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Mobile ViewHOME & BUILDING INSPECTORS & INSPECTION METHODS AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS & REPAIRS ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in buildings ANIMAL ODORS IN buildings ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings ASHI American Society of Home Inspectors ASHI Certification of Home Inspectors ATTORNEYS and EXPERT WITNESSES ATTIC LEAKS, CONDENSATION & ATTIC MOLD ATTIC VENTILATION BASEMENT CEILING VAPOR BARRIER BASEMENT HEAT LOSS BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE BUILDING SETTLEMENT CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CHIMNEY INSPECTION & REPAIR GUIDE CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS CRAWL SPACES CRAWL SPACE SAFETY ADVICE DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION DECK COLLAPSE Case Study DECK FINISHES COATINGS PRESERVATIVES DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study DIRECTORY of BUILDING INSPECTORS Disasters: Building Inspection & Repair Safety DRINKING WATER ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR Electrical Inspection Safety ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY EXTERIORS of buildings Fiberglass hazards in buildings Fire Clearances, Single-Wall Metal Flues FIREPLACE Damage & Unsafe Hearths - Settlement FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODS IN buildings-priorities FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE FPE Stab-Lok HAZARDS & REPAIRS WEBSITE GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS GLUES ADHESIVES, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION HEATING SYSTEMS HOME & BUILDING INSPECTORS & INSPECTION METHODS BUILDING INSPECTORS DIRECTORY Advice on Becoming a Home Inspector Checklists vs Narrative Reports Historic Homes, Home Improvement Costs, Research HOME INSPECTOR EDUCATION Home Inspector, How to Become a Home Inspector Skills, Reports Home Inspection Company Franchises Home Inspection Components Master List Home Inspection Definitions & Terms Home Inspection Ethical Codes Home Inspection, How to Get The Most Benefit From Home Inspection Publications Home Inspection Report Writing Guide Home Inspection Safety Hazards HOME INSPECTION STANDARDS HOUSE DOCTOR, how-to be How Much Should You Pay For Professional Services? INSPECTION COMONENTS MASTER LIST Mobile Home Inspection Guide VISUAL PERCEPTION ERRORS HOT WATER HEATERS HOUSE PARTS, DEFINITIONS INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT INTERIORS of buildings LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LEED Building Designation & IAQ LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEMS LOG HOME GUIDE MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC Mobile Home Inspection Guide MOISTURE CONTROL in buildings MOISTURE METER STUDY MOLD in buildings MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE MOLD RELATED ILLNESS GUIDE MOLD SAFETY WARNINGS MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS MOLD STANDARDS MOLD TESTING SERVICES MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS Nanomaterials Hazards NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE OIL TANK PIPING & PIPING DEFECTS OIL TANKS INSPECT LEAK TEST ABANDON REGS PAINT ANALYSIS, DIAGNOSTIC USES PAINT & STAIN GUIDE, EXTERIOR PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION PIPING IN buildings, Clogs Leaks Types PLASTER & BEAVERBOARD & DRYWALL PLASTER BULGES & PILLOWS PLASTER LATH, METAL PLASTER, LOOSE FALL HAZARDS PLASTER TYPE IDENTIFICATION PLUMBING SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR PUSHMATIC - BULLDOG PANELS Reports: Checklists vs Narrative ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS SAFE DECK CONSTRUCTION GUIDE SAFETY HAZARDS & INSPECTIONS Safety for Building Inspectors SAFETY: Elderly & Veterans Home Safety SAFETY FOR ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE Safety for Septic Inspectors Sears Catalog kit homes - how to identify Septic System Safety Hazards SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR SIDING, Sheathing Identification - Photo Guide SIDING, ALUMINUM SIDING, ASBESTOS CEMENT SHINGLES SIDING ASPHALT ROOF SHINGLES on WALLS SIDING ASPHALT SHINGLE or SHEET SIDING DAMAGE by SPLASHBACK SIDING EIFS & STUCCO SIDING, FIBER CEMENT SIDING HARDBOARD SIDING STEEL SIDING VINYL SIDING, WOOD PRODUCT CHOICES SIDING, WOOD INSTALLATION SIDING WOOD, FAILURES OVER FOAM BOARD SIDING WOOD, FLASHING DETAILS SIDING WOOD SHINGLE INSTALLATION SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS SLAB CRACK EVALUATION SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS Splits in Structural Wood Beams SQUARE-D RECALLS STAIN & BIODETERIORATION AGENT CATALOG STAINS on buildings - QUICK GUIDE STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on