ICC B1 Exam Prep

ICC B1 Exam Glossary - 40 Terms

Search the terminology pack for Residential Building Inspector. Use these definitions with the study guide and practice questions.

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8d nail
Common nail size specified in IRC fastening schedules for attaching roof sheathing and other framing components.

A

anchor bolt
Embedded or attached fastener used to secure sill plates or structural members to concrete or masonry.
asphalt shingles
Common residential roof covering made of asphalt-saturated mat with mineral surfacing.
ASTM D226 Type I
Material standard for asphalt-saturated organic felt commonly used as roof underlayment.

B

blocking
Short framing pieces installed between structural members to provide support, alignment, or fireblocking.

C

cantilever
Projection of a structural member beyond its support.
ceiling height
Vertical distance from finished floor to finished ceiling used to determine minimum headroom compliance.
clear opening
Actual unobstructed width or height available when a door or window is open.

D

deck
Exterior elevated walking surface attached to or serving a dwelling.

E

egress door
Required exterior door providing a compliant means of escape and access from a dwelling.
end support
Required bearing or blocking beneath the ends of panels or framing members to transfer loads properly.

F

floor joist
Horizontal structural member supporting floor loads.
footing inspection
Inspection performed before concrete placement to verify code compliance of footing size, location, soil, and reinforcement.
foundation base
Bottom supporting portion of a foundation system that distributes loads to soil.

G

grade
Ground level adjacent to a building used as a reference point for code measurements.
grade plane
Reference plane representing the average finished ground level adjoining a building.
guard
Protective barrier required at open-sided walking surfaces when the surface is more than 30 inches above grade.

H

habitable room
Space in a dwelling used for living, sleeping, eating, or cooking, excluding certain utility areas.
hallway
Circulation passage within a dwelling subject to minimum width requirements.
handrail
Graspable rail along stairs required for user support and safety.

I

intermediate supports
Framing members between panel edges where reduced fastener spacing may be permitted.
IRC
International Residential Code governing construction requirements for one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses within its scope.

L

landing
Level platform at the top, bottom, or intermediate point of a stairway.

N

nosing
Projecting front edge of a stair tread beyond the riser below.

O

open-sided walking surface
A floor, deck, landing, or similar surface with exposed edges that may require guards.

P

panel edge spacing
Required distance between fasteners along the edges of sheathing panels.
permit
Official authorization required before performing regulated construction, alteration, repair, or demolition work.
plate section
Individual length of sill or wall plate considered for fastening and anchorage requirements.
porch
Covered or uncovered exterior platform at a building entrance or perimeter.
psf
Pounds per square foot, a unit used to express design loads on building components.

R

rafter
Sloped structural framing member that supports roof loads.
reinforcement placement
Positioning of reinforcing steel within concrete elements according to code and plans.
roof live load
Temporary load on a roof from maintenance workers, equipment, and similar imposed loads, excluding dead load.
roof sheathing
Structural panels or boards attached to roof framing to support roof coverings and transfer loads.

S

sill plate
Wood member anchored to the top of a foundation wall that supports framing above.

T

townhouse
Single-family dwelling unit constructed in a group of attached units extending from foundation to roof.
tread
Horizontal walking surface of a stair step.

U

underlayment
Layer installed beneath roof covering to provide additional weather protection.

W

wall assembly
Complete exterior or interior wall system including framing, sheathing, barriers, and finishes.
weather-resistive barrier
Material installed behind exterior wall covering to resist water penetration into the wall assembly.

About These Definitions

These definitions are loaded from the shared release pack. Use them with the study guide and practice questions to connect vocabulary to exam scenarios.