Quality Issues of Prefabricated Houses
The quality issues of prefabricated houses are mainly reflected in several aspects: short design lifespan, problems with thermal insulation, sound insulation, and water leakage, insufficient seismic performance, difficulty in adjusting the internal structure, and high risks associated with demolition and reconstruction due to complex house structures.
Short Design Lifespan: The design lifespan of prefabricated houses is typically around 30 - 50 years. Many of these houses were built in the 1970s and 1980s, and now a large number of them are approaching or have exceeded their intended service lives, showing obvious signs of aging. This directly affects the overall performance and safety of the houses.
Problems with Thermal Insulation, Sound Insulation, and Water Leakage: Prefabricated houses are assembled from cement components, a structural characteristic that results in poor thermal and sound insulation. In summer, indoor temperatures are easily affected by high external temperatures, becoming unbearably hot; in winter, it is difficult to maintain warmth, and heat dissipates quickly. At the same time, the poor sound insulation allows residents to clearly hear their neighbors' voices, affecting the privacy and comfort of living. Over time, cracks appear in the cement components, and the gaps between components increase, significantly increasing the risk of water leakage between floors, causing many inconveniences for residents.
Insufficient Seismic Performance: Prefabricated houses mainly rely on cement construction. Although a certain amount of steel bars are added, their overall seismic capacity still lags significantly behind that of modern buildings. When facing natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods, their safety precautions are clearly inadequate, making it difficult to effectively protect the lives and property of residents.
Difficulty in Adjusting the Internal Structure: Unlike modern commercial housing, prefabricated houses almost do not allow for large-scale modifications. Every wall may be related to the overall structure, making it difficult for residents to customize their living spaces according to personal needs, limiting the flexibility and personalization of living.
High Risks Associated with Demolition and Reconstruction Due to Complex House Structures: The prefabricated panel houses built from the 1990s to the early 21st century have diverse structures, and the difficulty and cost of demolition and reconstruction vary greatly. Pure brick wall or column-plus-prefabricated panel structures have low costs but are prone to water leakage, with high risks associated with demolition and reconstruction, requiring more professional techniques and strict safety measures; cast-in-place beam-column-plus-prefabricated panel and brick wall structures have relatively better quality, but their complex structures result in high costs for demolition and reconstruction, and the impact on surrounding buildings also needs to be considered during demolition.
