16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
CHAMPIONS SCHOOL OF REAL ESTATE, INC.
16 Hour – Plumbing
EXAM
1. According to the Standards, which of the following do we have to do?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
test the effectiveness of anti-siphon devices
identify whether the supply system is public or private
locate the main water shutoff valve
operate automatic safety controls
operate isolating valves
2. Typical pump problems include all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
inoperative
excess noise or vibration
excess pressure
short cycling
running continuously
3. Which of the following is not a backflow prevention device?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
vacuum breaker
backflow preventer
isolating valve
backwater valve
reduced pressure principle device
4. Refractories on oil burners —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
are typically located at the top of a water heater
can never be replaced without replacing the entire water heater
can be completely inspected during a home inspection
may be masonry or ceramic fiber
are located above the burner
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 1
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
5. Which of the following statements about fan assisted gas water heaters is not true?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
They do not need a chimney.
They are high-efficiency.
The venting system can be abs or pvc piping.
They use lots of dilution air from the house.
They typically have an automatic ignition system and a blower controlled by a pressure
switch.
6. Which item is not essential for the safe operation of a conventional gas-fired water heater?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
thermocouple
tpr valve
thermostat
pressure limit switch
flue
7. Home inspectors should not turn on plumbing systems that have been turned off for all of the
following reasons except which one?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
There may be a leak in the piping.
It is the client’s responsibility.
There may be a leak at the fixture.
There may be a leak at the water heater.
The system may have been winterized and you will wash antifreeze out of the system.
8. Leaks in drain pipes are commonly caused by all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
poor joint connections
damaged piping or traps
missing air gaps
freezing
clogging
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 2
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
9. All of the following are possible cross connection situations except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
bidets
extendable faucets on kitchen sinks
water supply connections to heating boilers
trap primers
floor drains with no trap primers
10. Dishwashers in some areas: —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
require an air gap fitting
must drain directly into a stack
cannot drain into a waste disposal
cannot discharge into a tailpiece of a sink
must discharge into a trap arm upstream of the vent
11. One of the weaknesses of copper drain, waste and vent pipe is —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
it corrodes easily
it’s noisy
it’s combustible
it’s susceptible to acid
it’s hard to work with
12. Which of the following drain pipes is typically used below grade?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
galvanized steel
cast iron
brass
clay
copper
13. A trap primer —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
is used on every trap
requires an air gap
prevents traps from freezing
uses mineral oil
prevents traps from siphoning
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 3
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
14. All of the following indicate leaking traps except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
slow draining fixtures
staining or streaking on the trap
rusting of cleanout plugs
buckets or trays below the trap
water damage on the floor or cabinetry below the trap
15. What type of trap is allowed by most plumbing codes?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
P - trap
S - trap
double trap
drum trap
bell trap
16. All of the following are functions of plumbing vent systems except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Vents allow air to be pushed out of the waste pipes ahead of slugs.
Vents allow water to flow quickly by avoiding low air pressure behind the slug of water.
Vents prevent siphoning of traps.
Vents provide a path for odors to escape from the house.
Vents provide a fresh air inlet directly to the living space.
17. How close can a vent be to a trap?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
1 pipe diameter after the trap
2 pipe diameters after the trap
6 pipe diameters after the trap
12 pipe diameters after the trap
4 feet from the trap
18. Sewage sumps are required for toilets —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
located below the elevation of the curb at the street
located below the municipal sewer
located in the basement
installed in underground structures
located in a home with a septic system
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 4
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
19. Lavatories are —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
toilets
bathtubs
shower stalls
basins
bidets
20. Floors and walls around toilets, bathtubs and shower should not be —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
smooth surfaced
pervious
marble
tile
plastic laminate
21. When we test for functional flow and functional drainage, we check all except which of the
following?
a. Is there adequate pressure and flow at each fixture with more than one fixture flowing?
b. Is there adequate drainage capability from each fixture with more than one fixture
flowing?
c. Are there leaks at the fixtures?
d. Does the water heater deliver hot water?
e. Is there adequate hot water capacity?
