Do you live near power lines and wonder if you’re exposed to EMF radiation?
The earth and your body both produce electromagnetic fields; however, the level of these EMFs are low. Today’s modern technology generates higher levels of EMFs, and these EMFs have the potential for serious health risks. They’re invisible and don’t make a sound.
If you live by high-voltage power lines or a cell phone tower, there’s a good chance that you’re being exposed to artificial EMFs. Additionally, if you’re having health symptoms, it might be a case of Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS).
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) is a medical definition for individuals with health symptoms directly related to electromagnetic fields. It’s also known as Radiation Sickness, EMF Injured, Electrical Sensitivity (ES), and Microwave Sickness as well as some other names.
Individuals who are experiencing EHS related symptoms can be classified under two categories:
1. Primary EHS Symptoms
- Severe headaches
- Tension headaches
- Pressure in the chest
- Heart palpitations
- Sleep apnea
- Tinnitus
- Fatigue
- Memory loss
- Redness in skin with itching, rashes, and tingling on the arms or face
2. Secondary EHS Symptoms
- Tension and anxiety within the body
- Weak immune system
- Vertigo
- Nausea
- Speech difficulties
- Mood-swings
- Twitching in arms, legs, and fingers
- Depression
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) is the sensitivity of those who are sensitive to electromagnetic fields that results in negative health symptoms impacting daily life. The truth is, a lot of people who are suffering from EHS are not even aware of it.
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
The Electromagnetic spectrum is a graph and scientific name for forms of photon radiation. EMF radiation consists of photons which are light particles, and they travel at the speed of light in a wave-like pattern.
The intensity of energy in these photons is what make up the different forms of electromagnetic radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum. The spectrum is illustrated in a graph by using terms of wavelength, frequency, and energy.
- Wavelength is calculated in meters.
- Frequency is calculated in cycles per second.
- Energy is calculated in electron volts.
How strong an EMF is depends on its frequency and wavelength. The more waves you have with shorter wavelengths, the stronger the energy will be as you go up the spectrum.
Is It Safe To Live Near Power Lines?
The minimum safe distance from a high-voltage transmission power line that produces a magnetic field over household ambient levels is about 800 feet.
You can use your personal EMF detector to see if your home is receiving the EMF radiation.
Power lines in suburban areas would be a little less, and for neighborhood power lines suspended on telephone poles is about 100 feet. In all cases, a lot of this depends on the configuration of the power lines and how much electrical current they carry.
Neighborhood power lines and high-voltage transmission lines both make a radiation hazard; however, the diameter of the power line isn’t the problem. The problem is in the magnetic component, and the intensity of the electromagnetic field where you live is what becomes the problem.
Technology in this sector has made significant strides towards design and construction applications for high-voltage power lines to lower the number of EMFs emitted.
If your home is at least 800 feet from the nearest power line, you should be ok.
Protection From Power Line Radiation
When it comes to EMF protection with radiation from Wi-Fi routers, computers, laptops, and cell phones, it can be pretty straightforward. Keep a safe distance from electromagnetic sources or move a few things around, and you can keep EMF levels within the safety limit.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about protection from strong outdoor sources that there’s no control over like power lines.
When it comes to radiation from power lines attached to high-voltage transmission towers, a more serious approach is required. Electromagnetic fields are odorless and invisible; therefore, they’re not really thought about.
The best way to protect yourself from EMFs if you live near high-voltage transmission tower lines is to:
- Address these concerns with your primary care physician on a regular basis.
- Keep a journal and record symptoms.
- Buy EMF meters and monitor your exposure.
There are a variety of meters that measure different types of EMFs like magnetic fields, radio frequency, and electric fields. The benefit of using these meters is being able to monitor your environment with precise accuracy.
It’s also important to remember that your journal can help a doctor make a diagnosis of EMF symptoms or to see if you have electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). The information that you record in your journal will be invaluable as it will help confirm what types of EMFs you need to worry about.
If you don’t have a meter or are unsure of power line radiation levels in your area, it may be helpful to know that the highest high-voltage power lines (400kv) usually generate less than 0.5 milligauss at 800 feet.
The strongest telephone pole power lines (33kv) usually generate less than 0.5 milligauss at 100 feet; furthermore, most power lines suspended on telephone poles have even a lower voltage, and their EMF range would extend far less.
Power lines can vary in EMFs, so if you live less than 800 feet from tower transmission lines or within 100 feet of telephone pole power lines, it might be a good idea to test the levels of EMF with a low-frequency gaussmeter.
Below are some tips on how to run an EMF test with your gaussmeter and areas that you should test.
- Measure the EMF in areas where you and your family spend a lot of your time like living rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms.
- A good tip for the bedroom is to place the gaussmeter on a pillow.
- Run a test with the mains switched on and one off. This will help you determine how much EMF is coming from your house and how much radiation is coming from the sub-station or power lines.
- Measure the EMF outside as well, especially where you like to sit or where children play.
- Measure the same locations at different times of the day.
- Record all entries.
If your low-frequency EMF meter show less than 0.5 milligauss, there’s no reason to be concerned; however, if your EMF values are above 1.0 milligauss, you have a higher chance of long-term health effects and can experience the symptoms of EHS.
Dirty Electricity
You may have heard of “dirty electricity” at one time or another during your research efforts. Dirty electricity are surges of electrical energy and erratic spikes that travel along building wires and power lines where standard (50-60 hertz) alternating current (AC) should be.
It’s also known as power line EMI, line noise, and electrical noise. Dirty electricity is one of the biggest sources of electro-pollution in schools, businesses, and homes today.
Common sources of dirty electricity:
- Solar power systems
- Multi-Speed Fans
- Hair Dryers
- Blenders and mixers
- Microwave Ovens
- Battery charging devices for tablets, cell phones, etc.
- SMART meters and appliances
- Wi-Fi routers and modems
- Cordless phone systems
- Light dimmer switches
- Fluorescent light tubes and bulbs
- Computers and laptops
- Televisions
- Video game systems
- Printers and scanners
- Music entertainment systems
Dirty electricity is made by a lot of different energy-efficient lights, appliances, electronics, and other devices that operate on electricity. In today’s modern world, it’s more common than ever before because a lot of newer devices don’t use standard AC electricity in its natural state. Instead, they have to manipulate the electrical current in order to operate.
Radiation From Power Lines
One of the most popular questions asked by a lot of people is why does the radiation of transformers and power lines cause such serious health problems? Although the issue has been confirmed and studied for years, it seems to fly under the spectrum.
During the late 1970s, a study was done by two researchers named Wertheimer and Leeper. They studied various children in different locations of the United States and compared multiple factors.
What they found was that an excess of high-voltage electrical current was flowing through areas in Colorado. Children who lived near these areas in Colorado had a higher rate of developing cancer than children who lived in other states.
Reasons why radiation in power lines exist:
- Due to the major expansion in the electrical infrastructure and human population.
- Due to higher power consumption, existing power lines generate higher magnetic fields.
- Due to the radiation emitted by power lines today, it’s waveform is much more intense.
There has been a lot of technological advancements in electronic non-linear devices like AC adapters, fluorescent lamps, inverter air conditioners, electric dimmer switches, photovoltaic systems, and Plasma TVs as well as other devices.
Radiation in power lines will always exist, and so will the need to know more about the hazards of radiation in power lines. Radiation meters are the best way to monitor the EMF levels in your area to confirm any suspicions of health related problems directly linked to the radiation from electromagnetic fields.