Term
| what are the Minimum Property Standards (MPS)? |
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Definition
| which is a set of HUD regulations, establish certain minimum standards for buildings constructed under HUD housing programs. This includes new single-family homes, multi-family housing and health care type facilities. |
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Term
| Interstate Land Sale Full Disclosure Act |
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Definition
| This program protects consumers from fraud and abuse in the sale or lease of land. In 1968 Congress enacted the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act, which is patterned after the Securities Law of 1933 and requires land developers to register subdivisions of 100 or more non-exempt lots with HUD and to provide each purchaser with a disclosure document called a Property Report. The Property Report contains relevant information about the subdivision and must be delivered to each purchaser before the signing of the contract or agreement. |
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Term
| National Electric Code – The National Electrical Code (NEC) |
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Definition
| is a United States standard for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment. It offers minimal guidelines and standards. It is part of the National Fire Codes series published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). While the NEC is not itself a U.S. law, NEC use is commonly mandated by state or local law. |
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Term
| Americans with Disabilities Act – ADA |
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Definition
| mandates that persons with disabilities have equal access to jobs, public accommodations, government services, public transportation and telecommunications. It prohibits discrimination in the "full and equal enjoyment of goods and services" provided by public places, including hotels, shopping centers and offices, and it applies to the lease and operation of commercial facilities. |
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Term
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Definition
Construction is also subject to environmental regulations. Most legislation is overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Applicable legislation includes the following:
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 –This act requires that an environmental impact statement be filed with the appropriate state or local agency before implementing any new construction or development. This procedure helps to ensure that the proposed project will not have a negative impact on the environment. |
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Term
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Definition
A septic system is an onsite system designed to treat and dispose of domestic sewage. It is used when a sewer line is not available to carry wastes to a sewage treatment plant.
The individual parts of the system are the septic tank, a distribution box, and a leach field. Bacterial action takes place in the septic tank where the end products are mainly water, gases, and undigested material, called sludge that sinks to the bottom of the tank and scum that floats to the top of the tank. The septic tank contains baffles that prevent any scum that floats to the surface and sludge that settles to the bottom from passing out of the tank. The gases that are generated vent to the atmosphere via the plumbing vent system.
From the septic tank, the segregated and relatively clear liquid flows into a small distribution box where it is then distributed to several perforated pipes. These perforated pipes then deliver the liquid to a large soil surface area, called a leach field, or absorption field, for absorption. The soil also acts as a filter to remove any small amounts of solids that may be carried along with the liquid. The sludge in the bottom of the tank must be periodically pumped out and properly disposed of. |
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Term
| What are some of the assurances about construction quality provided to home buyers by federal laws and regulations? |
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Definition
| HUD's Minimum Property Standards provide minimum standards for HUD-regulated single-family and multi-family construction projects. The Interstate Land Sale Full Disclosure Act guards consumers against fraud by requiring developers to disclose relevant information about subdivisions before purchase. The National Electric Code provides standards for wiring and electrical equipment. The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that accessibility standards will be observed in certain types of residential construction. |
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Term
| What are some of the typical requirements for well and septic systems? |
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Definition
| Requirements for wells typically concern placement—for access, freedom from flooding, away from sources of contamination. Requirements for septic systems typically concern proper design, construction, and maintenance; suitable soil; adequate land area. |
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Term
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Definition
Footings
When preparing the site for a structure, the ground itself forms the bed for the structure's foundation. That part of the foundation which transmits loads directly to the soil is called the footing. The purpose of the footing is to spread the load over a greater area to prevent or reduce settling. The footing holds the entire weight of the building. |
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Term
| what are foundation walls? |
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Definition
Foundation Walls
The foundation wall sits on top of the footing and is usually about 8 inches wide and made of poured concrete or concrete blocks. If the area between the foundation walls has been excavated deeply enough to provide head room, then a basement has been created. If the foundation area is only partially excavated, then what results is called a crawl space. |
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Term
| additional information for basements and crawl spaces |
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Definition
| The National Building Code requires that the foundation wall of a basement or crawl space and floors that come in contact with soil be treated for ground and surface water seepage by the placement of a vapor barrier. A vapor barrier is most often a plastic sheet that keeps moisture from passing through a wall. In addition, the local code may require that the vapor barrier and/or the area beneath be treated for termites. This requirement is dependent on local conditions. |
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Term
| what is slab on grade construction? |
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Definition
When the ground at a building site is level, the developer can use a slab-on-grade foundation. The slab is probably the easiest foundation to build. It is a flat concrete pad poured directly on the ground. It takes very little site preparation, very little formwork for the concrete and very little labor to create. It works well in warmer climates, but it has problems in the north because the ground freezes in the winter. At worst, this freezing can shift the slab. And it can result in cold floors in the winter.
