Published: 08/01/2022
Updated: 012/25/2025

These days when people say "EMF" they typically mean EMF radiation from wireless energy. It's one type of EMF and it's trending because, let's face it, the amount of wireless EMF in our environment is increasing wildly.

Olle Johannsen point out that we were exposed to a quintillion times more wireless EMF now than we were a decade ago!

Radio Frequency (or RF) is one type of electromagnetic field or EMF and comes from anything wireless.

Here's What You Need To Know About Electric, Magnetic and Dirty Electricity:

• Electric fields or Alternating Current (AC) Electric Fields which come from electrical wires can be outside our homes in power lines, in our walls, or can be found in anything with an electrical cord that has electrical power running through it will produce electric fields.
  
• Excessive Electric Fields are associated with sleep issues.

• Magnetic Fields called ELF (or extremely low frequency) come from Electricity.  I can best describe it as an invisible circle that radiates off an electrical wire that's delivering electricty. The strength of the magnetic field depends on how close it is to the wire it's coming from and how much current is flowing through that wire.  The more current flowing through the wire, the stronger the magnetic field becomes.

• It travels like this: It starts at the Power Plant, then goes to the Transformer, then to the High Voltage Transmission Lines, than to a Neighborhood Transformer and then to your home.  Once it's in your home, the magnetic fields can be found coming from just about anything with a wire-- like your lighting, and electrical cords and appliances.  The Fridge, btw has notriously high magnetic fields and so does anything with a fan, like your air filter.  The power in each element of the power distribution system that brings the power to your home is directly related to the strength of the magnetic field in produces.    A more powerful plant or more power coming through a high tension wire, means more magnetic EMF exposure.  It can vary according to the amount of power that's present at any one time. 
• Studies on living close to excessive magnetic fields date back to the 1970's. Larry Gust talks about the study in his video below showing the magnetic EMF
• A newer study is a meta-analysis of leukemia in children associatied with magnetic EMF. It concludes,  ELF-MF higher than 0.4 µT can increase the risk of developing leukemia in children, probably acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Prolonged exposure to electric appliances that generate magnetic fields higher than 0.4 µT like electric blankets is associated with a greater risk of childhood leukemia.  That symbol stands for microtesla.  Magnetic meters use microtesla or milligauss as standards for measurement.  .4 microtesla converts to 4 milligauss.
• Dirty Electricity Dirty electricity is just about everywhere, inside and outside the home. The correct term is Microsurges that happen as electricty is being delivered. Specifically;we find dirty electricity from utility power, switch mode power supplies (SMPS) used in electronics, AMI meters (due to conducted high-frequency pulsed radiation), Energy efficient lights think LED and dimmers! And also varialbe speed motors
  in “smart” appliances as well as the invertors in solar power systems. Finally, the utility and utility ground current can contain these microsuges or dirty electricity. If you could hear it the dirty electricity, it would sound like static that we used to hear when we listened to the radio.  

Want to "see" and hear dirty electricity?  Watch Jeromy Johnson from EMFanalysis show you how to make it stop and what a filter that you plug into the wall does. 

Like all EMF: Distance Is Your Friend! 

What that means is this:  As the invisible fields travel from the source, they dissipate.  You're exposed to less of it as you get further away.  How far you need to be away depends on the amount of power that's sending those fields "out" from the source.  The source with magnetic and electric EMF is electricity.  

The best way to actually know how much you're being exposed to is to use a meter to detect and assess.

My Two Favorite MUST-HAVE's for Electric And Magnetic EMF

THE TRIFIELD METER

A meter that detects and measures magnetic and electric EMF

Personally I like the TriField best for reading levels of Electric and Magnetic fields.

It's not my go to when it comes tor RF or wireless radiation, but with the weighted and not weighted options, you can get a basic intake of the AC electric EMF when and magnetic fields.  I take it with me when I'm staying at hotel or checking out a new work spot. 

