Home Inspection Terms
Home Inspection Glossary home inspections

H-beam: a beam in which the cross section forms an "H'  

habitable room: a room used for living area; this encompasses the bedroom, dinning room, kitchen; as opposed to bathrooms, closets, halls and similar spaces 

handrail: see balustrade 

hard finish: a smooth outer coat of varnish, plaster, or similar finish materials 

hardscape: that portion of landscape composed of bricks, stone, concrete or asphalt.  Mostly intended to be walked on. 

hardware: in construction, the metal accessories, such as doorknobs, hinges, locks, handles, etc. 

hazard: most over describes a condition that something can be dangerous or destructive to mankind's health or his property 

header: a horizontal beam over a wall opening or doorway, fireplace, etc. The header is attached to vertical members, and spreads the weight from above those members. 

hearth: the noncombustible floor just in front of the fireplace opening; utilized to protect from burning embers 

high water line: the highest point of water rising from tides, rivers, drains, etc. 

hip: the convex angle at the exterior meeting of the sides of a hip roof  

hip rafter: the rafter which forms the intersection of a convex roof angle 

hip-roof: a roof with four or more sloping sides which rise to a ridge 

Home Owners Association:   association formed by the builder of condominiums or planned developments, or people to participate and perform certain duties controlled by statute and or agreements 

horizontal: at right angles to the vertical; parallel to level ground 

house sewer: the sewage system from the public sewer outside the property line to and in the house it serves 

humidifier: a unit, usually part of the heating system, which raises the relative humidity in a room or building by the emission of water vapor into the air