These 5 questions cover foundations, framing, floors, walls and signs of structural movement. On the National Home Inspector Examination they fall under Property Inspection (70% of the exam). Try each one before you open the answer: the explanation matters more than the letter.
1. The brick above a garage door opening sags, and a horizontal steel member is visibly rusted and bowed. The component that has failed is the
- sill
- header joist
- cripple
- lintel
Show answer
Answer: D. lintel
A lintel spans an opening in masonry and carries the load above it. Rusted or deflected lintels allow the masonry to crack and sag. The inspector reports the condition and recommends evaluation by a qualified contractor or engineer.
Memory tip: Lintel carries the brick over the hole.
2. Framing around a window includes short vertical members between the sill and the bottom plate. These members are
- king studs
- cripple studs
- headers
- blocking
Show answer
Answer: B. cripple studs
Cripple studs are short studs above a header or below a sill that carry loads and provide nailing. Missing or cut cripples are a framing defect sometimes seen in remodels.
Memory tip: Short studs under the window = cripples.
3. One corner of a house has settled 2 inches lower than the rest, with diagonal cracks radiating from window corners on that side. This condition is BEST described as
- uniform settlement
- heaving from frost
- differential settlement
- shrinkage cracking
Show answer
Answer: C. differential settlement
Differential settlement occurs when one part of the foundation sinks more than another, stressing the structure and cracking walls. It is a structural concern warranting engineer evaluation; uniform settlement causes less damage.
Memory tip: One corner down = differential.
4. A homeowner removed a wall between the kitchen and living room, and the ceiling above now sags along the line of the former wall. This indicates the wall was
- a partition wall
- a shear wall
- a fire wall
- a load-bearing wall
Show answer
Answer: D. a load-bearing wall
Load-bearing walls carry loads from floors or roof above to the foundation. Removing one without a properly sized beam causes deflection and can lead to failure. The inspector reports the sag and recommends engineer evaluation.
Memory tip: Sag where the wall was = it was holding something.
5. In a crawl space, the inspector observes a series of parallel 2×10 members spaced 16 inches apart supporting the subfloor. These members are
- floor joists
- beams
- sill plates
- rafters
Show answer
Answer: A. floor joists
Joists are the repetitive members that carry floor loads to beams and walls. The inspector evaluates size, span, spacing, support, cuts, notches, decay, and deflection.
Memory tip: Repeating members under the floor = joists.