Plumbing 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 Plumbing flashcards as text
A home inspector tests a shower and finds the water temperature reaches 130°F when the hot is fully open. What should be recommended?
Answer: A thermostatic mixing valve or anti-scald device should be installed or adjusted to limit temperature
Shower water exceeding 120°F creates a scalding hazard; a thermostatic mixing valve or adjusting the water heater thermostat is the appropriate correction.
What is the correct observation when a home inspector finds a cleanout plug missing from a drain cleanout fitting?
Answer: The missing plug allows sewer gas to escape and must be reported as a deficiency requiring repair
A missing cleanout plug allows sewer gases to enter the structure and should be documented as a deficiency requiring prompt correction.
Which pipe material is commonly identified by its orange-tan color and is used for gas distribution within a home?
Answer: CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing)
CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) has a distinctive flexible, ribbed appearance often covered in a yellow or orange plastic jacket and is widely used for residential gas distribution.
A home inspector finds that the main water shutoff valve is a gate valve that cannot be fully opened or closed. What should be reported?
Answer: The valve should be noted as deficient since it may not reliably shut off water in an emergency
A main shutoff that cannot fully open or close is a safety concern because it may fail to stop water flow during a plumbing emergency.
What condition does mineral scale buildup inside a water heater tank primarily cause?
Answer: Reduced efficiency and heating capacity, and accelerated tank corrosion
Mineral scale insulates the heating element or burner from water, reducing efficiency, increasing energy consumption, and accelerating tank corrosion and failure.
An inspector identifies a fixture drain that connects to the building drain using a double sanitary tee (double-Y fitting) in a back-to-back configuration. This is acceptable when used for:
Answer: Connecting two fixtures back-to-back on opposite sides of a vertical wet wall
A double sanitary tee (double-Y) is acceptable for back-to-back fixtures (such as two lavatories on opposite sides of a wall) connecting to a common vertical stack.
Which observation would indicate that a water supply system has adequate pressure during a home inspection?
Answer: Multiple fixtures operated simultaneously show no significant pressure drop and pressure gauge reads 40-80 psi
Normal household water pressure of 40-80 psi with minimal drop when multiple fixtures run simultaneously indicates an adequately performing supply system.