[Post-earthquake health checkup of old houses in Taipei] Is it safe if the walls are not cracked after the earthquake? Water and electricity experts teach you three ways to troubleshoot "hidden pipe leaks in the wall" and the risk of loose gas pipes
🇹🇼 Looking for the Chinese version of this article?切換至繁體中文版 →

[Post-earthquake health checkup of old houses in Taipei] Is it safe if the walls are not cracked after the earthquake? Water and electricity experts teach you three ways to troubleshoot "hidden pipe leaks in the wall" and the risk of loose gas pipes

✍️ SOSfix Technical Engineering Team⏱️ 5 min read📅 Published: 2026-09-09T09:29:46+08:00

Invisible killer after the earthquake: Why is the wall not cracked, but the water pipe may be leaking?

Taiwan is located at the junction of tectonic plates. The proportion of old apartments in the greater Taipei area is extremely high, especially in old community groups such as Banqiao, Zhongyonghe, Xindian and Daan. There are many apartments that are more than 30 years old. When a strong earthquake occurs, the building structure will undergo slight twisting and displacement that is difficult to detect with the naked eye. Although the beams and columns appear to be intact on the outside, old water supply pipes (such as galvanized iron pipes or PVC plastic pipes commonly used in the early days) buried in brick walls or concrete shear walls are often torn at pipe joints and elbows due to lack of elasticity. This kind of tiny leakage will not be noticeable for a short time. After a few weeks or months, mold spots will begin to appear on the wall, or water will leak through the floor and drip onto the ceiling of the neighbor downstairs, often causing corrosion of steel bars and serious structural damage. For investors or commercial buyers who plan to buy a house to live in or renovate (flip) an old house, damage to hidden pipes after the earthquake is an easy financial landmine and source of disputes over neighbor damage when assessing the value of assets.

The first step: Insulation water cutoff "water meter pointer micro-movement test method"

When plumbers conduct non-destructive leak detection, the most basic and scientific method is to observe the water meter. The first step in the independent investigation is to turn off all water outlets in the home, including kitchen and bathroom faucets, shower valves, and the water inlet triangle valve behind the toilet, and temporarily turn off household appliances that automatically replenish water, such as water heaters and ice machines. At this time, go to the top or first floor of the building to find your water meter. Observe carefully the small red triangular pointer in the center of the water meter dial (the micro flow rate indicator). If the triangular pointer is still rotating slowly even when there is no water at all, or the pointer scale recorded every half hour increases, it means that there is a continuous leak in the pipeline from the water meter to the indoor water outlet. At this time, you should immediately ask a professional water and electricity company to bring pressure detection equipment for segmental positioning.

The second step: Hidden pipe water pressure pressurization and pressure drop detection method

To thoroughly diagnose the integrity of hidden water pipes in the wall, hydropower projects will use "pressure drop testing". The construction steps are to first remove all indoor water supply terminals, install air-tight plugs, and install precision pressure gauges at the water outlets. Then use a pressure test pump to inject clean water into the pipeline, pressurize it to 1.5 to 2 times the daily water supply pressure (about 5 to 7 kg/cm2), then close the pressure valve and wait for 20 to 30 minutes. If the scale of the pressure gauge drops, you can be 100% certain that the pipe section is damaged. For earthquake-proof repairs of old houses, the current industry standard is to replace fragile old pipes with "stainless steel crimped pipes" (cold water pipes) and "coated insulated stainless steel crimped pipes" (hot water pipes). Their metal toughness and seismic strength are much higher than traditional plastic pipes. They are also an important bonus for commercial investors to significantly increase the value of mechanical and electrical assets when raising house valuations and packaging disaster-proof homes.

The third step: troubleshooting of loose gas pipelines and anti-shock automatic shut-off valves

In addition to water pipes, gas pipes and water heater joints are more dangerous after the earthquake. Strong earthquake shaking often causes the metal bellows joint under the water heater or the kitchen gas rubber hose to become slightly loose at the connection point. Water and electricity experts suggest that after an earthquake, soapy water should be applied to all exposed gas pipeline joints, explosion-proof hoses and Cock switches. If small bubbles continue to appear, it means that a small amount of gas is leaking. Many apartments in the greater Taipei area still use traditional natural gas meters. It is recommended to install a "microcomputer self-recording safety gas meter" during water and electricity repairs. When an earthquake of magnitude 5 or above or abnormal flow is detected, the computer will automatically cut off the gas immediately. For a large number of landlords or property purchasers who own old houses for rent, upgrading microcomputer gas meters and anti-seismic pipes is the best risk control strategy to reduce insurance premiums and protect commercial assets from secondary fires.

🇹🇼 Expat Living Note: Home Repairs in Taiwan

If you are an international resident renting an apartment in Taipei, New Taipei, or anywhere in Taiwan:

  • Voltage & Electrical Safety: Taiwan standard household voltage is 110V (60Hz). Do not plug 220V imported European/UK appliances directly without a certified step-up transformer.
  • Plumbing Terminology: Local plumbers are called 水電 (Shuǐdiàn) and handle both water and electrical repairs.
  • Landlord Obligations: Under Article 429 of Taiwan Civil Code, landlords are legally responsible for repairing natural wear and tear (such as hidden wall pipe leaks, water heater faults, or booster pump failures) unless explicitly waived in your lease.

Recommended English Guides

[Water leakage from window frames during typhoon and rainstorm] Are the windows spraying water during the violent storm? Experts in water, electricity and waterproofing teach you three-step emergency water drainage, silicone waterway plugging and a solution for water seepage in double-north window frames.
[Water leakage from window frames during typhoon and rainstorm] Are the windows spraying water during the violent storm? Experts in water, electricity and waterproofing teach you three-step emergency water drainage, silicone waterway plugging and a solution for water seepage in double-north window frames.
[2026 Disaster Prevention Alert] Extreme weather is coming! Have you checked the three water and electricity blind spots that are most likely to "collapse" in Shuangbei old houses?
[2026 Disaster Prevention Alert] Extreme weather is coming! Have you checked the three water and electricity blind spots that are most likely to "collapse" in Shuangbei old houses?
[Diagnosis of drainage culverts after earthquakes] Did the earthquake cause misalignment and leakage of drainage pipes in buildings? How to use pipe endoscopes for non-destructive testing and repair methods for water pipes in Shuangbei Apartment without demolition of walls
[Diagnosis of drainage culverts after earthquakes] Did the earthquake cause misalignment and leakage of drainage pipes in buildings? How to use pipe endoscopes for non-destructive testing and repair methods for water pipes in Shuangbei Apartment without demolition of walls