Health Concerns for living near High Volt lines......any thoughts?

CU Tiger · 02-15-2009, 05:12 PM

Ive researched this too much to discuss.
Just looking for some other folks to throw an opinion out I may have missed.

The wife and I have been looking for a new home and found what we would only call our dream house, with 1 exception...right outside are high volt high tension lines running overhead...not directly oveer the house but 50 yards or so in front and on "our property"

With two kids the published data on both sides about leukemia seem relevant as do other studies we have read.

This is a "once in a lifetime" type deal if not for this fact but if we are risking our kids (and to a lesser extent our) health then it is a mute point.

Thoughts?

RPI-Fan · 02-15-2009, 05:21 PM

I actually did a fair amount of research on this type of thing (actually cell phone towers, but came across a lot of info on high-voltage lines) at my job last summer. The conclusion I reached (as applied to myself) is that, based on the available empirical evidence, while I wouldn't worry about living near a cell phone tower, I would NOT live under power lines.

Logan · 02-15-2009, 05:42 PM

Obviously I haven't done the research, but the way I see it, there's so much shit you can't protect your kids from as they grow up, but this is something you can. And even if there's only a 0.00000000000001% chance that something bad could be developed, why take that chance?

bulletsponge · 02-15-2009, 05:48 PM

mutants?

flounder · 02-15-2009, 05:49 PM

From the Health Physics Society

Quote:

In conclusion, there are no known health risks that have been conclusively demonstrated in relation to living near high-voltage power lines. But science is unable to conclusively prove that anything, including low-level EMFs, is completely risk free. Most scientists believe that exposure to the low-level EMFs near power lines is safe, but some scientists continue research to look for possible health risks associated with these fields. If there are any risks such as cancer associated with living near power lines, then it is clear that those risks are small.

Buccaneer · 02-15-2009, 05:59 PM

About the same low level risk as radon.

CU Tiger · 02-15-2009, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

About the same low level risk as radon.

I'm not sure is this serious or facetious?

Buccaneer · 02-15-2009, 06:19 PM

Actually serious. About 20,000 have contracted lung cancer through radon exposure, about the same number that may have contracted cancer through EMF. What I assume, and what led to my statement, is that the radon numbers are total numbers, not annual. If not, than I retract.

JonInMiddleGA · 02-15-2009, 06:56 PM

We looked at a house in a similar location, ultimately decided against buying it for reasons related to the house not the power lines. For the right house I'd live beneath a nuclear reactor.

Vegas Vic · 02-15-2009, 07:26 PM

You get more EMF exposure from your household appliances than you get from close proximity to electrical transmission lines. There are many other valid reasons to be concerned, such as the lines and poles being an eyesore, or restricted use of your property due to an easement for the line, but the EMF factor is negligible.

Buccaneer · 02-15-2009, 07:31 PM

EMF regulations are one of the reasons we have not ramped up wind power in the West as much as we could have. There hae been numerous talks about wind farms in the plains of Colorado but the hurdle is building the high voltage lines from there to the Front Range grids. I believe it's the same thing in California too.

flounder · 02-15-2009, 08:49 PM

We tried to buy a house right next to high voltage power lines, but we were ultimately outbid for it. My only health concern was with mowing the acre sized easement.

KWhit · 02-15-2009, 09:04 PM

I wouldn't live under them. I imagine your resale value would be a possible problem.

Desnudo · 02-15-2009, 09:11 PM

I would think that the buzzing noise would be extremely annoying.

CU Tiger · 02-15-2009, 09:56 PM

A few more details...
This is a 1.8 (with roughly .7 acres falling under the power lines while the house and lake access sit off to the side) acre lot with a 3800 sqft lake front home, in a nice subdivision. There is one other home for sale in the entire area. It is 2300 sqft on .3 acres and 125k more. We have an exclusive opportunity due to a relationship with a bank that repo'd the house from the builder after it sat on market for 3 months.

Worse case we make our money back (times 1.5-2x?) in a few years, that said I dont wanna risk my kids health on that fact

SFL Cat · 02-15-2009, 11:16 PM

I wouldn't live near them.

Chief Rum · 02-15-2009, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFL Cat

I wouldn't live near them.

