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Access
Panel
: A panel
used for the purpose of gaining access to a piece of equipment for maintenance,
repair, or cleaning of the equipment; a panel used to gain access to an area
such as a crawl space or attic cavity.
Activate
: To turn on or operate a piece of equipment by normal means, such as turning
on the furnace with the thermostat controls.
Automatic
safety controls :
A device
used to protect people and equipment from malfunction caused by excessive
pressure, temperature, or other hazardous operating conditions.
Central
air-conditioning :
A system
used to cool and/or dehumidify the space of a building in one or more rooms,
by means of duct or chilled water pipe distribution, and, which is built into the
structure of the building with direct wiring from an electrical control panel.
Central
heating: A system used to
warm the space of a building in more than one room by means of duct or pipe
distribution; it is built into the structure of the building; a building could
also be heated by individual room electric heaters throughout the premises.
Component
:
A unit part of a system such as the gas valve in the furnace or a rafter of
a roofing system.
Cosmetic
:
A condition that affects the appearance of an item rather than the structural
integrity or intended function thereof.
Crawl
space: An area under a home
enclosed by the foundation walls and generally 3 to 4 feet high, which can
only be examined by crawling or being bent over; this space will usually
contain plumbing supply and drain lines, electrical wiring, and mechanical systems;
a crawl space with a clearance of less than 30" is considered
Cross
connection : Any physical
connection or arrangement between potable water and any other water of unknown
or questionable source of possible contamination.
Dangerous
or adverse condition : Any
condition or situation which has the possibility of causing injury or health
threats to the inspection engineer; these conditions may require special protective
clothing or safety equipment and in certain cases, such as crawl spaces areas,
cannot be entered until the condition is corrected.
Describe
:
Report in writing a system or component by its type, or other observed characteristics,
to distinguish it from other components used for the same purpose.
Detached
buildings : Any structure
apart from the main structure and under a separate roof and foundation system.
Direct
wired components : A device
which is connected to the electrical system and cannot be readily unplugged or
disconnected.
Dismantle
:
To take apart or remove any component, device or piece of equipment that is
bolted, screwed, or fastened by other means, and that would not be dismantled
by a homeowner in the course of normal household maintenance.
Engineering
:
The profession of putting scientific knowledge to practical used by utilizing
mathematics, chemistry, physics, and the engineering sciences for analytic
or design work.
Flue
pipe :
The pipe connecting
the firing chamber exhaust of a hydrocarbon fueled device, such as a heating
unit or water heater, to a chimney.
Functional
drainage : A drain is functional
when it empties in a reasonable amount of time and does not overflow when another
fixture is drained simultaneously.
Functional
flow : A reasonable flow at
the highest fixture in a dwelling when another fixture is operated simultaneously.
Heat
source : Any device used for
the purpose of adding heat to an area.
Household
appliance : A device, either
freestanding or built in, used to provide an ongoing function by providing
a specific household duty such as a dishwasher, oven, range, garbage disposal,
washer, dryer, etc.
Inspector
: Any
person who examines any component of a building, through visual means and
through normal user controls, without the use of mathematical sciences.
Installed
:
An item that is physically attached to the home with nails, screws, etc.,
and could not be removed by unplugging or disconnecting by hand.
Normal
user operating controls :
Controls such as a thermostat of the heating and cooling system used to operate
equipment by a layman homeowner or tenant.
Observe
:
To make a visual study of a component without removing covers, finished surfaces,
blocked access panels, debris, belongings.
Operate
:
To activate a device by the normal user operating controls.
On-site
water supply quality : Water
quality is based on the bacterial, chemical, mineral, metal, and solids content
of the water.
On-site
water supply quantity : Water
quantity is the accumulated water volume resulting from the rate of water flow.
Primary
windows and doors : Windows
and/or exterior doors which are designed to remain in the respective openings
year round and not left open for the entire summer.
Proper
fixture drainage : The rate
of a drainage flow sufficient to prevent overflowing or backing up during
normal operation and use.
Proper
water pressure : Pressure
needed to produce a rate of water flow of a plumbing fixture that provides
sufficient flow when another fixture is operated at the same time.
Readily
accessible : Having the ability
to inspect an item or equipment without having to move or relocate furniture
or stored items or damage paint finishes; ability to enter through access
panels large enough for an average size person; panels are not considered
accessible if they cannot be reached with the aid of a 4 foot ladder or
require tools to open; minimal access opening is 18 inches x 24 inches.
Recreational
facilities : Spas, saunas,
steam baths, swimming pools, tennis courts, playground equipment, and other
exercise, entertainment, or athletic facilities.
Representative
number : A defined number
of items to be inspected when there is a number of like items in a facility,
building, or home such as electrical switches, outlets and windows; this number
will be one per room or one per side of the exterior.
Representative
number : For multiple identical
components such as windows and electric outlets - one such component on each
side of the building.
Roof
drainage system : The system
used to carry rain water from a roof away from the foundation of the structure;
this system consists of guttering, downspouts, splash blocks, and proper grade
for drainage.
Safety
glazing : Tempered glass or
plastics.
Shut
down : When an item cannot
be operated by normal controls, it is considered to be shut down; the engineer
is not required to light pilot lights, turn on gas supply, switch breakers,
replace fuses or light bulbs, plug in equipment, open closed water valves,
etc.; all items intended to be a part of the inspection shall be in operation
prior to the inspection.
Solid
fuel heating device : Any wood,
coal, or other similar organic fuel burning device, including but not limited
to fireplaces (whether masonry or factory-built), fireplace inserts and stoves,
wood stoves (room heaters), central furnaces, and combinations of these devices.
Structure
: Any construction designed
and used to provide support against natural forces, in addition to live
and dead loads.
Structural
component : A component which supports non-variable forces or weighs
(dead loads) and variable forces or weights (live loads).
System
: A specific part of a building
composed of several components used for a specific purpose, such as the electrical
system, HVAC, system, plumbing system, etc.
Technically
exhaustive : A building inspection
as covered by standards of practice is comprised of a visual inspection
and brief operation of equipment; an inspection is technically exhaustive
when it involves the extensive use of measurements, instruments, testing calculation,
exploratory destructive probing when justified, and other means to develop
scientific or engineering findings, conclusions and recommendations.
Under floor
crawl space : The area within
the confines of the foundation and between the ground and the underside of the
lowest floor structural component.
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