Safety of Prefabricated Panel Houses

The overall safety of prefabricated panel houses is poor, with multiple issues such as weak earthquake resistance, low structural strength, numerous material hazards, and short service life, requiring careful evaluation and handling.

1. Extremely Poor Earthquake Resistance
Prefabricated panel houses have poor integrity, with a lack of firm steel bar connections between panels and between panels and walls, resembling a "house built with building blocks." During an earthquake, the floor panels and walls are prone to instant separation and collapse, without any crack warnings or deformation buffers. The entire panel drops directly, leaving little chance for escape. In historical earthquakes, prefabricated panel houses have had high collapse rates and severe casualties, representing a major flaw in earthquake-resistant design.

2. Fragile Connection Points and Low Structural Stability
Prefabricated panels are simply connected to walls, with no rigid framework (such as ring beams or structural columns) in the panel joints. When the foundation settles or walls crack, the panels are prone to misalignment and loosening. Long-term exposure to wind, sun, and temperature changes can lead to weathering at the connections and steel bar corrosion, significantly reducing strength. After two or three decades in old houses, the floor panels may become precarious, and slight external forces (such as stacking heavy objects or knocking down walls) can trigger a chain reaction of collapse.

3. Substandard Materials and Prominent Load-Bearing Hazards
Non-standard prefabricated panels often use thin steel wires instead of steel bars, with concrete grades that do not meet standards and insufficient thickness, resulting in high brittleness. When overloaded (such as by stacking heavy objects or knocking down floors during renovation), they can break instantly without any warning. Poor-quality panels produced by small workshops further exacerbate safety hazards.

4. Short House Lifespan and Severe Aging Issues
Prefabricated panel houses are typically designed for a lifespan of only 20-30 years. Over time, issues such as wall cracks, ceiling leaks, and structural loosening frequently occur, with many old houses being classified as "dangerous buildings." Repairs are difficult and costly, and it is challenging to fully restore safety.

5. Wall Cracks, Leaks, and Poor Thermal Insulation
The walls of prefabricated panel houses are prone to cracking and discoloration, with severe leaks on the top floor, causing dripping water on rainy days. Sound insulation is poor, and thermal insulation performance is weak, with cold air seeping in during winter and stuffy indoor conditions in summer, resulting in extremely low comfort levels in extreme weather.

6. Illegal Renovations Increase Risks
Unauthorized actions such as removing load-bearing walls, adding floors on the roof, or stacking heavy objects on floor panels can significantly increase the house's load, disrupting the original structural balance and easily triggering safety accidents. Converting residential houses into crowded places (such as shops) further amplifies the risks.