You can also use another type of meter called a body voltage meter. Instead of detecting the AC electrical fields from all kinds of things like wiring to devices, appliances, and tools in the environment that run on electricity, they calculate the electrical pressure on your body. I like the Body Voltage Meter when I'm trying to determine if a new wired keyboard has a wiring issue that's causing my body to react.

I'll go into how to use both the body voltage and environmental electric EMF meters later in this article, but I can tell you for sure that any item you have that's powered by a USB charger is very, very likely to be exposing you to high levels of electric EMF, that's why my second must-have when it comes to avoiding electric fields is:

GROUNDED USB CHARGING STATION

A Device That Lets You Charge via USB Without Electric EMF - Use Your Phone On Airplane Mode For NO Wireless EMF Too!

Grounded USB Charging Outlets work GREAT to protect you from the electric fields that come from your electrical devices.

I avoid Electric Fields When I'm On My Computer or Cellphone or Laptop Or Tablet by Grounding the Ethernet Cables and Using Shielded Cables.

I LOVE not having any electric EMF exposure when I'm using my devices.  Tech Wellness offers many different ways to accomplish this magic. 

This modified Grounded Wired Router is great way to get everything grounded at once(with ZERO wireless EMF too). The main source of internet in you home connects to this baby with a Shielded Ethernet cable and then every other item connected to it with another Shielded Ethernet Cable gets the same no-electrical-EMF grounding!

Electricity Means Electrical EMF and Magnetic EMF

Electric fields are anywhere there is electricity. They are in the wiring in your home and because the electrical flow is in the wiring and available to power anything that's connected to the wires (from light fixtures to power outlets) the electric fields are ON. 

A lamp, the dryer... anything powered by electricity will have electric fields too, but ONLY when the electrical item is powered on and has current running through it.

Electric and Magnetic Fields And Your Body

Lary Gust, our amazing EMF Expert and leader at the Building Biology Institute, talks about the dangers of electric fields.  He shares his experience with the German founders of Building Biology and doctors in the US and Germany-in searching for the cause of how EMF was making people sick. 

Larry says their work associates high electric fields and high RF radiation with:

• sleep disturbances
• increased allergy response
• muscle pain,
• heart palpitations,
• day time tiredness,
• day time irritability
• childhood bed wetting
  

The Science with Electric Fields and Magnetic Fields 

Most government and health agencies tell us that exposure to electric fields is harmless. However, Building Biology tells us to limit our exposure to very low levels. And there are two studies that show a connection to leukemia. This leukemia study reviews over 31,000 people and this 25 year study from Sweden looked at the effect of high voltage power lines with magnetic and electric fields.

In "Exposure to magnetic fields and childhood leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies" a meta-analysis of leukemia in children associatied with magnetic EMF oncludes,  ELF-MF higher than 0.4 µT can increase the risk of developing leukemia in children, probably acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Prolonged exposure to electric appliances that generate magnetic fields higher than 0.4 µT like electric blankets is associated with a greater risk of childhood leukemia.  That symbol stands for microtesla.

In Larry's article, he tells us:

"When inspections were made of homes at the request of doctors, the Building Biologists found that 90% of the time the trail led to the sleeping area and that 90% of the time the major pollutant in the sleeping area was the excessive man-made AC electric fields and radio frequency (RF) radiation primarily from devices in the home, but sometimes from sources outside the home."

Electric Fields In Your Home And Environment

At this point, you're probably thinking it's a good idea to avoid electric fields... Here are some devices where you'll find them:

• home wiring
• charging cables
• devices that are being charged
• power cords
• all appliances
• air filters
• hair dryers and their cords
• lamps and lamp cords
• TV and the TV Cord
• blenders and coffee machines
• C-Pap machines
• power lines and transformers
• power Strips
• surge protectors

Electric Fields: Like Water Stuck in The Hose With The Spigot Off

In Oram Miller's talks about how electric fields in our wiring work and why they affect our sleep:

"Electric fields, unlike magnetic, come from voltage, not current. Voltage is the pressure of electricity in circuits and AC power cords in your house, much like the pressure of water in your garden hose. The trick is, you can have the water spigot open and pressure in the hose but no water spraying out. That’s like having the circuit breaker on and the lamp plugged in but turned off. Voltage is still there so that when you turn the lamp back on, the bulb lights up.

