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Roofing (Primer)

We've been getting a lot of requests lately to produce some primers on basic Home Inspector Content.  A "Back to Basics", just to review the material and serve is a supplement to the test prep Book. 

OK, So Let's Do It !

So in this series, we'll start reviewing the basics of each inspection component.  We'll BOLD type the important facts that tend to appear on the NHIE Exam.  It's all FAIR GAME.

Hope you enjoy! 

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Roofing:

Contrary to popular belief, roof coverings are not intended to keep out the cold. This is because roofs are typically extremely poor insulators! 

There's two main categories of roofing systems: Sloped and Flat Roofs. Sloped roofing are not really water tight, they just shed water pretty much like an umbrella. 

Flat Roofs on the other hand are water proof membranes which are designed to be impervious (ie water tight). 

Flat roofs should never be perfectly flat either ! Standing water will deteriorate the membrane, so the roof should slope somewhat to allow water to drain. 

The pitch of a roof is just the SLOPE, which is just the the rise divided by the run of the roof.  And to make it uniform, the run is always defined as 12 feet. 

A conventional slope is 4 in 12 and up.  

A low slope is 2 in 12 to 4 in 12. 

A flat roof is 0 in 12 to 2 in 12. 

Another common roofing term is called a "Square".  It's basically the amount of roofing materiel that's required to cover 100 square feet. 

So here's a question: 

When pricing a roofing job, a contractor should consider what 2 important factors?  

The pitch of the roof and the number of squares. They also consider other things like number of dormers, chimneys, changes in directions, height above ground, etc. 

Here's another good question:

When inspecting a roofing system on a typical residential sloped roof, where will water penetration most likely to occur?

Around flashing and anywhere the roof changes directions.

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Asphalt Shingles:

See below for a typical installation.

What's important here is that the nails must be 1" to 1 1/2" from the edge of the shingle, also must be at least 1/2" above any cutouts.

Eave protection must be at least 36" up the roof. 

The most commonly used roofing material. the most common type used weight about 210 pounds per square. They have a life expectancy of 12-15 years. Some 320s (three hundred pounds per square) last more than 25 years.

Shingles are self-sealing, meaning when the sun warms the rood surface, the shingles stick together. 

Asphalt shingles can be used n a slope as low as 4 in 12. 

Question:

What is the biggest enemies of asphalt roofs?

Sunlight! 

Many area in south and west exposures typically wear out the fastest. Light colored shingles last longer because they reflect the most light. Also, the steeper the pitch, the longer the shingles will last. 

As the asphalt shingle wear over time, they lose its granular covering. When this happens, it loses its protection from ultra violent light. This will cause the shingle to become dry and brittle, they can crack, buckle, and curl. 

Next, will discuss Wood Shingles and Shakes.

 

Home Inspector Test Prep (At Bats)

 

Let me propose a question:

If you were to have a medical issue, would you seek out a doctor who had the highest GPA or a doctor who is known for getting results?  

Would the doctor's ACT test scores, Med School board exams, or GPA even cross your mind? Of course not! That's dumb.

Despite what we were led to believe in school, the number of "At Bats" is more important then anything when it comes to building a successful career.  Practice makes perfect. The theory is great and necessary, but in order to deliver value to the marketplace and become known as an expert in your field, you must have experience. 

Experience is key. We learn so much more when we fail as opposed to when we pass. By the nature of things, school punishes us when we mess up.  You get punished, shamed, judged, you're told "you didn't learn" anything, etc. 

But in life, we have the potential to learn valuable life lessons when we fail and you cannot assign a grade to it. I say potential, because not everyone will learn from their mistakes. The key is to learn from your mistakes and invest it into tomorrow, the next week, month, year. 

I recently read a story about how there's an annual meeting where Billionaires get together to meet each year. Over expensive scotch and cigars, they sit around and share war stories of how many of their prior businesses failed.  In business and in life, you only have to be right ONE TIME.  Doesn't matter how many other times you failed. Just be right one time and you will be considered a success. 

It's important to keep on getting up when you fail. In the words of Rocky- It doesn't matter if you win or lose, what matters is that you keep on getting up after you get knocked down. That's how winner's are born. If you're willing to do that, you will win in the end. 

