What amount of interior chipping, chalking, and peeling paint is considered above de minimis?

• A. Two square feet
• B. One square foot
• C. Three square feet
• D. Five square feet

Answer: (A)

In NSPIRE, de minimis is the small amount of a defect that is tolerated without repair. For interior paint, the key measure is the total area of chipping, chalking, and peeling. The line that separates tolerable from requiring action is two square feet. So, when the affected area reaches two square feet, it is considered above de minimis and would need remediation. Smaller areas (one square foot) stay within the de minimis tolerance, while larger areas (three or five square feet) are also above de minimis, but two square feet is the crossing point the item is testing.