Electromagnetic Fields, or EMF, has caused some stir locally, as Dominion Power plans to put up power lines in Western Prince William County. We thought it would be helpful to provide some research about EMF so people can make informed decisions, especially if they are moving into the area.

To start, EMF is the combined energy of electric and magnetic fields that surrounds any electrical device when it’s plugged in and turned on. Some people believe EMF may cause health issues, and they’re particularly concerned with living near power lines. How worrisome are power lines for your health? The United States Environmental Protection Agency has published some information about the safety of EMF.

According to the EPA, experiments have not clearly shown that exposure to EMF increases your risk for cancer. The issue is still being studied by scientists. They also say the strength of the field fades the further you get from the source.

Powerlines and smart meters do emit EMF; however according to the EPA, the fields from power lines have a much lower frequency than other types of EMF like microwaves or radio waves.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Science explains the difference between types of EMFs and which you may have to worry about as a potential health threat. Non-ionizing EMFs are emitted from sources like power lines, microwave ovens, computers, cell phones and Bluetooth devices. Non-ionizing EMFs are defined by the NIH as “low to mid-frequency radiation which is generally perceived as harmless due to its lack of potency.”

The other type of EMFs are ionizing and are emitted from sources like ultraviolet light, some gamma rays and certain x-rays. Ionizing EMFs are defined by NIH as “mid to high-frequency radiation which can, under certain circumstances, lead to cellular and/or DNA damage with prolonged exposure.”

If you happen to live near a power line, the amount of EMFs reaching inside your home will be very small.

NIH says that scientists have performed studies on the effects of EMF exposure to see if it causes disease. They said there were some studies that reported biological effects from EMF exposure, but many biological effects are within the normal range of variation and not necessarily negative health effects.

Both the EPA and the NIH essentially say that while EMFs should continue to be studied to ensure the safety of being exposed to them, there is not enough scientific evidence to say that there is any ill effect on your health from exposure to EMFs from power lines.

We at Jacobson Realty and Home Staging hope this information is helpful. If you would like to know more about our area, feel free to contact us.