How to Measure EMF Levels in Your Home

If you are looking to find out about background EMF radiation in your home, or the amount that is being emitted when you turn on a particular electronic device, then you will need to get hold of a specialist EMF detector which will give you a reading. This will help you identify areas of concern within your home and allow you to work out what products are causing the most harm so that you can make positive changes for the health of you and your family. If you are unsure how to measure or where to start, keep reading this article for our guide on measuring EMF levels in your home.

Why should you measure EMF levels in your home?

It is impossible to escape the effects of EMF as we now rely so heavily on electronic devices in our everyday lives. All appliances that we have in our homes will emit some level of EMF radiation such as microwaves, TVs, mobile phones, computers and WiFi routers. While there is still further research to be done on the dangers of EMF levels, some studies have suggested that prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields, or EMF radiation, can lead to a variety of health problems, some as serious as types of brain cancer, known as glioma. Further studies have shown that EMF radiation is particularly harmful to children whose bodies are still developing and can lead to conditions such as childhood leukaemia.  As well as types of cancer, studies have shown that prolonged exposure to EMF radiation may also cause:

  • Mental health issues such as Depression and Anxiety
  • Issues with disturbed sleep and insomnia
  • Tiredness and chronic fatigue
  • Issues with memory and a lack of concentration
  • Headaches 
  • Dizziness 
  • Mood changes, restlessness and irritability 
  • Nausea and loss of appetite, leading to weight loss
  • And many more health conditions. 

Due to the increased risk of these health issues, it is important to check the EMF levels in your home to help identify any EMF ‘hotspots’ so that you know how to effectively tackle them. 

Purchasing an Emf Meter

To find out EMF levels in each room of your home, identify any hot spots, and figure out if any current protection that you have is working, you will need to rent or purchase an EMF meter that will measure the electromagnetic fields in your home.  This is because you cannot see or hear electronic radiation so there is no other way to measure it. An EMF meter can measure electromagnetic radiation on all frequencies – from extremely low to ultra-high. If you are looking for more information on EMF meters, or recommendations on effective ones to buy, take a look at our article on this Best EMF Meters and Detectors where we recommend some meters that can be easily purchased from Amazon and delivered to your door. 

Things to Consider Before Buying An EMF Reader

Before investing in an EMF meter, it is important to know what you are looking for to make sure that you choose the best reader for your individual needs. Our guide will help you with this. Many EMF readers sold to the general public for personal use have limited sensitivity, so can detect less than professional meters. 

EMF meters used by professional services can usually measure EMF fields to an accuracy of +-0.01 nanoTesla, whereas many meters that are available for the public to purchase only measure to an accuracy of around +- 100 nanoTesla. This is important as there is a huge difference in the accuracy of the results, meaning that your readings may not be as accurate as they could be. The biological guidelines suggest that 400nanoTesla is a safe amount of EMF radiation, but with some meters only measuring with an accuracy of +- 100 nanoTesla, it may not be worth using them as you will not be able to confidently gauge if you are under this threshold.

Another issue with some personal EMF meters is that they may not include an antenna that means they can measure frequency in an omnidirectional manner, instead they have a green directional antenna which does not give as accurate a reading as it doesn’t take readings from all directions. Professional EMF meters have these, as they are a better gauge of your body’s full exposure to EMF radiation. Therefore, when looking for a meter, it is important to invest in a professional level one or call in EMF inspectors that are professionally trained and have all the correct equipment.

How to Use an EMF Meter

Once you have purchased an EMF meter, it is important to read the instructions fully as each brand of meter is slightly different in the way that it works. The readers should come with an instruction manual, and these usually include a list of frequently asked questions that offer some helpful advice. Below are our general tips that will help you to use an EMF meter in your home. 

One of the first things to consider when beginning to use your EMF meter is your hand placement. Hand placement is extremely important and where you should place your hands will depend on the meter that you are using. It is important to work out what part of the meter is actually taking the reading of EMF radiation so that you can ensure that you are not covering it. If you do cover this section with your hands, it can drastically change your reading, meaning that it will not be accurate. 

