Questions Of The Week January 17, 2021

Inspection Education Topics Inspection Question of the Week
#1

Welcome To Questions of The Week!

A member of the Awards Committee will post questions, at a random day/time.

Members may make one post per question thread to answer the questions, and the member’s winning entry must have all parts of the questions answered completely in that one post. Editing your one answer post allowed will result in disqualification.

First correct answers (as judged by the Awards Committee or Poster of the Questions) wins.

Request your choice by emailing fastreply@nachi.org and submit your Mailing address for shipping as well as the link congratulating you on the win.

Choose your prize from the following list!:

** $50.00 gift certificate from Inspector Outlet

** Case of books "Now That You’ve Had A Home Inspection"

** Seventeen Custom Branded Videos value $50.00 ~ your choice!

https://certifiedmasterinspector.org/video-contest 2

All members are eligible… … …

Good luck!

  1. What size must be maintained between the stair railing and the wall and how far can the stair side of the railing encroach into the stairs from the wall?

  2. Straight stairs. Why or why not are open risers okay to use in some jurisdictions?

  3. What organization has been collecting and offering InterNACHI members install instructions and guidelines? Please name the organization and include the link to said instructions and guidelines.

  4. A townhouse 1-hr. rated separation wall has these 4 things: studs, electrical boxes, insulation and wall covering. Please describe them and how they are, typically, installed inside between the separate town houses.

  5. Where are smoke alarms required in a ranch style home? (It kind of adds with Bob’s post here .)

  6. The Authority Having Jurisdiction may necessitate soil tests if soils are: Name the 3 items.

1 Like
#2

Great questions, Larry! :wink:

2 Likes
#3

Excellent questions Larry !!!

2 Likes
#4

There are some nice prizes! Give it a go… :thinking:

2 Likes
#5
  1. 1.5" and 4"
    2.“open risers will only be permitted on stairs that are neither a means of egress nor part of an accessible route.”
    3.Owens Corning Owens Corning Signup - InterNACHI
    4." Each townhouse must be structurally independent and
    capable of being removed without atfecting the adjacent dwelling unit. This provision is applicable only to
    townhouses, not two-family dwellings. This independence is useful not only in the event of a fire in one unit,
    but also during any remodeling or alteration. The
    objective of this structural independence is that a complete burnout could occur on one side of the wall without causing the collapse of the adjacent townhouse.
    This condition occurs rarely. The provision also helps if
    there is ever a fire or other problem by creating a clear
    separation between the units. With separate ownership and each owner having a different insurance company, the ability to gain access or get repairs made can
    be difficult and time consuming. By having clearly separated units, it is much easier to determine who is
    responsible and to make any needed repairs.
  2. Each bedroom, hallway, one in the basement, and one in the attic.
  3. Expansive, possibly contaminated, seasonal high water table

:crazy_face:

1 Like
#6

Shoot, after all that, my numbering got messed up and can’t edit.

#7

Thank you, Leif.

#8

I can see the last 2 & 3 (or the last two dots as turned out in my quote of your post) are #5. and #6.

1 Like
#9

Cool. Yep, that’s 5 and 6

1 Like
#10

Bumpity bump, bump… :nerd_face:

#11

…bump…bump. :nerd_face:

1 Like
#12

There were no winners this week. Please try next week.

Here are the answers:

  1. What size must be maintained between the stair railing and the wall and how far can the stair side of the railing encroach into the stairs from the wall?

1 1/2” and 4 1/2”

  1. Straight stairs. Why or why not are open risers okay to use in some jurisdictions?

Open risers are permitted, provided that the opening between treads does not permit the passage of a 4- inch diameter (102 mm) sphere. PHOTO 17. Exceptions: 2. The opening between adjacent treads is not limited on stairs with a total rise of 30 inches (762 mm) or less. PHOTO 17.
https://timnath.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2018-RESIDENTIAL-STAIR-GUIDE.pdf

  1. What organization has been collecting and offering InterNACHI members install instructions and guidelines? Please name the organization and include the link to said instructions and guidelines.

North Carolina/NCLHIA Home Inspectors Installation Guidelines & Instructions Installation Guidelines & Instructions

  1. A townhouse 1-hr. rated separation wall has these 4 things: studs, electrical boxes, insulation and wall covering. Please describe them and how they are, typically, installed inside between the separate town houses.

Studs are offset (meaning; 1 stud flush with one side of the larger wall sill/top plates and the next stud is flush with the other side of the larger sill/top plates). Electrical boxes are staggered on the offset studs and are fire rated, steel, protected or separated by insulation. Insulation passes between the offset studs and sheetrock. 5/8” sheetrock is placed on both sides of the wall. Page 7, fig. 2, Code Check Complete, 2nd Edition. 09 IRC. 302.2, 302.2X9, 302.2X, 302.2.2, 302.2.2X and 302.2.2

  1. Where are smoke alarms required in a ranch style home? (It kind of adds with Bob’s post here .)

Req’d in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area & on each additional story, including basements and habitable attics.

  1. The Authority Having Jurisdiction may necessitate soil tests if soils are: Name the 3 items.

Expansive, compressible or questionable.

2 Likes
#13

:+1: :+1: :+1:

2 Likes