[Greenbuilding] Smoke detectors and EMF

[Irina Golfman]

Ted,

Indeed, we are constantly exposed to the electromagnetic fields in 
our homes. In the case of our family we try to control what we can. 
No, we do not have a TV, a microwave, electric alarms, or cordless 
phones, but we do use computers and drive cars. This is about making 
an informed choice when we have an opportunity to do so, rather than 
saying "well, I am already exposed to so many things that this one 
isn't even worth considering".

Irina

At 01:11 PM 5/21/2007, Ted Inoue wrote:
>hard wired will produce more because you've got the high voltage line
>coming into the unit. A battery operated unit will have virtually no
>emissions that aren't intrinsic in the circuitry of the detector.
>
>However, if you're worried about that, extremely low level of EMF,
>than I wonder - do you have any of the following in your home?
>electronic alarm clock - contains oscillators that will radiate. Power
>from plug is down-converted by a transformer that will radiate.
>Almost any device plugged into the wall will have a similar
>transformer to step the voltage down and that will radiate.
>Television? Will probably radiate orders of magnitude more than the above
>Telephone? more transformers. Cordless telephone? Constantly
>broadcasting high frequency signals.
>
>Do you have any motors? Those generate lots of elector magnetic field.
>Do you drive a car? Microprocessors and motors all over the place. How
>are you reading your email? Your computer is generating lots of EMI at
>various frequencies.
>
>Oh, and don't forget about light bulbs. Did you know that a typical
>light bulb is an electro magnetic field generator of significant
>proportion? Any time you pass current through a wire, you're creating
>a magnetic field. The more current, the higher the field.
>
>In modern society, you're simply not going to escape being constantly
>bombarded with electromagnetic fields. But then again, most of them
>are trivial when compared to the strength of the earth's own magnetic
>field if you're more than a few inches away from the device.
>
>Please don't take this as a sarcastic attack. I'm just trying to be
>real. Every electronic device is creating magnetic fields but almost
>none is at a significant level.
>
>Also, consider that many people inclined to "natural remedies" are now
>using magnetic wristbands and other magnetic devices claimed to help
>their health. These magnets generate fields vastly more powerful than
>those from typical devices around the home.
>
>
>On 5/21/07, Irina Golfman <irina at inera.com> wrote:
>>Hello everyone,
>>
>>I am trying to figure out if the hard wired or battery operated
>>photo-electric smoke detectors will produce a smaller
>>Electro-Magnetic field. My concern is to create the sleeping quarters
>>that are as free from EMF as possible and it seems that a battery
>>operated smoke detector placed outside a bedroom door would be better
>>in this regard than the hard-wired detector placed inside the
>>bedroom.  I've done some poking around, including talking to "Less
>>EMF", but haven't come up with any info. Does anyone out there have
>>an opinion or a lead of information on this (other than I should stop
>>worrying about EMF...)?
>>
>>Thank you much,
>>-------------------------------------------------
>>Irina
>>
>>
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