Hazards of Prefabricated Houses

The hazards of prefabricated houses are mainly reflected in poor earthquake resistance, fragile connection points, shoddy materials, poor sound insulation and thermal insulation, difficulty in adjusting the internal structure, high risk of water leakage, short service life, and low structural strength of the houses.

1. Poor earthquake resistance: Prefabricated houses have poor integrity, similar to building with building blocks. The connections between prefabricated panels and walls, as well as between panels, are not strong enough. In the event of an earthquake, the floor slabs and walls can easily separate instantly, and entire prefabricated panels may fall directly, leading to severe house collapse and a high casualty rate.
2. Fragile connection points: The connection method between prefabricated panels and walls is relatively simple, mostly involving overlapping, and the gaps between panels are simply filled without a rigid framework. When the foundation settles or the walls crack, the prefabricated panels will shift and loosen. Over time, the connection points are prone to weathering, steel bars rust, and strength decreases, which may trigger a chain collapse accident.
3. Shoddy materials: The steel bars in regular prefabricated panels are relatively thin, but some small workshops use thin steel wires instead of steel bars to reduce costs. At the same time, the concrete grade does not meet the standards and the thickness is insufficient, resulting in high brittleness of the prefabricated panels. When exceeding their load-bearing capacity, the prefabricated panels will break instantly without any warning. In daily life, stacking heavy objects, knocking on the ground during renovation, and aging over time can all cause the prefabricated panels to suddenly collapse.
4. Poor sound insulation and thermal insulation: Prefabricated houses perform poorly in terms of sound insulation and thermal insulation. The indoor environment is hot in summer and cold in winter, and the voices of neighbors can be clearly heard, seriously affecting the quality of life of residents.
5. Difficulty in adjusting the internal structure: Prefabricated houses almost do not allow large-scale modifications because every wall may be related to the overall structure. This makes it difficult for residents to customize their living space according to personal needs, limiting the comfort and personalization of living.
6. High risk of water leakage: Over time, cracks will appear in the cement components, and the gaps between components will also increase, thereby increasing the risk of water leakage between floors and causing inconvenience to residents' lives.
7. Short service life: The design service life of prefabricated houses is about 30 to 50 years. Most of them were built in the 1970s to 1990s, and many houses are approaching or have exceeded their intended service life, showing signs of aging and posing safety hazards.
8. Low structural strength of the houses: Prefabricated houses are assembled from individual prefabricated panels, lacking firmness and toughness. They often adopt a hollow design, and the number and distribution of steel bars are not as scientific and reasonable as those in cast-in-place houses. Even slight vibrations can cause the joints between floor slabs to loosen, and cracks to increase and expand, eventually leading to the collapse of the entire building. In addition, improper renovation can also easily trigger safety hazards.