How does someone pass the ICC Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector (64) exam?
ICC examinations are essential for contractors across the United States. Passing a building code intensive examination demonstrates that the inspector is properly trained in their field of expertise and can effectively apply the code to nuisances and code violations. Becoming a certified property maintenance and housing inspector requires applicants to pass an International Code Council (ICC) exam; The entire process requires three basic steps:
1. Learn what the ICC requires for Property Maintenance and Housing Inspectors
The ICC 2018 Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector (64) exam requires the applicant to be knowledgeable in the International Residential Code (IRC), International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) and Legal Aspects of Code Administration. The IPMC is the most commonly adopted model code for maintenance and housing standards. From the IPMC and IRC a Property Maintenance Inspector is responsible for understanding and applying a minimum standard to all properties to ensure safety for occupancy and abatement of nuisances. From these code standards, an examinee must be able to answer questions from the following categories on the exam:
Administration and Legal 22%
Notices and Orders 8%
Determine if a building is unsafe, substandard, or fails to comply with applicable housing codes. Communicate the order with the owner or occupants, notify other agencies as required, and initiate re-inspection and follow-up procedures. Advise affected persons of their right to due process.
Repair, Vacation, and Demolition 4%
Prepare and issue violation notices related to mandatory repair, vacation, or demolition. Communicate the order with the owner or occupants, notify other agencies as required, and initiate re-inspection and follow-up procedures. Advise affected persons of their right to due process. Communicate with contractors and subcontractors as necessary.
Public Information 2%
Provide housing code compliance information to the general public, to landlord and tenant organizations, and to governmental agencies. Provide housing code compliance information pertinent to historic preservation efforts.
Enforcement Process 8%
Gather, maintain and present evidence as necessary to enforce house and property maintenance code provisions, with due consideration for procedural and substantive due process of law. Provide board of appeals testimony and serve as expert witness In prosecution of violations. Ensure that right of entry to private property meets constitutional standards.
Light, Ventilation, and Occupancy 14%
Light and Ventilation 4%
Inspect for compliance with minimum light and ventilation requirements for habitable areas, common hallways, and stairways.
Occupancy 10%
Inspect for compliance with minimum occupancy conditions and use. Inspect for any alterations or additions that may indicate a change of occupancy. Inspect that access to bedrooms and bathrooms is in accordance with the code. Ensure that the area of living and sleeping areas, and that the kitchen area is sufficient for the number of occupants. Ensure that attics, basements and garages are not occupied where prohibited.
Fire and Life Safety 14%
Means of Egress 4%
Inspect the number and maintenance of required exits for safe and adequate egress. Inspect the compliance of bedroom windows which are intended as emergency exits. Verify that security bars over emergency windows are open able as required by code.
Stairs 3%
Inspect that stairs have required tread width, rise, landing and headroom dimensions. Verify that stairs, handrails and guardrails are in sound condition and repair. Verify that handrails and guardrails are provided where required and comply with code. Verify compliance of stairway illumination and egress signs.
Fire Safety 4%
Inspect for the installation and proper maintenance of required smoke detectors. Inspect fire alarms, fire sprinklers and standpipes for maintenance and access. Inspect general visual condition of fire safety systems, informing the proper authority of any painted or damaged sprinkler heads or other components. Verify that portable fire extinguishers are provided and maintained.
Exit Doors 3%
Inspect condition of fire separation walls, ceilings and floors. Verify that all egress doors are operable from the inside without the use of keys. Verify that exit hardware is installed where required, is maintained and unobstructed. Verify that door closers operate properly.
Mechanical 6%
Heating Systems 6%
Verify that habitable occupancies have operational heating systems which are maintained in safe operating condition, and are capable of maintaining minimum room temperatures. Verify that minimum clearances to combustible materials are maintained around furnaces, boilers and fireplaces. Verify that chimneys, appliance vents, combustion air vents, and draft regulators are undamaged and free of debris. Inspect for the proper operation of automatic shutoffs of heating equipment.
Plumbing 10%
Water Supply 2%
Inspect water supply to dwelling units for obvious signs of contamination. Verify that water supply outlets have necessary backflow or cross-flow protection. Verify that fixtures are operable and have an adequate flow of water.
DWV 2%
Inspect exposed area of the drain, waste and vent system for damage or unsanitary conditions. Verify that sanitary drainage system is properly connected to a public system or an approved private sewage disposal system. Inspect for evidence of fouling, clogging, or other maintenance problems. Verify that cleanouts are maintained and accessible. Inspect sump systems (drain tiling) to determine code compliance.