22. Overflows should not be found on —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
bathtubs
basins
kitchen sinks
whirlpool baths
lavatories
23. Common toilet problems include all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
leaks
low water pressure
loose
flush mechanism inoperative
obstructed
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 5
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
24. Where is a toilet not likely to leak?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
at the wax gasket connection to the floor
at the gasket between the tank and bowl
at the supply water connection to the tank
at the seat bolt holes
at the rubber gasket connection to the floor
25. Leaks at bidets may be at any of the following locations except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
supply piping connections
drain piping connections
tank lid
vacuum breaker
the bowl itself
26. We do not recommend testing inaccessible bathtub overflows because —
a.
b.
c.
d.
it takes too long to fill the tub to the overflow
these systems are used regularly and problems would show up below
overflows often leak when tested
overflows are integral with drain stoppers and leaks will flow into the tailpiece of the
fixture
e. overflows are optional equipment not required on bathtubs
27. Leaks through tub and shower enclosures may be caused by all of these except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
poor grout work
poor caulking
lack of maintenance
building settlement
porous ceramic tile
28. Mortar bed shower stalls —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
should have no slope
require a drain with holes in the side
require liners turned up the wall 1⁄2 inch
require plaster of Paris under the tile
require an 8-inch-tall threshold
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 6
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
29. Entrances into shower stalls should be a minimum of —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
16 inches wide
8 inches wide
20 inches wide
22 inches wide
28 inches wide
30. Which of the following is the inspector not required to observe during the plumbing
inspection?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
the exhaust vent from the gas water heater
the sump pump
functional drainage at the bathtubs
the on-site water supply quantity
cross connections
31. Replacing 50 feet of a 100-foot-long pipe with larger diameter pipe will —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
increase the static pressure
only make a difference if it is the upstream section of pipe that is replaced
only make a difference if it is the downstream section of pipe that is replaced
make the same difference regardless of which 50 feet of pipe is replaced
improve the pressure and flow, but more so if we are close to the source
32. The water service line diameter from the street to new houses should be at least —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
1⁄4-inch
1⁄2-inch
3⁄4-inch
1-inch
11⁄2-inch
33. Which of the following suggests failing galvanized steel supply piping?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
weaker pressure on the hot side than the cold
weaker pressure on the cold side than the hot
vertical risers replaced with copper
green stains on the insides of plumbing fixtures
blue stains on the insides of plumbing fixtures
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 7
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
34. A tempering valve may be needed on a combination domestic hot water and space heating
system. The tempering valve —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
mixes cool water with the hot water before sending the water to a fan coil
raises the temperature of the domestic hot water delivered to the house
reduces the temperature of the water to the domestic hot water side
never requires a backflow preventer
protects people from scalding when bleeding radiators or radiant piping systems
35. An energy cutoff in a water heater replaces —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
the aquastat
the thermostat
the temperature function of the tpr valve
the barometric damper
the thermocouple or flame sensor
36. A building drain is —
a.
b.
c.
d.
a vertical stack that runs up through the roof
the lowest pipe in or under a home that carries sewage to the building sewer
the underground pipe that carries sewage from the building out to the public sewer
the underground pipe that carries sewage from the building to an on-site sewage disposal
system
e. the pipes that run along the street and receive the waste from several houses
37. Horizontal drain pipes should have a slope of roughly —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
1⁄4 inch per foot
1⁄8 inch per foot
1⁄2 inch per foot
3⁄4 inch per foot
1 inch per foot
38. Clogging of drainage piping can be caused by any of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
too little slope
slopes of 45 degrees or more off horizontal
crimped pipe
foreign materials in the piping
pipe connections that project into the path of the waste
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 8
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
39. The causes of poor slope on drainage piping include all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
poor installation
building settlement or heaving
hanger problems
mechanical damage or joint failure
double trapping
40. Drain pipes from clothes washers should —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
have a direct connection to a plumbing stack
go into a standpipe
not have a trap in the standpipe for fear of collecting debris and clogging
have standpipes that discharge into the trap arm of a laundry tub
have standpipes that are less than 18 inches long
41. A trap seal is —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
the fastener that joins the trap to the tailpiece
the fitting that joins the trap to the trap arm
another name for the drain stopper
the vertical distance from the trap dip to the weir
the connection from the trap to the vent
42. Which of the following is not a factor in helping to keep traps from clogging?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
their special shape
their self-scouring characteristic
the trap size
the avoidance of double trapping
the avoidance of S-traps
