With their elegant white blades slicing lazily through the air, for many wind turbines look like the saving grace for a generation who hope to see the end of harmful greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of fossil fuels in power generation. Seen from afar, the wind turbines do indeed look tall and majestic. However, for the people who live in Markham, Ontario real estate near an industrial size wind farm or even a single wind turbine, a different picture emerges. Here is a look at some of the down sides to this method of generating renewable energy.

Noise

Wind turbine manufacturers and proponents often refer to wind farms as "whisper quiet," and compared to traditional methods of power generation, such as coal and oil fired generators, they are. However, without a thick industrial wall separating the turbines from the people who live in the nearby Toronto real estate, every creak, groan, whoosh, ping, clank, groan, and grind is carried on the wind to all the houses in the area. Complaint levels suggest that many people are able to tune it out, but for some it's irritating to the point of being intolerable.

Light Pattern Interference

One thing an Edmonton real estate agent will probably not be able to tell you when you tour a home near to a wind farm or wind turbine is that when the turbine is between you and the sun, you will get a light effect in your home similar to driving along a tree-lined road. This flashing can be both annoying and affect the eyesight of people who are in the line of sight.

Health Effects

The unique type of high intensity, low frequency sound that is put out by the regular turning of the massive blades on an industrial wind turbine seems to be causing adverse health effects, such as nose bleeds, headaches, muscle aches, and insomnia among a minority of people living near a wind turbine. There seem to be a wide variety of symptoms possible in what some researchers are calling Wind Turbine Syndrome, but for some people it's bad enough that they've had to put up their house for sale in Markham.

Aesthetics

Wind farms may look nice in picture postcards, but some homeowners do not welcome the sight of several hundred meter tall spinning stalks against their previously unspoiled vistas. In fact, when you go to put up your real estate for sale in Toronto, you may find that the new wind turbine nearby has lowered your resale value.