You must practice and get in the reps in order to fine tune your craft. You must get in the right amount of "At Bats" in preparing for the FE Exam. 

Our Book is designed to do just that !  

It has over 400 practice problems and starts off easy and gradually gets more challenging through each of the 6 exams.The same questions keep appearing on the FE EXAM, it's time to learn them!

Over the 400 practice problems, the sheer volume of the breadth of knowledge that we throw at you, allows you to get in your reps and At Bats. 

Just as major league baseball players take batting practice before each game - even though they already know, in theory, how to hit a baseball, they do so in order to work out the cob webs, to help them focus, and to warm up.

That is exactly how the Book is set up!  

Get started today and start getting your "At Bats"!

GET STARTED

Video Prep Course (2 Week Boot Camp!)

This Video Course is the most POWERFUL and RESULTS-ORIENTED course available. There's simply no other one out there that compares.  We call it the 2-Week Boot Camp because we have students successfully go through the video series and pass the NHIE Exam! Of course, we recommend longer to study, but it's possible. It really is....

This is ALL you NEED.  

If you want to save Time and Energy during this study phase, and pass on your first try, then please keep reading. 

Of course, we would like you to spend longer than 2-weeks preparing for this exam. But it's specifically designed for those short on time and would like to only work on problems most likely to show up during the NHIE Exam - based on the breakdown of topic areas. This course also comes with a FREE Ebook so you can work along with me. 

Just like the Book, this course is straight to the point and there's absolutely no Bullsh$t.  It simply gets RESULTS. Period. 10 years of helping engineers pass is why I can honestly say this.....

We always talk about pattern recognition and working through a set of solved problems in each topic area... well, this is it!.  As your guide, I work through every problem in the Book (over 330 problems) and explain how it's solved step by step. 

Of course, you don't need to do all 330 problems in order to be prepared to pass, the first 4-5 problems of each topic area are really the only ones you must understand.... (Shhh!!! that's the real secret but don't tell anyone) but the rest are "extra" if you have the time and are interested. Just simply fast forward if you want to study the most efficient way.  

No expensive prep courses taught by out-of-touch professors, no boring lectures, absolutely no theory, no monthly member fees or sign ups, no wasting time on confusing questions that have no chance of being on the Exam - just to show you how smart I am when I solve it... None of that BS. Trust me, there's a lot of that out there.  

Features:

- 12 Pre-Recorded Video Lessons in each FE Exam topic area 

- Free EBook! - to work along with me!

- Private video links will be sent as soon as you sign up !

- Over 5 hours of working problems together.

- Watch as many times as you like - but you only need once. 

Advantages: 

- Learn How to Pass on Your First Try!

- Learn how to solve the most important problems 

- Secret Keys to Passing Explained

- Insight to tips and tricks

- Guidance and encouragement along the way 

- Straight to the point, no fluff or BS

- Test taking strategies

   

If you are short on time / feeling the pressure, this course is for you !  

So DON'T wait. 

As a limited time offer, a FREE EBook is included.  This is so you can work along with me!  

Get Started NOW!

4.1 out of 5 Stars on Amazon ! (Going Strong!)

After 8 years on Amazon, we're still going strong with 4.1 out of 5 Stars!  Thank you for your continued support.  

We love reading the positive test taking experiences we receive each day ! Keep 'em coming.  We strive to keep the book updated and free from errors. As we tell our students, they are so much more capable than what they currently believe.  It really isn't about passing the test, it's about creating kids who now believe in themselves. 

I really believe that what makes this book very popular is not the actual prep questions and explanations, it's the upfront sections in which we explain the "Inner Game" of test taking. We try to show that if you can visualize your goals, then it can come true. In life, you get what you see (in your mind)... and only then is it possible.  Most of the positive reviews we receive have to do with not only how the book helped them pass the test but also the upfront sections as well. We thank you. 

You can never be greater than the Self-Image that you currently have of yourself in your mind's eye. We try to show how to create a better self-image, in order to reach your goals.  By understanding that thoughts are things, you literally become what you think about all day long. Your current Self-Image is like a thermostat, and it is designed to keep you where you are currently at in order to preserve energy!   Your subconscious mind controls your every move.. so the trick is to learn how to change it in order to unlock your full potential. 

5 Star Customer Reviews ! (Amazon)