43. What are the implications of a tail piece for a fixture that is too long?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
clogging of the trap
siphoning of the trap
difficulty of access for service
freeze up of the trap
ineffective venting
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 9
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
44. A plumbing trap —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
provides a flow of air to and from the drainage system
prevents foreign objects from clogging the drainage system
provides a liquid seal which prevents the passage of air/gas
controls the discharge of water or sewage into the sanitary system
keeps bacteria and vermin from entering the house through the drainage system
45. What might cause a gurgling sound when draining water out of a sink?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
sewer blockage
no vent pipe
copper drain pipe
excessive water pressure
undersized drain piping
46. With a toilet, some jurisdictions allow the vent to be how far from the toilet?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
6 feet
8 feet
10 feet
12 feet
14 feet
47. Sewage ejector pumps do not need —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
an inlet pipe
a trap
a discharge pipe
a vent
a 120-volt electrical supply
48. Good plumbing fixtures have all of the following features except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
smooth
porous
corrosion resistant
durable
easy to clean
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 10
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
49. The most common problem with plumbing fixtures is —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
poor pressure
poor flow
inoperative isolating valves
hot and cold faucets reversed
leaks
50. Causes of slow drains include all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
no trap
clogged fixture strainer
partly clogged drain system
venting problem
undersized drain system
51. Faucets or spouts must be above the __________________ of the sink or basin.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Cleanout
Vent stack
Flood rim
Supply valve
Vacuum breaker
52. Common faucet problems include all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
leaks
stiff
loose
cross connections
no isolating valves
53. All of the following are common toilet problems except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
lazy flush
floor damage around the toilet
excess pressure at tank
running continuously
broken tank, lid or seat
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 11
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
54. Bidets are all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
self-trapping
vitreous china
connected to both hot and cold water supplies
provided with a vacuum breaker
typically provided with a spray and rim wash and a diverter
55. The most common cross connection on a bathtub is —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
a shower faucet that is too low
a pressure balancing faucet set
a tub fill spout below the tub flood rim
a tub drain interconnected with the cold water supply
a faulty shower diverter
56. What is the most common leakage point in a ceramic shower stall?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
at the escutcheon plate
at the door sill
at the base
at the shower nozzle
at the soap dish
57. Electrical light switches in bathrooms —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
should be moved outside the bathroom
should be at least 3 feet away from shower stalls and bathtubs
should be pneumatic
should be as close to the basin as possible
should be vapor proof
58. Shower stalls should typically be at least —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
20 X 40 inches
24 X 36 inches
30 X 30 inches
36 X 36 inches
30 X 36 inches
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 12
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
59. All of the following statements about whirlpool baths are true except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
the pumps should be self-draining
there should be an access cover to service and replace the pump
the pump should have a dedicated 120-volt circuit
the pump should have a ground fault circuit interrupter
the pump should be variable speed
60. Which of the following is the inspector required to do?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
test vacuum breakers
operate temperature/pressure relief valves on a water heater
observe private waste disposal systems
operate the isolating valve at the toilet
operate the spray feature of the bidet
61. If you wanted to fill a bucket, which of the following fixtures with faucets fully opened
would fill it the most quickly? (Assume that pipe length, size and pressure are equal to all of
these.)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
a bathroom basin
a kitchen sink
an outdoor hose bibb
a bathtub fill spout
A shower nozzle
62. Which of the following is the most serious problem with a well supplying water to a house?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
less than optimum water quantitiy
a piston-type pump on a well
a jet pump on a deep well
contaminated well water
a well that is too close to the property line
63. A water service line with a pressure of 110 psi will require a —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
reduced pressure backflow device
expansion tank
extra heavy pipe and fittings
pressure regulator
all of the above
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 13
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
64. Joining copper and galvanized steel piping together will produce corrosion unless a —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
isolation hanger is used
dielectric connector is used
tempering valve is used
mixing valve is used
brass coupler is used
65. Which of the following statements about temperature/pressure relief valves is not true?
a. Temperature/pressure relief valves protect against steam explosions.
b. Temperature/pressure relief valves shut off the water heater if the temperature exceeds
210°F.
c. Temperature/pressure relief valves should be connected to a discharge tube
d. Temperature/pressure relief valves should operate at 150 psi.
e. The btu rating of the temperature/pressure relief valve should be at least as big as the
water heater btu rating.
