Structural Systems Flashcards
7 cards from real ASHI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Structural Systems flashcards as text
What condition would cause a home inspector to report a basement wall as 'bowing inward'?
Answer: Excessive lateral soil pressure deflecting the wall horizontally
Inward bowing of basement walls is caused by excessive lateral earth or hydrostatic pressure that the wall was not designed to withstand.
In balloon framing, which is a key difference from platform framing relevant to home inspectors?
Answer: Studs run continuously from foundation sill to roof in balloon framing
Balloon framing uses studs that run the full height of the structure from sill to roof, creating continuous wall cavities that require fire blocking.
A home inspector sees a crack running diagonally from the corner of a window opening upward in a brick veneer wall. What does this typically indicate?
Answer: Differential foundation settlement below that corner of the building
Stair-step or diagonal cracks radiating from window corners in brick veneer are classic indicators of differential foundation settlement.
Which observation in a wood-framed floor system indicates an improper alteration?
Answer: A joist with a 3/4-inch diameter pipe hole drilled at its center
Drilling a large hole at the center of a joist (the neutral axis) removes material at a location that, if done improperly, can significantly reduce shear capacity.
What is the significance of 'live load' versus 'dead load' in residential structural inspections?
Answer: Dead loads are static permanent weights; live loads are variable occupancy and furniture loads
Dead loads are the permanent, static weight of the structure itself, while live loads are variable loads from occupants, furniture, and environmental forces.
An attic inspection reveals that several collar ties have been removed to create storage space. What is the structural implication?
Answer: Increased outward thrust on the walls as rafters spread under roof loads
Collar ties resist the horizontal outward thrust that rafters exert on the walls; removing them allows rafters to spread and walls to lean outward.
When inspecting a deck, which structural deficiency poses the greatest risk of collapse?
Answer: Joist hangers installed with half the required nails
Joist hangers installed with insufficient nails cannot develop their full rated load capacity, dramatically increasing the risk of sudden joist failure and deck collapse.