Bathrooms 2%
Verify that dwelling units contain at least one bathroom with a water closet, lavatory, and either a bathtub or shower. Verify that all plumbing fixtures are properly installed and maintained in working order and are free from obstructions and leaks. Verify that bathrooms which are available to the public comply with additional requirements.
Kitchens 2%
Verify that dwelling units contain a kitchen with a sink, have an approved water supply with both hot and cold running water, and have an approved sanitary drain.
Water Heaters 2%
Verify that water heaters in dwelling units are installed in compliance with code requirements, including required clearances. Verify that water heaters have an operable temperature and pressure relief valve and discharge piping to a safe location. Verify that gas water heaters have unobstructed combustion air and undamaged venting, and are installed at the proper height above garage floors.
Electrical 8%
Hazardous Conditions 8%
Inspect the electrical system for sign of physical damage or improper installation or tampering, and for protection of all energized conductors. Verify that mandatory electrical equipment is installed where required, including overcurrent protection and ground-fault circuit protection. Verify that lighting fixtures have adequate clearance from combustibles. Verify that flexible cords and cables are used in an approved manner, and are protected against damage. Verify that electrical service panels are protected and unobstructed. Verify that grounding receptacle outlets installed in older occupancies contain grounding protection as required by code. Verify that the minimum number of electrical outlets are provided.
Property Conditions 26%.
Site Sanitation 4%
Inspect property for compliance with site sanitation ordinances, including installation and maintenance of required site drainage, flooding or nuisance septic tank fields, improper drainage of sanitary sewers, and weed control. Inspect for placement and containment of rubbish and garbage, to determine if code violation exists. Verify that storm drainage does not create a nuisance on adjacent property.
Site Safety 4%
Inspect property for compliance with site safety ordinances. Verify minimum clearances from outside electrical and service entrance wires. Verify that swimming pools are fenced and that self-closing gates are operable. Verify that walkways, exterior steps and driveways are maintained in a safe manner. Check for abandoned water wells and any other hazards which might pose a danger.
Exterior Conditions 6%
Inspect the exterior of dwelling structures for unsafe or unsanitary conditions. Inspect for general maintenance and dilapidation of the exterior surfaces. Verify that exterior decks, porches and balconies are maintained in a safe condition, and contain handrails and guards which are firmly fastened to support normal loads. Inspect integrity of roof coverings and flashings. Verify that basement hatchways are maintained to prevent the entrance of rodents, rain and surface drainage water.
Interior Conditions 6%
Inspect the interior of dwelling structures for unsafe or unsanitary conditions and for compliance with general health and safety ordinances. Inspect that interior surfaces are properly maintained. Inspect for evidence of insect and rodent infestation. Visually check that interior structural elements are unaltered and maintained in a safe condition.
Nuisance Abatement 6%
Inspect property and accessory structures for compliance with nuisance abatement ordinances, including dilapidated or unsecured and vacant buildings. Check for rodent harborage. Check for hazardous storage and the presence of nuisances. Determine if the number and condition of parked, kept or stored vehicles on the premises comply with local ordinances.
2. How to study for the 2018 Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector (64) Test
Knowing how to tackle answering questions from all of the required sections is a daunting task. Practicing answering building code questions is essential for an inspector. In the field, an inspector should be able to answer general questions about occupancy limitations, fire and life safety, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and the associated property standards.
During an exam, test takers must be able to navigate the IRC, IPMC and Legal Aspects of Code Administration fast enough to answer all of the questions within the allowed time of 2 hours. Building Code Masters has several practice exams for inspectors to test their skills and learn the most essential questions and scenarios they will be presented with. Practice tests for contractors can be found through the provided links below:
3. How to take the ICC Property Maintenance and Housing (64) Inspector Exam
When taking a building code examination, it is essential to be able to navigate the code fast enough to find all of the answers in the text. Most ICC examinations are open book and because of this, obscure and hard to memorize material will be included in the exam i.e. large tables and some mathematical formulas. The 2018 Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector (64) exam requires applicants to be able to answer the following questions in the allocated time:
Number of questions: 50
Time limit: 2 hours
This means that examinees will have roughly 2.5 minutes per question. It may appear to be a generous amount of time but some questions will be longer and more in depth than others which requires an examinee to be able to have section locations of the books memorized. Having chapter locations memorized and pacing oneself is the key to passing the exam.
Practice exams from Building Code Masters prepare test takers for the time crunch and memorization of the most important sections of the code. Whether the exam is focused on building, mechanical, electrical, or plumbing, Building Code Masters has all of the study materials available to help test takers learn how to become better educated contractors, building inspectors, plans examiners, and building officials.
For a complete list of practice exams and study materials, CLICK HERE.
