Making Sense of Measurements

Jan 31

The guidelines here are based on Building Biology standards. This link will have their most up to date information.

If you have severe symptoms, then aim for slight concern or below. If you are mostly healthy but have trouble sleeping, headaches, brain fog or inflammation, stay in “Severe Concern” range or lower. “Extreme Concern” range will make you sick, even if you are healthy. Leave that place, or fix it; or you will spend a long time recovering, as I and many others have.

EMF Meter Recommendations

Meter	Price (approximate)	Notes
Trifield 2 meter	(~$186)	Can measure E-fields, Mg fields, and RF. In general, this meter will work best and cover the most types of fields, for the cheapest price. For the layman, nothing else but this is needed.
Safe and Sound Pro 2	(~$399)	Highly accurate expert level Meter Building biologists use. Measures high frequency RF like cell phones, routers and computers. Also converts signals to sounds to help you isolate sources from their unique sound.
Gigahertz Solutions NFA1000	(~2.186,80 €)	Highly accurate expert level Meter Building biologists use. Can measure low frequency E-fields and Mg-fields

AC Electric Fields (Low Frequency ELF, VLF)

    Field Type
    No Anomaly
    Slight Concern
    Severe Concern
    Extreme Concern
  
    Field Strength w/ ground potential (Volt/Meter)
    < 1
    1 - 5
    5 - 50
    > 50
  
    Body voltage with ground potential in millivolt
    < 10
    10 - 100
    100 - 1000
    > 1000
  
    Field strength potential-free (Volt/Meter) - Most Common 
    < .3 
    .3 - 1.5
    1.5 - 10
    > 10

Oscillating electric fields in the 50/60Hz range are found in homes and around power lines. They’re caused by a separation of charge, like what batteries, outlets, and power strips hold. It is power waiting to be used. Holding a meter close to an outlet will demonstrate what I mean. Voltage causes electric fields. Its electrons waiting to equalize. They will do so when conductive material is present. Usually wires but if the electric field extends into the room, your skin, and the water around your skin, will satisfy as a great conductor. This can cause symptoms like headaches, burning in skin and joints, and dizziness. The symptoms tend to be localized to effecting the outer most part of your body. But having a meter and listening to your own body will help you determine if and how these fields effect you.

AC Magnetic Fields (Low Frequency, ELF/VLF) 

    Field Type
    No Anomaly
    Slight Concern
    Severe Concern
    Extreme Concern
  
    Flux Density in nano tesla (nT))
    < 20
    20 - 100
    100 - 1000
    > 1000
  
    Flux Density in milligauss (mG) - Most common
    < 0.2
    0.2 - 1
    1 - 5
    > 5

Magnetic fields are caused by moving electrons. This manifests in net current through wires, aka anything consuming electricity, and moving motors. They also cause electrons to flow wherever a magnetic field is present. This is called faradays law. They cannot be blocked or reduced except by reducing net current through offending wires or motors. This means that when you’re standing in a magnetic field, all charged molecules in your body are influenced to move, That’s almost everything. And when the magnetic fields are oscillating, not only at 60Hz, but all the crazy sporadic random frequencies of all the devices surrounding you, you’re charged molecules are doing a spaztastic dance inside your body. This effects protein folding, cell communication, and all normal processes in your body everywhere. Symptoms from these fields are much more wide spread and pernicious. Some, and this is just a few, can be: joint pain, tinnitus, insomnia, anxiety, racing thoughts, fatigue, pain, brain fog, dizziness , bruxism and more.

Radio Frequency Radiation (High Frequency) 

    Field Type
    No Anomaly
    Slight Concern
    Severe Concern
    Extreme Concern
  
    Power Density in microwatt per square meter (uW/m^2)
    < 0.1
    0.1 - 10
    10 - 1000
    > 1000
  
    Power Density in milliwatts per square meter (mW/m^2) - most common 
    < .0001 
    .0001 - .01
    .01 - 1
    > 1

* Note: These are Building Biology Institutes standards. In practice, in densely populated areas, this is impractical. After personally becoming sensitized to EMFs, and experimenting with many many sleeping environments, if I’m under .1mW/m^2, I call that a success.

RF is caused by all devices that communicate wirelessly. They pass all the way through your body (they must or they wouldn’t work very well) and can cause symptoms throughout your body. Symptoms are similar to those from magnetic fields, but in my experience brain fog, fatigue, muscle clenching, insomnia are the most prominent immediate effects.