That field, which is present whether the lamp is turned on or off, oscillates between positive and negative charge 60 times a second (the frequency of 120 Volt AC electric power in North America)."

The Electric Field can extend 6' to 8' into your living space

Larry Gust points out that:

"When you try to sleep, all the cords and plastic Romex circuits in your bedroom walls within a six to eight foot radius around your bed affect every cell in your body. The electrically charged particles in your cells—ions, protons and electrons—are constantly attracted and repulsed from these wires, sixty times a second, causing a subtle (or not so subtle) agitation when you try to sleep."

Shield Your Cords

We have these awesome Safer Tech Safe Cords, heavy duty, completely double shielded extension cords that you should replace all your regular extension cords with.  WHY?  Because they are notorious for leaking electric fields and creating dirty electricity which means you don't want to be close to them and they can pollute whatever is plugged into them.

But, any shielded cord cannot remove the dirty electricity or electric fields that come from a poorly wired device. Say you have a blow dryer--they're notorious for high electric EMF and instead of plugging your hairdryer into the wall, you plug it into the shielded extension cord. Unfortunately, that will not help change the EMF from the hairdryer. Sorry... :(

This video demonstrates electric fields which are detected with an electric field meter or TriField Meter

Measuring Electric and Magnetic Fields: Body Voltage vs Electric EMF Environmental Detector

I always say that the first step in EMF protection is knowing how much of it you're being exposed to. EMF meters do just that! You can use an electric field meter, like the TriField meter or you can try the body voltage meter offered by Larry Gust.

The TriField is really cool because it has 2 different readings of electric and magnetic fields.  One is standard and the other is weighted. 

What Levels of Electric or Magnetic Field Exposure Is Considered Safe?

Levels of Concern for Bedroom Electric Fields

If avoiding electric fields are particularly of concern for a good nights sleep, then what's a good safe level for your sleeping space? Well, the Building Biologists have a standard for all types of EMF exposure.  Here's their recommendation for a safe amount of electric fields in your bedroom.

Meter Display                    None               Slight            Strong     Extreme

Electric in Volts                 Under 0.010          0.010 to 0.1        0.1 to 1.0      Over 1.0

Magnetic in milligauss    Under 0.2          0.2-1             1 - 5         Over > 5

 Magnetic meters sometimes use microtesla and sometimes use milligauss as standards for measurement.  .2 microtesla converts to 2 milligauss for reference.

This is what High Electric Fields Look Like on a Magnetic and Electric Meter:

I'm about 10 inches from the electric outlet here.  This is why I advise people to move beds, couches, and desks away from outlets and ushielded electric cords.

How To Avoid Electric Fields

As with all EMF, when it comes to electric fields, distance is your friend!  Electric EMF dissipates with distance. Oram Miller recommends being 6' to 8' away from the electric field source.  So that means stay that distance away from the cord, the fan, the C-pap machine, the air filter... see the list above.

Use Shielded Cords. We Detect Zero Electric EMF When We Measure Our SaferTech Extension Cords and Power Cords

Shielded cords can reduce these readings greater than 90% in many circumstances. That's why I've replaced all my old regular extension cords with these shielded cords. 

Normal extension cords are not shielded.  The conductors inside the cord of a typical cord are just covered in plastic.  This allows the electric field - measured in volts per meter - to freely flow like smoke out into the environment.  

Use a SaferTech USB Charger and Power Strip

We've taken an Amazon compact power strip and modified the Charging outlets to deliver no electric fields to whatever you're charging!

Shield the Wires or Use Metal Wiring

One thing we did when we built our home was shield all of our electric wiring. Every wire going to every circuit was contained in Metal Clad Cable.  It's awesome! We have no measurable electric fields coming from the floor, walls, or ceiling.