ROOFS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on STONE STAINS on INDOOR SURFACES: PHOTO GUIDE STANDARDS, HOME INSPECTION STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS STONE CLEANING METHODS STRESS SKIN INSULATED PANELS STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSEWRAP VAPOR CONDENSATION & BUILDING SHEATHING VENTILATION in buildings VISUAL PERCEPTION ERRORS WATER ENTRY in buildings WATER HEATERS WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE WATER PRESSURE & FLOW MEASUREMENT WATER PUMPS, TANKS, TESTS, WELLS, REPAIRS WATER PUMPS & WELLS WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS WATER TEST CHOICES & WATER TEST FEES WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER TESTING ADVICE WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS WELL CLEARANCES WELL CHLORINATION SHOCKING PROCEDURE> WINDOWS & DOORS Wood Burning Boilers, Furnaces Fireplaces Stoves WOOD ROOF INSPECTION GUIDE ZINSCO / SYLVANIA HAZARDS ![]() ![]() ![]() More Information |
This article provides a glossary of the main parts of a house and house structure and we give definitions of common home inspection terms used during home inspections or in home inspection reports. Terms defined here may also appear in home inspection standards and home inspection licensing laws. InspectAPedia offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/Contact.htm.This is a public, consumer information document containing a glossary defining some key terms regarding home inspectors in the United States and Canada. Questions should be addressed to ASHI headquarters. (Also see terms and definitions suffixed to the latest copy of the ASHI Standards of Practice - available on line or from ASHI HQ.) Our page top sketch was published by US DHEW and also by New York State in 1955 (Basic Housing Inspection) or earlier. [1] A key to the numbered items in this house parts list is just below at Glossary of Common House Parts. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Glossary of Common House Parts
CONTACT us with suggested changes or additions to these terms and definitions. Also see Basic Home Inspection Definitions of Terms, found below. [Click any image to see a larger, detailed view.] 1. Chimney - vent flue gases from fireplaces or heating equipment. See CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR 2. Chimney flue top or chimney cap (if present) 3. Chimney crown or chimney top seal 4. Chimney Flashing seals the roof penetration to avoid leaks into the structure. See Chimney Flashing Mistakes & Leaks. 5. Masonry fireplace, See Fireplace Damage & Unsafe Hearths - Settlement 7. Fireplace ash pit cleanout door. See Chimney Cleanout Doors 8. Fireplace mantel - horizontal trim attached to wall above fireplace opening. See Fireplace Damage & Unsafe Hearths - Settlement 9. Hearth - flat surface in front of the fireplace, protects flooring from fire. See Fireplace Hearth Size
11. Ridge board 12. Cripple rafters or Jack rafters (between chimney and house eaves - rafters that do not extend the full distance between house eaves and the roof ridge board) 13. Rafter blocking or cross bridging, also found on floor joists and in some wall framing 14. Soffit or lookout or house eaves. The soffit is the enclosed portion of the roof that overhangs the house walls at the roof lower edges. 15. Roof sheathing or roof decking. Also see INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT. 16. Roof shingles (asphalt shingles, clay tiles, slates, wood shingles, or shakes, similar materials) - See ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR 17. Drip edge (shown on gable end, used at lower roof edges or eaves). The drip edge is special metal flashing intended to divert water off of the roof lower edges into the roof gutter system. Drip edges should spill into the gutter, not behind it. ROOF FLASHING DEFECTS LIST 18. Gutter (attached over or to fascia board) to collect roof drainage and prevent it from spilling down and along the building walls (leaks) and basement (wet basements). See GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS 19. Downspouts (conduct roof drainage from the gutters to a destination away from the building or into a storm drain system). See DOWNSPOUT / LEADER DEFECTS 20. Downspout leader or downspout extension (hard to see, behind that front right entry porch column) 21. Gable end and gable-end attic vent. The gable end the house wall on a conventional simple gable roof such as shown in our sketch is the triangular end wall (arrows 17, 22, 23, and 31) See ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS 22. Gable end fascia. See notes at 21 above. The gable end fascia is the trim board attached to the roof edges, extending from ridge to lower roof edge, and where a rake overhang is present, covering the outermost rake rafter or barge rafter.
