There are four types of artificial electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that are important to consider in our home.
Magnetic fields occur when there is an electrical current running through a wire, metal, appliance or the ground. Typically, if nothing is plugged-in and using electricity, then there should be no electrical current and no magnetic fields. Magnetic fields usually occur through simple home wiring errors (such as neutral wires from different circuits being connected) or from a power line outside the home. Depending on the type of electrical distribution system in area persons may experience more ground current.
These fields are created by voltage within 50 or 60 Hz AC (alternating current) electrical wiring. 60 Hz AC Electric fields can typically (though not always) be alleviated by turning off the circuit breakers to a part of the home (no more electrical force available) and by using shielded electrical wiring. It is very important for people to sleep in environments with low electric fields. The safe levels of electromagnetic field will have represented later in this guide.
All modern wireless technology now uses pulse-modulated microwave radiation (also known as radio-frequency radiation –RF). Unlike the older analog radio towers that we grew up with, this new digital technology is especially damaging to our biology. We simply do not know all the ways in which the modulated frequencies affect the cells in our body and it could be years until this is fully understood. Common devices that use this type of artificial high-frequency EMF are smartphones, cell phone towers, cordless phones, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, iPads, Wi-Fi enabled computers/tablets, wireless baby monitors and wireless smart meters. You will measure microwave radiation with an RF meter.
Dimmer switches, compact fluorescent & LED lightbulbs, solar inverters, power line arcing, air conditioning and heating systems, and new electronic items with switching mode power supplies (SMPS) create high-frequency electric fields in-home wiring. Some EMF consultants use the term “dirty electricity” for this form of pollution. Power line “harmonics” is yet another term that is used for this growing EMF problem. These higher-frequency electric fields conduct along with the copper wiring and can then radiate into a living environment. This can create an incoherent and biologically damaging form of electromagnetic radiation in your home. Homes with high amounts of EMI will feel like they have a distinct buzz and the inhabitants often have frequent headaches, fatigue, brain fog, ringing in the ears and poor health in general.
Figure. Spatial representation of an electromagnetic wave in the far-field
Jeromy, Johnson., 2018. finding a Healthy Home, A Step by Step Guide to Purchasing or Renting low EMF Home, Section 1, page 8
