National Home Inspector Examination case studies
NHIE · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The National Home Inspector Examination® (NHIE) is a national, high-stakes licensing-style examination for the home inspection profession, governed and administered by the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI). EBPHI describes the NHIE as "the Original Exam for the Home Inspection Profession," and states that by requiring inspectors to pass it, states participate in a national standard for the professional home inspector. The NHIE case studies are 5 cases and about 3,515 words.
1The Corner That Moves: Foundation Crack, Notched Joist, and a Post on a Slab
A 1962 split-level with a poured concrete foundation is being inspected for a buyer. In the finished basement, a 1/8-inch-wide diagonal crack runs from the top of the front-left corner of the wall down to the slab, and it is widest at the top.
693 words, about 3 min2A Three-Wire Feeder, A Bonded Subpanel, and a Seller's Ground Rod
A 1978 two-story house has a 150-amp service panel and a 60-amp subpanel in the attached garage. The subpanel is fed by 6-gauge, 3-wire NM cable: two ungrounded conductors and a neutral, with no equipment grounding conductor.
679 words, about 3 min3A Capped TPR, a Back-Pitched Discharge, and an Illegible Data Plate
The 50-gallon gas water heater sits on the garage floor beside a stored mower and a gasoline can; the data plate is faded and the model number cannot be read. The TPR valve is fitted with a 3/4-inch copper discharge line that runs 12 feet horizontally with a slight upward pitch toward the exterior wall, passes through the rim joist, and terminates 6 inches above grade outside with a threaded end closed by a brass cap.
708 words, about 4 min4Granule Loss, Caulk at the Chimney, and an Attic That Smells Musty in July
A 1998 two-story colonial with a 1,400-square-foot attic footprint. The roof has a single layer of architectural shingles.
700 words, about 4 min5The Agent's Edit, the Buyer's Repair Request, and the Field Notes
You finish a 2.5-hour inspection of a 1925 bungalow for a first-time buyer who was not present. Your report includes a photo of a deck ledger attached to the rim joist with two 16d nails per bay, no lag screws or bolts, no ledger flashing, on a deck 9 feet above grade, and you describe it as not safely attached.
735 words, about 4 min