24. Wall corner studs or post; STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS and FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR 25. Wall Stud basic framing unit of wood frame construction building walls 26. Sill plate (rests atop foundation wall, nailed to rim joist and joists) 27. Wall top plate 28. Diagonal wall bracing (not present on all buildings, modern wood frame construction uses plywood or OSB sheathing to provide wall stiffness and protect against "racking" or diagonal movement in the wood framed structure) 29. Wall sheathing - showing diagonal tongue and groove boards, typically 3/4" thick; modern wall sheathing in wood frame construction uses 1/2" thick plywood or OSB sheathing products. Also see INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT. 30. Floor joist resting on sill plate atop foundation wall. FLOOR, ENGINEERED WOOD & LAMINATES and FLOOR FRAMING & SUBFLOOR for TILE 31. Interior partition wall over fireplace mantel; may be plaster over solid masonry or other construction; 32. Floor joist resting on basement beam or center girder. 33. Flooring underlayment (in 1955 this was red rosin paper or 15# roofing felt). Modern floor underlayment uses at least one thickness of tongue-and groove 3/4" plywood. Where carpeting is to be installed builders may use solid-core plywood to avoid accidental punctures of the flooring through the carpeting (stiletto heeled shoes). See FLOOR DAMAGE DIAGNOSIS
and FLOOR TYPES & DEFECTS 34. Subflooring (shown, diagonal tongue and groove boards) - see #33 above. Additional layers of subflooring over the base underlayment may be installed where tile is to be installed; FLOOR FRAMING & SUBFLOOR for TILE 35. Housewrap or moisture barrier (in 1955 this was red rosin paper or 15# roofing felt). See HOUSEWRAP INSTALLATION DETAILS. Also see INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT.
37. Interior partition wall or center wall partition (may be load bearing, supporting 2nd floor joists) 38. Interior wall covering: Plaster wall scratch coat or masonry for chimney (if present) See PLASTER TYPE IDENTIFICATION and DRYWALL HAZARDS, CHINESE and DRYWALL INSTALLATION Best Practices andDRYWALL MOLD RESISTANT 39. Grade level (top of soil around building). See GRADING & SITE WORK, EXTERIOR 40. Foundation wall, along with wall footings (42) supports the structure and holds back earth where a basement or crawl space is included. See FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE 41. Sill sealer (between sill plate and foundation wall top) 42. Footing, supports the foundation wall. See FOUNDATION DEFECTS OF OMISSION - MISSING 43. Footing drain or foundation drain (perforated pipe + gravel, should extend to daylight to drain by gravity). FOOTING & FOUNDATION DRAINS 44. Poured concrete basement floor slab (floating slab atop compacted fill inside foundation wall) 45. Compacted fill (or gravel atop fill or poly on gravel on fill) below basement floor slab 46. Main girder resting on supporting posts or pockets in foundation walls (not shown but you can see a post to the right of (30). The main girder carries part of the floor joist load, typically through the center of the home. FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR 47. Backfill around foundation wall. See GRADING & SITE WORK, EXTERIOR 48. Rim joist or pier cap (rests on pier top where a continuous foundation wall is not present) 49. Pier, alternative to a continuous foundation wall, piers may support posts that in turn support perimeter girders or beams carrying the building wall loads. 50. Window sash. See WINDOWS & DOORS 51. Window jamb or window frame 52. Window sash frame 53. Window header 54. Window interior trim 55. Entry porch gable 56. Fireplace ash pit 57. Stair tread. See STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS 58. Stair riser 59. Stair stringer (structural support for stair treads and risers) 60. Newell post at stair bottom (handrail ends at this post) 61. Stair rail or handrail; on landings or balconies: guardrail. See STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS 62. Stair baluster. Balusters are the vertical supports enclosing the space between the underside of the stair railing and the stair tread upper surface. Typically spaced 4" o.c. to avoid child hazards. Basic Home Inspection Definitions of Terms
Other Definitions and NotesBuilding Code compliance:ASHI Inspections are focused on in-service conditions and do not certify compliance with building codes. But to be accurately informed and to be able to recognize important defects in the field, ASHI inspectors may refer to various building codes and also to other standards for purposes of training or explanation. In-service building component failuresASHI inspectors operate in that zone of discovery between new constructing code-compliance inspections and post-failure investigations and repair work. Using essentially visual methods home inspectors examine both major building components and small details which offer clues suggesting areas where major repairs may be needed. ASHI's Contribution to other fields Because ASHI has building experts examining residential structures in every U.S. State and Canadian Province, ASHI members present an opportunity to contribute to and share data and field experience with other construction-related professional groups and with trade associations. Questions & Answers regarding this article. Ask a Question or Search InspectAPediaHTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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