Q:

The electrical cable leading from the meter base outside my home to the breaker panel inside the garage passes through the 2×4 frame wall of my daughter’s bedroom. Because of the size and layout of her room, the only place her bed can be positioned is against this wall, which places her head very close to the wires. I’m concerned about exposure to low-frequency electromagnetic (EMF) waves. Is there a health risk in this situation? If so, can we do something to shield her from EMF exposure?

George Paiva, via email, None

A:

Clifford A. Popejoy, a licensed electrician in Sacramento, California, replies: If the wires are in properly grounded metallic conduit, there’s no EMF exposure because the conduit acts as a very effective shield. If the wires are in cable, there is some potential for exposure to EMF. The magnetic fields of the supply and return wires will not cancel each other out completely because of the cable geometry.

While gauss meters are available to measure EMF, there are no government standards and a lot of opinions about the health effects of EMF exposure. If the wires are not in metallic conduit, the solution is to put some distance between the source and your daughter. The strength of the field will diminish as the square of the distance from the source increases. If you move her bed away a little, the strength of the field will decrease a lot.

There are many things you can do to reduce the risk of harm to a young child. In my opinion, installing smoke detectors in the home, eliminating exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, using a seat belt or a child safety seat, and following good nutrition are much higher on the list than reducing exposure to EMF.

For more information, visit www.niehs.nih.gov/emfrapid/booklet/home.htm.