A Glossary of Terms
..to help you with your home inspection.

Automatic Safety controls: devices designed and installed to protect systems and components from excessively high or low pressures or temperatures, excessive electrical current, loss of water, loss of ignition, fuel leaks, fire, freezing or other unsafe conditions.

Cross connection: Any physical connection or arrangement between potable water and any source of contamination.

Dangerous or Adverse Situation: Situations which pose a threat of injury to the inspector, and those situations which require the use of special protective clothing or safety equipment.

Engineering: Analysis or design work requiring extensive preparation and experience in the use of mathematics, chemistry, physics and the engineering sciences.

Functional Drainage: A drain is functional when it empties in a reasonable amount of time and does not overflow when another fixture is operated simultaneously.

Functional Flow: A reasonable flow at the highest fixture in a dwelling when another fixture is operated simultaneously.

On-site Water Supply Quality: water quality is based on bacterial, chemical, mineral and solids content of the water.

On-site Water Supply Quantity: Water quality is the rate of flow of water.

Primary Windows and Doors: Windows and/or Exterior doors which are designed to remain in their respective openings year round and not left open for the entire summer.

Readily Openable Access Panel: A panel provided for homeowner inspection and maintenance which has removable of operable fasteners or latch devices in order to be lifted off, swung open, or otherwise removed by one person, and its edges and fasteners are not painted in place. Limited to those panels within reach or from a 4' stepladder, and which are not blocked by stored items, furniture or building components.

Representative Number: For multiple identical components such as windows and electrical outlets -- one such component per room. For multiple identical exterior components -- one such component on each side of the building.

Roof Drainage Systems: Gutters, downspouts, leaders (extensions), splashbacks and similar components used to carry water off a roof and away from a building.

Shut Down: A piece of equipment or a system is shut down when it cannot be operated by the device or control which a home owner should normally use to operate it. If its safety switch or circuit breaker is in the "off" position, or its fuse is missing or blown, the inspector is not required to reestablish the circuit for the purpose of operating the equipment of system.

Solid Fuel Heating Device: Any wood, coal or similar organic fuel burning device, including but not limited to fireplaces whether masonry or factory built, fireplace inserts and stoves, woodstoves (room heaters), central furnaces and combinations of these devices.

Technically Exhaustive: An inspection is technically exhaustive when it involves the extensive use of measurements, instruments, testing, calculations and other means to develp scientific or engineering findings, conclusions and recommendations.

GPM Home Inspections
and Consulting
Gene Mitoro
Main Office
579 Dean Drive #3
South Elgin, Illinois 60177
Servicing the Entire Northern Illinois Area
Phone: 847-542-3463
Fax: 847-468-1626
gpmhomeinspect@aol.com