Practice Test Geeks(NHIE) National Home Inspector Examination Practice Test
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Environmental Concerns and Safety Issues Flashcards

7 cards from real NHIE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Environmental Concerns and Safety Issues flashcards as text

  1. What is the primary health concern associated with exposure to vermiculite insulation in homes built before 1990?

    Answer: Asbestos contamination from Libby, Montana mines

    Much of the vermiculite sold before 1990 came from Libby, Montana mines contaminated with asbestos-like tremolite fibers.

  2. A home inspector notices white crystalline stains on a basement wall. This efflorescence most directly indicates:

    Answer: Water migration through masonry carrying dissolved minerals

    Efflorescence is caused by water moving through masonry, dissolving salts, and depositing them on the surface as it evaporates.

  3. Which condition most significantly increases the risk of carbon monoxide accumulation inside a residence?

    Answer: Negative air pressure caused by exhaust fans drawing combustion air from flues

    Negative pressure (backdrafting) can pull combustion gases including CO back into living spaces from flues and heat exchangers.

  4. When inspecting a home with a private well, a home inspector should note that bacterial contamination is most commonly tested for using:

    Answer: Total coliform and E. coli analysis

    Total coliform and E. coli tests are the standard indicators used to assess bacterial contamination in drinking water.

  5. A home inspector observes a floor tile that is soft, dimpled, and 9x9 inches in a home built in 1958. The appropriate action is to:

    Answer: Note the tile as presumed asbestos-containing material and recommend testing before disturbance

    9x9 inch resilient floor tiles from that era are presumed ACM; they should be noted and undisturbed until tested or handled by a qualified abatement professional.

  6. Which area of a home typically presents the highest radon entry risk?

    Answer: Crawl space floor penetrations and sump pits

    Radon enters homes primarily through soil contact points such as crawl space floors, foundation cracks, and sump pits due to pressure differentials.

  7. Lead paint on exterior trim is considered most hazardous to children when it is:

    Answer: Chalking, chipping, or on friction surfaces that create dust

    Deteriorating or friction-surface lead paint generates dust and chips that are the primary pathway for childhood lead ingestion.