Around the edge of the slab, the concrete forms a beam that is perhaps 2 feet deep. The rest of the slab is 4 or 6 inches thick. A 4-inch or 6-inch layer of gravel lies beneath the slab. A 4-millimeter sheet of plastic lies between the concrete and the gravel to keep moisture out. Embedded in the concrete is 6-inch by 6-inch wire mesh and steel reinforcing bars. This kind of foundation is often referred to as a floating slab. It "floats" on the soil, with the deeper concrete around the edge holding it in place. In northern climates, the concrete around the edge has to extend deep enough to remain below the frost line in winter. |
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Term
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Definition
Wood framing refers to the framework of the structure. The exterior framing must be large enough and strong enough to support floor and roof loads. The walls must also resist lateral wind loads and, in some locations, earthquake forces.
The pieces of wood that are used in this framing are called studs.
These same size studs when used horizontally to frame floors and ceilings are called joists. Studs used to frame the roofing system are called rafters. |
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Term
| what is platform frame construction? |
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Definition
| There are three main types of frame construction used by builders. In platform-frame construction, first floor joists are completely covered with sub-flooring to form a platform upon which exterior walls and interior partitions are erected. This is the type of construction most generally used in home building. |
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Term
| what is balloon-frame construction? |
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Definition
| In balloon-frame construction, exterior wall studs continue through the first and second stories. First floor joists and exterior wall studs both bear on the anchored sill. This type of construction is not widely used today. |
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Term
| what is post beam construction? |
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Definition
| In post and beam construction, wider beams are spaced up to eight feet apart. Floors and roofs are covered with 2-inch planks. These serve as subflooring and roof sheathing, and, where tongue-and-grooved planking is used, provide an attractive finished floor and ceiling. The ends of the floor and roof beams are supported on posts which provide the wall framing. Supplementary framing between posts permits attachment of wall sheathing and exterior sidings. |
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Term
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Definition
| Floor framing consists of a system of sills, girders, joists or floor trusses and sub-flooring that provides support for floor loads and gives lateral support to exterior walls. |
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Term
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Definition
| A sill plate is a wooden support member that is laid on top of and bolted to the foundation wall. This sill plate serves as the base for the wall framing. The sill plates are the first part of the frame to be set in place. |
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Term
| How are floors supported? |
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Definition
| The floors of the building are supported by a series of joists. The distance between an opposing pair of outside walls is usually too great to be spanned by just one joist. So, when two or more joists are required to cover the span, support is provided for the joist ends by girders or support beams. These beams or girders can be made of steel or can be several wooden members fastened together. Sometimes the main floor beam of the structure is supported by lally columns. These are steel cylinders filled with concrete. The lally columns are placed in the crawl space or basement and adjusted to the correct height. Their spacing is determined by the size and material of the main floor beam. |
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Term
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Definition
| A rafter is a structural member which supports the roof of the building. Carpenters build rafters to frame the pitch or slope of the roof. The roof ridge beam is the highest part of the frame and forms the top line of the roof. The rafters are attached to the ridge beam at the peak of the roof. |
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Term
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Definition
| The roof sheathing is made up of wood structural panels or 1-inch board lumber which provides a solid base for roof coverings. Structural panels are manufactured in various thicknesses and are usually 4'x 8' in surface dimension. Recommended spans, spacing between panel edges, and the board thickness are stamped on the panel face. Structural panels are installed with the long dimension perpendicular to rafters and with the panel continuous over two or more spans. |
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Term
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Definition
| Those walls that support the ceiling and the roof are called bearing walls. Non-bearing walls are part of the interior framework and do not support the building itself. |
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Term
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Definition
| Headers are required at window and door openings to carry vertical loads across the opening. Headers may be supported by doubled studs or, where the span does not exceed 3 feet, framing anchors may be used with single supporting studs. Headers are also known as lintels. They support the ceiling and the roof over the doors and windows. |
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Term
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Definition
| When roof rafters are installed, they typically extend beyond the structure walls to form an overhang. The overhangs are called eaves. Eaves are the lowest part of the roof. |
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Term
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Definition
| a thin impermeable material called flashing to prevent water penetration and/or provide water drainage between the roof and the walls. Flashing is often installed over exterior door openings and windows as well. |
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Term
| what is fascia and soffit? |
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Definition
