Power Lines / Cancer links? Any thoughts?

6BangBronk

6BangBronk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Location
Durham
I'm in the market for a home and seems like everything I find in my price range is near a high voltage power line. I've searched and found an abundance of information for both sides. I don't know what to think? Both results have numerous PhD references / Scientific references and such pointing both directions.
Do you guys think living near Power Lines is a contributor to Leukaemia in children? Or lung cancer due to emissions sticking to electromagnetic fields and inhaled? Or any other related problems?
Seems there's alot of open minded college heads on this forum so I thought I'd pop the question here. The older crowd on my other forums always tends to lead to government cover-ups and such with no facts. Anybody researched this or witnessed any research on this?
Does anybody else live near one and have any comments?
 
I think the big thing was living near a substation not just the powerlines themselves
 
I don't know about if it gives you cancer or not, but if there is a reason you wonder if you should live there or not, I'd say don't buy because if you try to sell, it may be hard to sell because other people are wondering what you are wondering right now.
 
Well, another thought is resale. Whether or not YOU have a problem with it, the next guy to come along might. It can bring down your resale price. If you end up needing to unload in a hurry (or during a buyers market), this can be a problem.

J
 
The answer is, no, no effect.
If you lived 5' from the wire, then maybe. But that thing is very far away from you. EM field is just not that big.
There was a bunch of "research" about this many years ago which was later proven to be falsified.
e.g.,
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpa...7A15754C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

Now, will it bring down the sale value, as mentioend above?
Yes, as proven by the fact that you are asking.

Does this matter?
No.
Well, it depends on why you re buying. Yep, it brings down the resale price - but only compared to what OTHER houses cost, not what you are going to make out of it in the end. Only from what you are paying NOW.
e.g., you're getting a reduced rate now, you will pass that on to the next guy. Your value will still increase at the same rate as all of your neghbors. So it should not hurt you. It just gets you better deal.
Example, house "should be" 100k now. You can get it for 90k due to power line. In 5 years, it "should be" 110k. You will sell for 100k. You have still made 10k.
So if you are buying to have ap lace to live for a long time, and you like the home and don't mind the eyesore of the lines, then go for it. If it it a quick buy and turn around deal, then you might give it more thought.
 
Actually, here's something to think about.
I'm sure somebody can tell us.
When electricall ines are buried, how deeply are they buried? 5'? 10'?
Now, look up at the tower. How high up there is it? It's a lot farther away than that line that's iin the ground. Yet people don't seem to complain about that one.
 
well....

Lines are usually only buried after a transformer, so you are looking at low voltage. High volt High tensile lines are generally 5kV or 15kV.

All that said.
Completely anecdotal.
When we first got married we lived in a small mobile home I rent out now on a piece of land directly under high transmission lines. The EMF field was enough to raise the hair on your neck and arms when you stood under it. My wife (who has suffered from migraines since childhood) had a horrible time with it. She averaged 1 migraine per week for a year and a half. The week we moved they stopped and she now is back to her lifelong average of 8-12/year.

It may or may not have anything to do with the lines, and certainly isnt a scientific study, but just our experience.
 
By Also overhead HV lines are unshielded, hence why power can go out if the lines touch and weld together. Underground lines would be insulated, and of course there is the whole ground issue.

They are required to be a min of 18"s deep, any nick in insulation would dump straight to ground, there is no EMF
 
They can be noisy as heck in high humidity, I do remember that as my high school had HV lines running beside it.
 
Welp, as expected, you guys never sease to amaze me with your out of the box thoughts. I love a group that can pull conversation out of nothing! Shows character.
But mind is set now. Found one with a 4 bay shop / garage and in my price range. So after looking at the shop, the lines overhead just isn't there anymore.:lol:
I can live with it anyways. It's a smaller 5-10 Kh line for it's smaller than the normal lines. It's a dual line running on the smaller metal towers but still big enough for 76' wide easement. The house is 300+ feet away. But the power station is within 1/8 mile as crow flies SE direction. It's located at Falls Lake for those in the area just over Durham County line. I think I'm going to enjoy that area! Just got to find me a boat now...
I have intentions to living there 20+ years at least until I retire. I hate moving. I've lived where I am now for 14. Talk about accumulation factor! The move will be HELL!
But I think the price is right for power line compensations later on.
Thanks for pointing out this stuff ya'll! I feel like I'm much better headed and prepared for the decisions to come now.
:beer:
 
i think as long as you arent eating paint chips, licking lead base paint, or growing mold in your walls you will be ok. Its really up to your preference. One thing i was wondering is doesnt the power company or whoever is erecting the cable towers, do they own that property or rent it to have those towers there? I know if they wanted to build a tower on your house they would pay a great sum to get that land.
 
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