You have said this twice. I am curious about more details on what you find, especially since it seems to go against the link above to the study by the Health Physics Society, whom I would guess has at least some expertise in this area. Not challenging, because I don't have a clue one way or another. Just curious, because you offer nothing really to back it up.

dubb93 · 02-15-2009, 11:54 PM

Unless it destroyed a pretty view or was too loud I wouldn't care in the slightest. Any health studies that I have come across seem to state they have no effect on health whatsoever.

However if you are so worried that it will bother you prehaps you should move on to another house. Nothing will make you more sick than worrying about the lines. Especially if you have convinced yourself that they are going to ruin the life of your child. If thats the case you can't do that to yourself, you have to find another house.

But like I said I have not seen a study(legit one) that suggests they are any worse than normal house hold appliances.

SFL Cat · 02-16-2009, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

You have said this twice. I am curious about more details on what you find, especially since it seems to go against the link above to the study by the Health Physics Society, whom I would guess has at least some expertise in this area. Not challenging, because I don't have a clue one way or another. Just curious, because you offer nothing really to back it up.

As you have mentioned, there is no study, that I know about, that can positively link living near high voltage lines to any kind of illness. That said, I've been close to high voltage equipment on a few occasions and I have always experienced a definite feeling of physical unease (could have been all pscyhosomatic on my part, of course).

So, based on personal and admittedly anecdotal evidence, I'm just saying...I wouldn't do it.

SFL Cat · 02-16-2009, 12:45 AM

Dola...course, if someone establishes a correlation between RF energy from cell phones and brain cancer/tumors...I'd definitely be alarmed if I lived underneath something that produces a much more powerful electromagnetic field.

Logan · 02-16-2009, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubb93

However if you are so worried that it will bother you prehaps you should move on to another house. Nothing will make you more sick than worrying about the lines. Especially if you have convinced yourself that they are going to ruin the life of your child. If thats the case you can't do that to yourself, you have to find another house.

This is a better way of saying what I was going for earlier.

B & B · 02-16-2009, 09:17 AM

Kids like electricity.

JPhillips · 02-16-2009, 11:12 AM

If it's a good investment can you buy and rent it for a couple of years and then sell? From what you've said I don't think you'd be comfortable living there. Like dubb said, if you're constantly worried, and you will be because their isn't enough definitive info one way or the other, it doesn't sound like a good home for your family.

Mustang · 02-16-2009, 11:45 AM

I wouldn't live under power lines just because they look like shit.

Plus, I worry about Electric Zombies and their need to feed off electricity.

JediKooter · 02-16-2009, 01:13 PM

As long as you don't have one of those gizmos from this movie, you should be ok...

dwardzala · 02-16-2009, 02:04 PM

My wife and I actually looked at a house for sale with high voltage lines about 50 yrds off the back of the property. We actually didn't have a concern until we saw the information that was on the counter stating that "there was no issue". Our concern was more about the perception affecting resale value than any health risks.

Given the fact that there are lots of properties on the market now (and likely will be for quite awhile) and you are uncomfortable with the idea, I would pass on this opportunity.

02-15-2009, 05:21 PM	#2
RPI-Fan Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Troy, NY	I actually did a fair amount of research on this type of thing (actually cell phone towers, but came across a lot of info on high-voltage lines) at my job last summer. The conclusion I reached (as applied to myself) is that, based on the available empirical evidence, while I wouldn't worry about living near a cell phone tower, I would NOT live under power lines. __________________ Quis custodiets ipsos custodes?

02-15-2009, 06:56 PM	#9
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	We looked at a house in a similar location, ultimately decided against buying it for reasons related to the house not the power lines. For the right house I'd live beneath a nuclear reactor. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

02-15-2009, 09:56 PM	#15
CU Tiger Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Backwoods, SC	A few more details... This is a 1.8 (with roughly .7 acres falling under the power lines while the house and lake access sit off to the side) acre lot with a 3800 sqft lake front home, in a nice subdivision. There is one other home for sale in the entire area. It is 2300 sqft on .3 acres and 125k more. We have an exclusive opportunity due to a relationship with a bank that repo'd the house from the builder after it sat on market for 3 months. Worse case we make our money back (times 1.5-2x?) in a few years, that said I dont wanna risk my kids health on that fact Last edited by CU Tiger : 02-15-2009 at 10:11 PM.

