standard: often used to mean InterNACHI’s Standards of Practice for Inspecting Commercial Properties.

static pressure: Condition that exists when an equal amount of air is supplied to and exhausted from a space. At static pressure, equilibrium has been reached.

steep-slope roof: A roof having a slope of 3:12 or greater.

step-across distance: the distance from the topmost inner rung, cleat, or step to the nearest edge of the structure, building, platform or equipment accessed from the ladder, as measured from the ladder’s centerline.

steps: a flat crosspiece of a ladder on which the user steps to climb up and down.

sterilizer: One of three groups of antimicrobials registered by EPA for public health uses. EPA considers an antimicrobial to be a sterilizer when it destroys or eliminates all forms of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and their spores. Because spores are considered the most difficult form of a microorganism to destroy, EPA considers the term sporicide to be synonymous with “sterilizer.”

storefront: a non-residential system of doors and windows typically at ground-floor level of a commercial building.

structural component: a component that supports the building’s dead and live loads.

structure: an assemblage of various systems and components that function as a whole.

stud: One of a series of wood or metal vertical structural members placed as supporting elements within walls and partitions.

stud framing: A building method that distributes structural loads to each of a series of relatively lightweight studs (contrasted with post-and-beam construction).

subject property: the commercial property that is the subject of the inspection.

substrate: A part or substance that lies beneath a roof element or component and supports another element or component of the roof.

suggested remedy: an opinion offered as to a course of action to repair a deficiency.  Suggested remedies are outside the scope of a commercial inspection.

Summary Style Report: A report reporting style for multi-family properties that combines the findings of the multiple units and presents the issues in a concise format.

sump: a tank or pit that receives sewage or wastewater that is typically located below the drain system, and so must be emptied by mechanical means.

sump pump: an automatic water pump powered by a motor and typically controlled by a float for the removal of wastewater from a sump pit.

system: an assembly of various components which function as a whole.

tapered insulation: Pre-cut or pre-molded insulation designed to provide a positive slope for adequate drainage to the roof deck before the membrane is installed.

technically exhaustive: a comprehensive and detailed examination beyond the scope of a commercial property inspection that might involve, but would not be limited to: specialized knowledge or training, special equipment, measurements, calculations, testing, research, analysis, meters, scaffolding, dismantling, probing or troubleshooting; also, where the cost of obtaining information or the time required to conduct a portion of the inspection and prepare that portion of the inspection report could outweigh the likely usefulness of the information obtained, or could be detrimental to the orderly and timely completion of the client’s transaction.

tensile stress: The opposite of compressive stress, it is the stretching force applied on an object.

thermal cycling: A term used to describe recurring expansion and contraction of building materials from temperature fluctuations.

thermal insulation: Any material that is highly resistant to heat transmission that, when placed inside the walls, ceilings and floors of a structure, reduces the rate of heat flow.

thermal movement: The measured amount of dimensional change that a material exhibits as it is warmed and cooled.

thermoplastic: A material that can be repeatedly softened when heated and hardened when cooled, such as TPO and PVC.

thermoset: A material that, once cured or vulcanized, cannot be softened to bond with itself or reshaped, such as EPDM.

thermostat: an automatic control device used to maintain temperature at a set point.

thimble: the tube or lining through a wall that a connector passes through to enter a flue or that a flue passes through to exit a roof.

through-ladder: a type of fixed ladder that requires the user to step between its side rails in order to dismount at the top.

tilt-up construction: A form of construction in which concrete slabs (wall panels) are formed on the ground adjacent to the final design location. Once the concrete reaches its specified strength, the slabs are vertically lifted to the final installation location and fixed to a foundation slab or edge beam.

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