost line.

170.

Inspectors should avoid all of the following EXCEPT:

  • Reporting any willful violations of the Code of Ethics

  •  Understating or overstating the significance of reported conditions

  • Promoting services or qualifications that are false, deceptive, or misleading

  •  Directly or indirectly compensating real estate agents or any other party in exchange for referrals

Correct answer: Reporting any willful violations of the Code of Ethics

Inspectors should not avoid reporting any willful violations of the Code of Ethics to the governing authority. It is everyone's duty to uphold the ethics of the profession, and those in violation should be reported to the appropriate licensing authority.

171.

When inspecting a panelboard, you find multiple neutral wires installed under one lug. How should this condition be reported? 

  • Multiple neutral conductors are not allowed to be installed in one lug; recommend repair by a qualified electrician

  • This is not a reportable issue

  • Multiple neutral conductors under one lug are allowed, assuming the wires are the same size

  • Double tapping is never allowed within the panelboard, no matter the location

Correct answer: Multiple neutral conductors are not allowed to be installed in one lug; recommend repair by a qualified electrician

Multiple tapping (installation of more than one wire at a termination point) is not allowed in most cases within a panelboard. 

The two exceptions would be at the ground bar termination and at Over Current Protection (OCP) devices that are rated for multiple conductors (some Square D breakers are a common exception).

172.

Common components of the inspection report include all EXCEPT:

  • Designs for specific repairs

  • Scope of the inspection

  • Descriptions of materials used in each component

  • Conditions or evaluations of components

Correct Answer: Designs for specific repairs

While deficiencies regarding components of the home and the implications of not addressing the deficiencies are considered common parts of the inspection report, it does not mean that a specific design for a repair should be included in the report unless the inspector is specifically qualified to do so. Even then, it is not recommended to be included in a home inspection report. 

The scope of the inspection should be explained so that the client is aware of the items inspected and not inspected. Descriptions of the materials used are required by most Standards Of Practice. The condition and evaluation of required components is the main content of the inspection report.

173.

Electrical service entrance clearance over a residential driveway is:

  • 12'

  • 18'

  • 10'

  • 3'

Correct answer: 12'

There are many clearance requirements for electrical service entrance cables which should be known to home inspectors. 12' clearance is required over driveways. 3' clearance is required adjacent to and below an openable window or door. 10' clearance is required from the lowest point above grade to a walking surface.

174.

What would be the volume of water (expressed in gallons) of a 2,500 square foot roof if the rainfall amount is 2” per day?

  • 3,117 gallons

  • 5,000 gallons

  • 416.5 gallons

  • 1,558 gallons

Correct answer: 3,117 gallons

Take the total square footage of the roof (2,500) and convert it to cubic inches (2,500 x 144 = 360,000). Multiply the roof dimensions in cubic inches by the amount of rainfall (360,000 cubic inches x 2" = 720,000). Convert the total number of cubic inches to gallons by dividing by 231 (231 is the number of cubic inches in one gallon). 720,000 / 231 = 3,117 gallons. 

416.5 would be the volume in cubic feet.

175.

A weep screed can be found on all exterior wall coverings EXCEPT?

  • None of these require a weep screed

  • Stucco

  • Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS)

  • Adhered Manufactured Stone Veneer (AMSV)

Correct answer: None of these require a weep screed

A weep screed is an integral part of the installation of many adhered veneers; it provides air flow as well as drainage openings to allow moisture to get out, when it has penetrated or been created by temperature changes (condensation) behind the cladding.

176.

If a pedestrian door opens to an area with a pool (from a house or garage), it should be:

  • Self-closing and self-latching

  • Always locked

  • Installed to swing toward the pool

  • Installed with the lock within 54" of the floor

Correct answer: Self-closing and self-latching

A door that is part of the access barrier system to a pool is not required to always be locked, but it should be equipped with an alarm or other means of restriction. 

Locks on doors or windows that provide access to the pool should be installed above 54" from the floor, and they should swing into the building.

177.

Which of the following best describes polybutylene piping?

  • Bluish-gray; no longer permissible; microfracturers from reaction to common oxidants and disinfectants in the water system

  • White; not permissible for hot water supply line installation; prone to freezing

  • Yellowish; cannot be installed within 18" of the water heater inlet or outlet; prone to freezing

  • Milky-white; cannot be installed within 18" of the water heater inlet or outlet

Correct answer: Bluish-gray; no longer permissible; microfracturers from reaction to common oxidants and disinfectants in the water system

Polybutylene piping is no longer permissible in residential construction. It was primarily used between the 1970s and 1990s. 

PVC is a white pipe only used for cold water. CPVC is yellowish and can be used for both hot and cold supply, but it should not be used within 18" of a water heater. PEX can come in a variety of colors; a common one is milky white.

178.

Which device is typically found on the main supply line into the building to regulate water pressure into the building?

  • Pressure reducing valve

  • Vacuum breaker

  • Air gap

  • Back-siphonage

Correct answer: Pressure reducing valve

A pressure reducing valve is typically found on the main water line into the building and regulates the incoming water pressure to the home. Elevated water pressure will damage appliances, gaskets, and plumbing supply lines. 

An air gap is a gap between the opening of a faucet and the flood rim of a fixture or drain to prevent contamination. Back-siphonage (or backflow) is the occurrence of water being drawn back into the water supply pipes, due to negative pressure.

179.

A guardrail is required for any walk-off hazard that is greater than:

  • 30" above grade

  • 28" above grade

  • 2' above the floor

  • 3 risers in height

Correct answer: 30" above grade

The 30" above grade rule extends to an area of 36" from the walk-off hazard. For example, if a deck built on a sloped lot was built within 30" of the ground directly around the deck, but the ground sloped more than 30" from the deck within 36", a guardrail would be required.

180.

Which part of the air distribution system offshoots to individual rooms?

  • Branch ducts

  • Trunk ducts

  • Plenum ducts

  • Diffusers

Correct answer: Branch ducts

Branch ducts branch from the trunk ducts. 

Trunk ducts (both supply and return) serve as the central distribution line. The supply and return plenums sit on either side of the air handler (heat exchanger and fan side, respectively). Diffusers control the volume of air flowing into a room.