INTERNACHI Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the INTERNACHI exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 INTERNACHI Exam Format at a Glance
📚 INTERNACHI Topics to Study (63)
✍️ Sample INTERNACHI Questions & Answers
1. What does a home inspector look for when evaluating a gas appliance's combustion air supply?
Combustion appliances require sufficient air supply to burn fuel completely; inadequate combustion air leads to carbon monoxide production and flame rollout.
2. Which type of pipe is most commonly identified by its blue or black color and is acceptable for potable cold-water supply lines?
PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) is commonly color-coded blue for cold water and red for hot water, and is approved for potable water supply.
3. When inspecting a home built on expansive soils (clay), an inspector should be especially alert to which structural pattern?
Expansive soils swell when wet and shrink when dry, causing differential movement that leads to sticking doors, diagonal cracks at opening corners, and uneven floors.
4. What is the primary concern of electrical systems in home inspections?
The paramount concern when inspecting electrical systems is ensuring the safety of the occupants and compliance with current electrical codes. Inspectors look for hazards like improper wiring, overloaded circuits, lack of grounding, and outdated components that could lead to electrical fires, shocks, or system failures. Aesthetic appeal or consumption rates are secondary to safety.
5. An inspector finds that a wood beam has a horizontal split running along its length. What type of defect is this?
Horizontal splits running along the grain are called checks or seasoning cracks, caused by wood drying unevenly; while typically cosmetic, deep checks in load-bearing members warrant further evaluation.
6. Which type of foundation wall crack is most indicative of differential settlement?
Diagonal stair-step cracks in masonry block walls typically indicate differential settlement, where one section of the foundation is moving more than another.