How Close Is Too Close to Power Lines?

The property you've fallen in love with has everything you want: open floor plan, updated kitchen, beautifully landscaped lawn. But it’s located near high-voltage power lines, and that’s risky. Right?

The belief that living near power lines is dangerous has been around for generations. In fact, many researchers have studied whether proximity to power lines might be the cause of leukemia and other cancers, abnormal heart rhythms, miscarriages, low birth weight and birth defects; the results of those studies have been mixed.

A 2006  Medical College of Wisconsin review of studies on the subject revealed that:

• 46 percent of those studies found exposure to power frequency fields had no effect on subjects.
• 22 percent found that exposure resulted in DNA damage.
• 32 percent of the studies were inconclusive.

The same Wisconsin review concluded that even those studies that do show an association between cancer and power lines don’t provide consistent guidelines as to what distance or exposure level might be associated with increased cancer incidence.

If you are concerned about electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) emitted by a power line or substation near your home, you should contact your local power company to schedule an on-site reading. You can also measure EMFs yourself with a gaussmeter or magnetometer.

If you’re house hunting and the thought of buying a property near high-voltage power lines gives you pause, you might think ahead to how it will affect your ability to sell the home in the future.

Long Beach, CA real estate agent Daniel Kim says power lines are an instant turnoff for some home buyers.

“As soon as they get out of the car, they’ll tell , ‘Um, no thank you,’” he said, noting that resale value is a key consideration but not as important as your own peace of mind. “If you are going to worry every time you look up at the power lines and hear some crackling, then I'd say pass on the property and buy somewhere else.”

Related:

• How to Choose the Right Kitchen Floor
• Cheapest DIY Flooring Options
• Do You Need a Locksmith to Rekey Your House?

Mary Boone is a freelance writer for Zillow Blog. Read more from her here.