Unplug Any Typical Non-Shielded Electrical Cords

• Even when whatever it is the cord is powering is off, the electrical EMF is still flowing in the cord.  It's like a hose that has a spray nozzle on it-there's water IN the hose ready for you to pull the spray nozzle trigger.  Electric cords do the same thing: they carry the electricity and the electric EMF that goes with them, IN the cord when it's plugged into the wall--EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOTHING PLUGGED IN,  EVEN IF THAT LAMP OR HEATING PAD IS TURNED OFF, there's still electric fields filling it.

Distance is Your Friend When It Comes To Any Type of EMF

• Try and keep a good 2 to 5' away from those cords. Keep furniture away from them as well!

• Never plug anything in behind your bed.  To be really safe, many of my clients simply pull the bed 2' from the wall to avoid the wiring that's in the wall and going to the outlets behind or beside their beds.

For True Grounded Luxury: The SaferTech Grounded Shielded Power Strip Is HERE!

Other Important Tips When You're Using Standard  Electrical Cords   . . . most of us are.

• Always keep your power strips, extension cords and power cords separate from each other.  Cords that touch and get tangled will increase your exposure to this electrical and magnetic EMF and ELF
  
• Lower your EMF and Fire risk by checking your cords from time to time to make sure they don't have any wear and tear that may expose you to more EMF and an electrical fire.  Get some new ones and stay safe.
  
• When you run your cords, run them flat. Do not criss-cross them, bunch them up or pile them up on top of each other. Doing anything other than running your cords flat could increase EMF exposure
• You can also power the cords off with our WiFi Kill Switch! 

Shut Off Power to Electric Fields and/or Turn Off Circuit Breakers

• Unplug extension cords and power cords when you're not using them . Using the Kill Switch like this one can "unplug" or turn off the power to anything that's plugged in. 

I really like the Whole-House Electric EMF Cut-off Switch

First, try it a couple of nights by just shutting off the breaker to your home's bedrooms and just see how you feel.  The long term solution is to install a switch that protects your breaker panel and is safer and easier. EMFSafeSwitch offesr several types to choose from. The best one turns off the neutral and power together and it's your best EMF protection. They also give you the option of how many zones on the electrical panel you want to shut off and let you shut those zones off at different times for a sweet sleep for you and the kids. Check out the website here - EMFSafeSwitch - and be sure to use code TW10 for 10% off the purchase price for your EMF Cut Off Switch!

•  “NP” Remotely turns off the neutral and power simultaneously for safer earthing/grounding and disconnects the source of electronic harmonics (dirty electricity). Each relay handles 1 circuit giving you maximum zone control.

• “SP” Remotely turns off the power line only. A circuit = 1x 120 volt circuit breaker in your electrical panel. A relay is a remote controlled switch. Each relay in the SP handles 3 circuits - this is our economy remote switch.

• “HP” If you have any 240VAC (high power) circuits to turn off they require a separate “HP” switch. Our normal ”HP” switch handles up to 40AMPS. If your 240VAC circuit is more than 40 AMPs let us know.

Shield Your Home From Electric Fields

Larry Gust says he finds that field-shielding material often helps to further reduce fields particularly in second-floor sleeping areas where there are power cables in the floor. As with most EMF home shielding, it's best to have the pro's help you out.  If you're in the US, find a consultant for your EMF issues here. 

Unfortunately it's very difficult to shield magnetic EMF BUT we do have an excellent material that does!

Where and when should you attempt to block magnetic fields?

You can block magnetic and electric fields on the floorboards in hybrid or electric cars if you identify high EMF. 

You can block magnetic fields and electric fields coming from circuit boxes by using material behind the boxes to block the EMF from coming out the other side (which is often in a living area). It's thick and the edges need to be cut with something that can pierce metal. Keep in mind, that method leaves dangerous, sharp edges, so a professional really should work with this anti-EMF material!

The material is called G-iron ArmoFlex. 

Alternatively, you can have an EMF-aware electrician wire the panel to achieve good magnetic field cancellation which can help minimize the fields. The EMF meters I talked about earlier can help you figure out how bad the situation is so you can decide if you need to take action.

Larry Gust talks about magnetic EMF coming from our smartphone, tablets, and computer screens and how to protect ourselves from this EMF.