66. A side arm heater:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
is a variation on a tankless coil
is added to the side of a domestic water heater
is typically located at each fixture requiring hot water
has a gas burner
has a high-efficiency oil burner
67. Conventional gas-fired water heaters may be installed in a —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
bedroom
bathroom
clothes closet
kitchen
all of the above
68. Soil pipes —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
carry liquid and solid waste from a toilet
carry liquid wastes only in a horizontal plane
carry liquid wastes only in a vertical plane
carry air only on horizontal runs
carry solid and liquid waste on vertical runs only
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 14
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
69. All of the following are common drainage piping problems except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
missing or inaccessible cleanouts
pipe sizes that are reduced as you go downstream
clay tile piping buried in the soil
combustible piping used in multi-family buildings
non-standard piping materials
70. Defective abs piping —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
occurred in installations after 1990
occurred throughout North America
resulted in cracking around the circumference of the pipe joints
is an issue with 11⁄4- to 2-inch diameter only
affected all manufacturers
71. Galvanized iron or steel drain piping shall not be installed —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
in an attic
in the ground
in crawlspaces
inside wall cavities
as stacks (vertical pipes) that serve as waste and vent stacks
72. Horizontal cast iron piping is prone to —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
splits on the top
noise transmission
sags when supported at 3 foot intervals
combustibility
rusting after 15 years
73. Double trapping is a problem because —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
the water velocity is too great
you need cleanouts on both traps
the water velocity at the second trap is too low
the water velocity at the first trap is too high
the second trap is prone to siphoning
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 15
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
74. Trap problems include all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
slip joints
missing
wrong type
leaking
double trapping
75. Floor drain problems include all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
missing
poor location
backing up
no trap
bo backwater valve
76. Why are island sinks difficult to vent?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
We don’t want a vent pipe running up through the center of the kitchen.
It is difficult to vent double sinks.
Double sinks lead to double trapping and ineffective vents.
There is no room on the counter for an air gap fitting.
Scraps of food are likely to obstruct the vent.
77. What is the minimum recommended height of a plumbing vent stack above the roof?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
12 inches
30 inches
24 inches
6 inches
1 inch
78. Sumps pumps —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
typically operate on 240-volt electrical power
may be pedestal type or submersible
are typically manually operated
should not have a check valve in the discharge pipe
should have a hermetically sealed sump lid
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 16
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
79. Laundry tub pumps —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
should never have a trap
should be upstream of the laundry tub trap
should be downstream of the laundry tub trap
should be mounted above the laundry tub
must be automatically activated
80. The fixture in the house that is going to have the weakest flow and drainage is —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
the lowest fixture in the house
the smallest fixture in the house
toilets, because they have only cold water supply
the highest fixture in the house
the fixture closest to the dishwasher (usually the kitchen sink) because the dishwasher
uses so much water
81. In new construction, you will not normally find basins and sinks made out of —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
stainless steel
cast iron
synthetic marble
concrete
enameled steel
82. Water hammer is typically prevented by —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
pressure balancing faucets
thermostat mixers
single lever faucets
dead end risers
tempering valves
83. The most common cause of poor pressure and flow at a single fixture is —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
poor city water pressure
poor performance of a well pump
a clogged aerator
older galvanized steel supply piping in the house
a partially closed main shutoff valve
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 17
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
84. Sweating toilets —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
are unusual
are worse if the toilet runs continuously
should not be insulated
should be fed with hot water
will rust the flush mechanism and flush valve
85. Common bathtub problems include all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
leaks
rust
cross connections
not level
missing vacuum breaker
86. Enclosures around bathtubs and shower stalls are typically all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
ceramic tile
marble
acrylic
smooth, easy to clean and nonporous
unlikely to allow leakage
87. The lowest quality shower stall base on this list is —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
one-piece fiberglass
three-piece fiberglass
china
mortar bed ceramic
metal
88. Common shower stall problems include all of the following except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
slow drains
leaks
rust
water damage around sills and thresholds
missing overflows
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 18
Copyright 2008 v.1
16 Hour Plumbing – Exam
89. All of the following statements are true about whirlpool baths except —
a.
b.
c.
d.
whirlpool baths may hold more water than a conventional bathtub
whirlpool baths may exert a significant load on the floor system
whirlpool baths may require a lot of hot water
there are health concerns surrounding whirlpool baths related to stagnant water in the
circulation piping system
e. whirlpool baths are designed to have the pump operated with no water in the tub
90. Which of the following is least likely to have a cross connection?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
outside hose bibb
bidet
shower stall
water softener connection
extendable faucet at the kitchen sink
Champions School of Real Estate
page - 19
Copyright 2008 v.1