| The term fascia is used to describe the vertical "fascia board" which caps the end of rafters outside the building. The fascia can be used to hold the rain gutter. The finished surface below the fascia and rafters is called the soffit. |
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Term
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Definition
| The high resistance of wood frame construction to hurricane, earthquake and other natural forces is provided when wood sheathing is nailed to the outside edges of exterior wall studs, plates and headers. Wall sheathing includes plywood, particleboard and other structural panels such as wafer-board, oriented-strand board, structural insulation board and one-inch board lumber. This sheathing must be applied in strict accordance with manufacturer's nailing requirements to provide a rigid, yet resilient, wood frame system. Some structural panels function as both sheathing and siding. Siding can also be metal or vinyl. |
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Term
| what is used for interior wall finishing? |
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Definition
| For interior wall finishing, contractors use plasterboard, wallboard, drywall, or sheetrock. |
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Term
| what is the R-value or R-factor? |
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Definition
| he R-value or R-factor is the degree or resistance to the heat transfer. The R-value of a surface determines how quickly heat is conducted across it. The larger the R-value, the greater the insulation value. Exterior walls will usually use insulation with an R-value of 13, floors and crawl spaces R-19, attics R-30 or higher. |
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Term
| name different types of insulation |
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Definition
Loose fill - Includes loose fibers or fiber pellets that are poured or blown into building cavities or attics using special equipment.
Batts and blankets - Made of mineral fiber -- either processed fiberglass or rock wool -- and used to insulate below floors, above ceilings, and within walls.
Rigid board - Made from fiberglass, polystyrene, or polyurethane and used for work on flat roofs, on basement walls and as perimeter insulation at concrete slab edges, and in cathedral ceilings.
Spray foam - Two-part liquid containing a polymer and a foaming agent sprayed through a nozzle into wall, ceiling, and floor cavities.
Reflective - A metallic foil material (usually aluminum) designed to block radiant heat transfer across open spaces. |
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Term
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Definition
| supports entire weight of structure |
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Term
| what is a sill plate and what does it do? |
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Definition
| A sill plate is a wooden support member that is laid on top of and bolted to the foundation wall. This sill plate serves as the base for the wall framing. |
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Term
| What are the three types of frame construction? |
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Definition
Platform
Balloon
Post and Beam |
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Term
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Definition
| Ventilation is the intentional movement of air from outside a building to the inside. Ventilation air is that air used for providing acceptable indoor air quality. When people or animals are present in buildings, ventilation air is necessary to dilute odors and limit the concentration of carbon dioxide and airborne pollutants. Ventilation air is often delivered to spaces by mechanical systems which may also heat, cool, humidify and dehumidify the space. Many heating and cooling systems are referred to as HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems. Ventilation systems have exhaust fans and ducts to remove stale air from the building, while introducing fresh air to replace what has been exhausted. |
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Term
| name a few different heating systems |
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Definition
| Residential heating systems typically fall into one of these categories: hot water, steam, forced air or electric. |
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Term
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Definition
| Hydronics is the name for the use of water as the heat-transfer medium in heating and cooling systems. Some of the oldest and most common examples are steam and hot-water radiators. In any hot water system, the water is heated in a boiler and circulated by means of one or more circulator pumps. A system may be broken up into individual heating zones using either multiple circulator pumps or a single pump and electrically operated zone valves. |
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Term
| what is a steam system for heating? |
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Definition
Steam Systems
A steam system delivers steam to radiators or other heating elements where the steam gives up its heat and is condensed back to water. The radiators and steam supply pipes are pitched so that gravity eventually takes this condensed water back down through the steam supply piping to the boiler where it can once again be turned into steam and returned to the radiators. |
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Term
| what is a forced air heating system? |
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Definition
Forced Air
Forced air heating is probably the type most commonly installed in North America. The three types of air furnaces are electric, oil-fired, and gas-fired. A forced-air system draws room air through ductwork and a filter into a furnace, where the air is heated. The warmed air is then blown back to rooms through ductwork. The system includes an air filter, blower, heat exchanger/element/coil, and various controls. Like any other kind of central heating system, thermostats are used to control forced air heating systems. |
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Term
| what is an electric heating system? |
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Definition
Electric Heat
Electric heating in homes is usually in the form of baseboard heaters along the walls of a room, although it can be in the form of a heat pump (which we'll talk about on an upcoming page). Electric heating has several advantages: it can be precisely controlled to allow a consistency of temperature within very narrow limits; it is cleaner than other methods of heating because it does not involve any combustion; it is considered safe because it is protected from overloading by automatic breakers; it is quick to use and to adjust; and it is relatively quiet. |
