Quality Issues of Prefabricated Panel Buildings

Quality issues of prefabricated panel buildings mainly include insufficient seismic performance, poor sound insulation and thermal insulation, difficulty in adjusting internal structures, water seepage risks, and aging phenomena, among others. Improper renovations can further exacerbate these problems.

1. Insufficient Seismic Performance
   Prefabricated panel houses primarily use cement as their main material, and although steel reinforcement is added, their overall seismic resistance is weak. Their structure relies on the assembly of prefabricated components, with limited strength at connection nodes. In natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods, there is a risk of component detachment or complete collapse, making their safety significantly lower than that of modern seismic-resistant buildings.

2. Poor Sound Insulation and Thermal Insulation
   The limited thickness of prefabricated panels and the presence of gaps between components result in inadequate sound insulation, allowing sounds from neighbors' daily activities to easily penetrate the walls. Additionally, cement is a highly heat-conductive material, making it prone to absorbing heat in summer and losing heat quickly in winter, necessitating reliance on air conditioning or heating to maintain a comfortable temperature, leading to high energy consumption.

3. Difficulty in Adjusting Internal Structures
   The walls of prefabricated panel houses are mostly load-bearing structures, and their removal or modification may compromise overall stability. For example, randomly cutting holes or removing walls can lead to the failure of component connections and even trigger collapse, limiting residents' ability to customize their living spaces.

4. Water Seepage Risks
   As the service life increases, cement components may develop cracks due to thermal expansion and contraction, foundation settlement, and other factors, leading to the expansion of gaps between components. Rainwater or domestic water can easily penetrate through these cracks to the lower floors, causing mold on walls and ceiling脱落 (ceiling peeling), affecting living safety and the durability of the building.

5. Aging Phenomena
   Most prefabricated panel houses built in the 1970s-1990s have approached or exceeded their designed service life (30-50 years), exhibiting aging issues such as peeling wall surfaces, wall cracks, and steel reinforcement corrosion. Some houses, due to long-term lack of maintenance, have experienced a decline in structural load-bearing capacity and have even been identified as dangerous buildings requiring timely reinforcement or demolition.

Furthermore, improper renovations can exacerbate quality issues. For example, indiscriminately knocking down load-bearing walls can compromise structural integrity, while prolonged water leakage without treatment can accelerate component corrosion. These actions directly threaten building safety and shorten the service life.