02-16-2009, 12:45 AM	#20
SFL Cat College Starter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: South Florida	Dola...course, if someone establishes a correlation between RF energy from cell phones and brain cancer/tumors...I'd definitely be alarmed if I lived underneath something that produces a much more powerful electromagnetic field. Last edited by SFL Cat : 02-16-2009 at 12:48 AM.

02-16-2009, 09:17 AM	#22
B & B College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: A sports era long ago when everything didnt require a Nike logo	Kids like electricity. __________________ Nobody cares about Kyle Orton because he's black. -PT

02-15-2009, 05:42 PM	#3
Logan Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: NYC	Obviously I haven't done the research, but the way I see it, there's so much shit you can't protect your kids from as they grow up, but this is something you can. And even if there's only a 0.00000000000001% chance that something bad could be developed, why take that chance?

02-15-2009, 05:48 PM	#4
bulletsponge Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: TX	mutants?

02-15-2009, 05:59 PM	#6
Buccaneer Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Colorado	About the same low level risk as radon.

02-15-2009, 06:19 PM	#8
Buccaneer Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Colorado	Actually serious. About 20,000 have contracted lung cancer through radon exposure, about the same number that may have contracted cancer through EMF. What I assume, and what led to my statement, is that the radon numbers are total numbers, not annual. If not, than I retract.

02-15-2009, 07:26 PM	#10
Vegas Vic Checkraising Tourists Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cocoa Beach, FL	You get more EMF exposure from your household appliances than you get from close proximity to electrical transmission lines. There are many other valid reasons to be concerned, such as the lines and poles being an eyesore, or restricted use of your property due to an easement for the line, but the EMF factor is negligible.

02-15-2009, 07:31 PM	#11
Buccaneer Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Colorado	EMF regulations are one of the reasons we have not ramped up wind power in the West as much as we could have. There hae been numerous talks about wind farms in the plains of Colorado but the hurdle is building the high voltage lines from there to the Front Range grids. I believe it's the same thing in California too.

02-15-2009, 08:49 PM	#12
flounder High School Varsity Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lynchburg, VA	We tried to buy a house right next to high voltage power lines, but we were ultimately outbid for it. My only health concern was with mowing the acre sized easement.

02-15-2009, 09:04 PM	#13
KWhit Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Conyers GA	I wouldn't live under them. I imagine your resale value would be a possible problem.

02-15-2009, 09:11 PM	#14
Desnudo Coordinator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Here and There	I would think that the buzzing noise would be extremely annoying.

02-15-2009, 11:16 PM	#16
SFL Cat College Starter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: South Florida	I wouldn't live near them.

02-15-2009, 11:54 PM	#18
dubb93 Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004	Unless it destroyed a pretty view or was too loud I wouldn't care in the slightest. Any health studies that I have come across seem to state they have no effect on health whatsoever. However if you are so worried that it will bother you prehaps you should move on to another house. Nothing will make you more sick than worrying about the lines. Especially if you have convinced yourself that they are going to ruin the life of your child. If thats the case you can't do that to yourself, you have to find another house. But like I said I have not seen a study(legit one) that suggests they are any worse than normal house hold appliances.

02-16-2009, 11:12 AM	#23
JPhillips Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Newburgh, NY	If it's a good investment can you buy and rent it for a couple of years and then sell? From what you've said I don't think you'd be comfortable living there. Like dubb said, if you're constantly worried, and you will be because their isn't enough definitive info one way or the other, it doesn't sound like a good home for your family. __________________ To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.. - Mr. Rogers

02-16-2009, 11:45 AM	#24
Mustang Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Wisconsin	I wouldn't live under power lines just because they look like shit. Plus, I worry about Electric Zombies and their need to feed off electricity. __________________ You, you will regret what you have done this day. I will make you regret ever being born. Your going to wish you never left your mothers womb, where it was warm and safe... and wet. i am going to show you pain you never knew existed, you are going to see a whole new spectrum of pain, like a Rainboooow. But! This rainbow is not just like any other rainbow, its...

02-16-2009, 02:04 PM	#26
dwardzala H.S. Freshman Team Join Date: Nov 2004	My wife and I actually looked at a house for sale with high voltage lines about 50 yrds off the back of the property. We actually didn't have a concern until we saw the information that was on the counter stating that "there was no issue". Our concern was more about the perception affecting resale value than any health risks. Given the fact that there are lots of properties on the market now (and likely will be for quite awhile) and you are uncomfortable with the idea, I would pass on this opportunity.

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