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Term
| Venting Requirements for plumbing include |
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Definition
| Water and wastes are carried from the kitchen, laundry and bathroom fixtures through a system of pipes that lead to the main structure drain. A venting system is made up of pipes that allow air to flow to and from the drainage system. The vent system allows gases and odors to circulate up through the system and escape into the outside air. Every plumbing fixture should be connected to a vent pipe that leads to a roof vent pipe. The local building code dictates the venting requirements. |
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Term
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Definition
| Voltage is a measure of how much pressure the electrons in a circuit are under. |
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Term
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Definition
| Amperage is a measure of the amount of electrons moving through the circuit. |
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Term
| what is amperage calculated in? |
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Definition
| Amperage is calculated in watts or kilowatts and the amount needed depends on the electric usage projected for the building. |
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Term
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Definition
| A fuse is a protective device containing a wire that melts and breaks the circuit when the current exceeds a certain value. |
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Term
| what is a circuit breaker? |
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Definition
| A circuit breaker is an automatic switch that stops the flow of electric current in a suddenly overloaded or otherwise abnormally stressed electric circuit. Circuit breakers "trip." Unlike fuses, they don't need to be replaced, just reset. |
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Term
| aluminum vs copper wiring for electrical |
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Definition
Aluminum versus Copper
Aluminum wiring is used where the current is the heaviest, usually where the current comes into the building. It is also used for heavy appliances, such as dryers and air conditioners. Aluminum wiring has been known to cause overheating in outlets and switches that are not designed for use with aluminum wire, so older buildings should be inspected to be sure there are no potential wiring problems. Copper wiring does not overheat and it can carry both large and small loads. Most new buildings have copper wire throughout, except at the service entrance where aluminum is still used. |
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Term
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Definition
| BX cable is technically known as armored cable or "AC." It has a flexible aluminum or steel sheath over the conductors and is fairly resistant to damage. |
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Term
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Definition
| Romex is a brand name for a type of plastic insulated wire, sometimes called non-metallic sheath. The formal name is NM. This cable is suitable for use in dry, protected areas that are not subject to mechanical damage or excessive heat. Most new homes are wired almost exclusively with NM wire. |
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Term
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Definition
| A pipe made from plastic, steel or aluminum that is used for protection and routing of electrical wiring, conduit can be used for both above ground and underground applications. |
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Term
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Definition
| This is a type of flexible metal conduit (FMC) similar to armored cable, except that the conductors are installed by the electrician. With armored cable, the armor is wrapped around the conductors at the factory to form a complete cable assembly. FMC is often referred to as Greenfield after the person who submitted the product for listing in 1902. FMC is not suitable for wet locations and it should not be buried underground or in concrete. It is easy to use and work with in small, confined spaces. |
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Term
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Definition
The National Electric Code covers the installation of electrical conductors, equipment, and optical fiber cables for the following:
Public and private buildings, structures, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, and floating buildings
Yards, lots, parking lots, carnivals, and industrial substations
Installations of conductors and equipment that connect to the supply of electricity
Installations used by the electric utility, such as office buildings, warehouses, garages, machine shops, and recreational buildings, that are not an integral part of a generating plant, substation, or control center |
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Term
| What is the most common type of heating system in North America and how does it work? |
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Definition
| A forced-air heating system is the most common. It draws room air through ductwork and a filter into a furnace, where the air is heated. The warmed air is then blown back to rooms through ductwork. |
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Term
| What are the two types of heat pumps available? |
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Definition
| Air source and ground source |
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Term
| Name three types of pipes used in plumbing systems. |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the difference between voltage and amperage? |
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Definition
Voltage is a measure of how much pressure the electrons in a circuit are under.
Amperage is a measure of the amount of electrons moving through the circuit. |
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Term
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Definition
| measure amount of energy needed to raise (or remove) heat of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit; used for both heating and cooling systems |
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