Despite my objections, my girlfriend purchased a home for us to live in very close to some high voltage transmission power lines. I took my EMF meter and was getting readings of 3-5 milligauss inside the home and that's without the electricity even being turned on yet which from what I understand may raise the levels even higher. My question is...will that level of EMF cause interference or other problems with my audio card and/or other equipment??

 

I think i'd be more worried about what the EMF might do to myself before i worried about audio problems.

 

I totally agree and tried my best to talk her out of it. Told her there were studies indicating there were links to cancer,fatigue and other illness although nothing conclusive. But what is conclusive is the fact it will affect resale value. We are currently living together and to be honest I have so much worry about living in the home that it may be the end of our relationship. I took readings on the deck and in the backyard and they were so high my meter wouldn't even go that high. She said she is willing to ignore the risks because she is getting a good deal cause she loves the house. However, I don't think I am.

 

Sounds like she loves the house more than you. Sorry.

 

Well i don't know if the presence of high voltage transmission power lines could affect your audio performance. But many years ago i lived in a city right above a bus stop (Electric Bus line) - there i encountered real problems with my audio equipment because every time the bus driver switched on the power to start i was hearing a loud pop sound, short but annoying!! I couldn't stop those interferences, the house was not the newest construction though.

I know there are special materials to help to isolate a home from electric radiations. Use Google to find out about.

I had a girl-friend years ago who lived very close to high voltage power lines, i remember she had sleeping disorders at that time.

Good luck!

 

Yes it can mess with your audio equip. I performed a sound test at an outdoor concert a year ago. It was next to the power line. Like kook said also, my sounds started to make a popping noise.
The only way we avoided it was finding two solar pannels strong enough to power all of the performance equipment. Your audio stuff messes up because your plugged into the wall. If your source is not from the power of the power lines, then you have a better chance of avoiding the mess up. Get me

 

Cmon Kook, ... a girlfriend?? seriously?

 

as far as I know you'll get the pop's every time the power surges. ie. they change generator, large power demad increase in the area (mostly during adverts of popular shows) or when they do maintanence work somewhere involving the lines.

You'll also get a hum, size depends on closeness to the lines, as the power will be inducted into your equipment. Mostly amps will be effected by this also the analogy gear with large transistors.

I must make it clear that I've never lived near powerlines, this is just off what I've found during my electrical & electronic degree, I'm studying small circuits not power stations so there'll be alot of people who know better then me.
Don't know if this'll be any help.

 

Like most everyone said, I'd be more concerned with the health issues

I had a similiar experience with my (ex)girlfriend - with a condo though.
Power lines were directly overhead in the backyard.
She insisted on getting the condo because the price was so low and she "just fell in love with it".
One evening I brought a fluorescent light bulb to the property in my gym bag.
I pulled it when it started getting dark as we were sitting on the balcony.
The bulb glowed a good bit - without being plugged in of course (try it yourself!).
She got really pissed saying I was using a magic trick to try to ruin her dream house.
We broke up over it and she got her parents to help her with financing.

In any case, a few years later she married a friend of mine (another story) and they were living there together.
They have two kids now, both with birth defects.

Probably just a coincidence though, right?
Just sayin'....

Good luck!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tZDor-_co0

 

you can add chicken wire to the walls and ground them to make a Faraday cage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage, this should essentially block EMF from power lines if you use it right. You might also not get any cellphone reception depending on how big or small the holes in the cage are. If you wanted to completely reduce EMF i would make sure to use humX http://www.ebtechaudio.com/humxdes.html
and start to look into ground loop isolation humX is one kind but there are tones of them out there, for RCA jacks 1/4 jacks and even loop isolation for USB plugs and so on. Even though its external EMF from power lines make sure all you equipment is grounded with a 3 prong and if you wan to completely remove it from wall jacks you would need to make sure all 3 prong plugs are properly grounded. The point here is the Faraday Cage is the steel wall for EMF waves just like the mesh on the inside of you microwave door. So you don't have to live with it if you don't want to even if you live under power lines. DEATH TO EMI!!