Radiofrequency waves can move in different directions around your home, and therefore it is important to take multiple meter readings facing different directions in the one room unless your meter has the ability to measure multiple directions from the same position – your manual and product description should tell you if this is the case. If your meter only measures one direction at a time, consider walking around the room that you are trying to measure, making sure that you can measure the areas where you spend the most time. This will allow you to have an idea about how the EMF radiation levels fluctuate depending on where you are located in the room, allowing you to identify any hotspots. 

Another tip that we would recommend is to make sure that you take readings in the same room at different times throughout the day. You will be using different devices in your home at different times, and you may even be able to feel the effects of the devices that your neighbours are using. This will help you identify what products are emitting the highest levels of radiation so that you can try and limit their use, or use EMF blocking technology on them to try and reduce any negative health effects that they may cause. Our final tip in using an EMF meter is to make sure that you are taking a note of all the different readings, locations and times so that you can make sense of all this information. This will allow you to identify patterns or hotspots in your home. 

Reducing EMF Radiation

Reducing EMF radiation in your home is a difficult process and the easiest way is to get rid of electronic items that you do not need. There are some products that claim to block all of the EMF radiation from devices however there are no devices that can block 100% of EMF radiation. 

What materials block EMF radiation?

There are two materials that are common used in EMF blocking devices that have been found to be highly effective in blocking most EMF radiation – reducing their levels dramatically. These materials are silver and copper. Copper is deemed by experts to be one of the most reliable materials while silver is commonly used in material and turned into EMF blocking material. Many EMF blocking bed canopies use silver to reduce the EMF levels that you are exposed to while you are sleeping. If you suffer from insomnia or a night of disrupted sleep, it may be worth checking out our blog Best EMF Shielding Bed Canopies

Copper is usually made into a copper mesh and added to objects to block radio waves and magnetic waves. It is the material that is most commonly used in professional equipment such as MRI machines that are used in hospitals and in I.T. equipment. This shows that it is trusted by the experts to block any harmful radiation. Copper is often found in EMF clothing, which can help protect your body from harmful EMF radiation – for example, take a look at our blog Best EMF Shielding Beanies which lists the advantages and disadvantages of the best EMF shielding beanies. This is a great way to protect your brain from any negative health effects of EMF radiation.

If you are not using devices, make sure that they are switched off to reduce the radiation levels. Even with your WiFi, shut it down at night to help try and improve your sleep, or when not using Bluetooth on your mobile or fitness tracker, disable this function. This will help reduce the amount of EMF radiation that you are being exposed to. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is It Possible to Use an Emf Meter at Home?

Absolutely – this question is often asked as people are unsure of how to purchase and use an EMF meter. However, our article linked above will give you some great examples of EMF meters that you can have delivered directly to your door, and this article should give you advice on how to use them.  

Is It Possible to Call in the Experts?

If you do not want to purchase a meter and use it yourself, there are many companies that will provide professional services where they will inspect your home for you. If you are looking to hire an EMF consultant or inspection company, it is important to make sure that they know what they are talking about. Look to see if the company are certified EMRS experts and ask to see any credentials. This will ensure that they are experienced and can help. Another great way to make sure that you are hiring the right person is to look for reviews from previous clients who have used their services. 

What are Acceptable Measurements to Find In my Home?

EMF expert Brian Hoyer suggests that an acceptable measurement in your home during the day is Under 1000μV. This is extremely difficult to find in your home as the minute that electronics are switched on, the levels rise dramatically. In the video linked above, the measurement was over 10,000μV when a mobile phone was turned on. During the night, the measurements should be even lower at Under 100μV.

When it comes to magnetic field, your living room should measure 0.5Mg or lower, while your bedroom should be even lower than this as this is where you spend a long time sleeping. Your bedroom should measure around 0.3Mg.