Building a New Home: Why BX Cable is Best for Your Health

BX or MC metal-clad cable

…is better than Romex for your health.

Important Note: Before any new build, it is important to have your property tested for stray ground current and soil resistivity. For BX (metal-clad) wiring to be effective, you need a proper functioning ground system. If you do not have an adequate grounding connection to Earth, then metal-clad wiring will not improve your electromagnetic environment. It may even worsen your environment. So, if you already have metal-clad wiring, be sure to check the amperage and impedance on your ground rod.

The other day, I was consulting for a new home being built in Old Westbury, Long Island, New York. The home was recently framed and paneled, but the electrical was not yet installed.

In an email, the owner asked for some clarity on one recommendation. Here was my email response.

Yes. Yesterday, I mentioned that my dream is to build our family's home someday and install BX cable and fiber-optic light-pipe into the walls.

First, because BX cabling provides a metal-clad covering for the electrical wires and is grounded, your electrical fields can be many times lower than the flux of the electrical fields emitted by unshielded Romex cable.

In NYC, my epidermal voltage at room-center is typically 35 mV. In the suburbs, it ranges from 1500-3500 mV. This difference is significant.

An elevated skin voltage has been proven to stimulate the fight or flight response, causing the adrenal glands to release cortisol, adrenaline, and aldosterone. A persistently elevated skin voltage could cause a variety of issues.

Second, because BX provides a grounded metal sheath over the wiring, RF (radiofrequency or microwave radiation) will not couple onto the electrical wiring. This greatly reduces EMI (electromagnetic interference, A.K.A. dirty electricity) not only on the hot wire, the return neutral wire, but will also help prevent the ground wire from being corrupted. BX cable will not prevent EMI from forming on the hot wire completely because the power companies supply electricity between 200-700 mV of noise or harmonic transients.

Less EMI translates into a better function for all electronic devices, reduces the electric field size, and causes a minimal EMI coupled onto the indoor E and B fields.

The third is obvious: If any critters find themselves in the walls of your home (squirrels, field mice, etc.), they will not be able to bite through electrical cable because it is covered with metal-clad; helping to keep them from being electrocuted inside your walls, and preventing them from causing damage to the wiring which causes increased inductance and a potential fire.

BX cabling costs more to install, and some electricians may belly-ache about using it because it is heavier and slightly more cumbersome to work with, but if I were to build a new home, it would consider it essential. 

©2018 All rights reserved.

What Does a Residential EMF Testing Assessment Consultation Cost?

As of April 2025, the average national rate for a residential EMF home testing panel by a certified EMRS has risen from $300 to $575 per hour, plus local travel costs of $100 to $225 per hour, depending on the travel time and your part of the country. For a one to two-thousand-square-foot home, you can expect to pay between $825 and $2,875 for the assessment. For a 2,000 square foot home, most EMRSs would require three to five hours, depending on the number of actionable issues they find that need to be properly documented. The time to write the report depends on the particular template used, the amount of time to analyze the data, document the actionable findings, and write up the next steps for remediation.

We have all seen that across all professions, but especially with EMF Testing and Consulting, an “expert’s” years of experience do not always translate to excellence or the minimum level of competency. Try to hire a certified EMRS, Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, or an Electrical Engineer with a background in Electromagnetic Radiation.

Some Residential EMF Consultants charge a flat fee, others set an hourly rate that reflects the going rate of their local electricians, and some charge by the home's square footage. (Hint: Anyone charging a rate commensurate with your local electrician will probably not provide a professional assessment, and a company that does not use ISO-17025-certified, calibrated equipment is also coming up somewhat short. - Anyone can purchase a manufacturer-calibrated meter on Amazon and build a website.)

Like most niche professions, the fee structure for this industry has evolved. The fee for each EMRS or any other EMF Consultant is what the market will bear for that individual. Just like doctors, some are better than others. Each company’s fee essentially comes down to their business cost, client demand, and schedule availability.

This fee typically includes a minimum testing of the AC Magnetic Fields, AC Electric Fields, Radio Frequency Power Densities, and Dirty Electricity with a plug-in broadband EMI meter or an oscilloscope.

Depending on the cost of living in your area, a technician will charge a minimum of $350-$950, plus travel, to come to your home to test for a single issue, such as emissions from a transmission line, substation, RF cellphone tower emission, or dirty electricity.

(Please note: There are only a handful of companies in the USA, such as Elexana, that can inspect and test the entire residential grounding system and electrical power system, identify specific wiring issues, identify NEC code violations, and detect nuclear radiation. We may be the only company to conduct thorough testing and analysis of three-phase systems.)

Note: Beware of the low-ball expert quote from someone not using an ISO-17025 certified-calibrated meter who then tries to convince you that you need expensive mitigation such as RF paint, magnetic shielding, “dirty electricity” filters, etc. Some price themselves below market value to get their foot in the door, and then make their money from talking you into mitigation you don’t need, like Y-shield paint or magnetic shielding, when it is the wrong call, to bankroll thousands in commissions. Others will lowball the market, go in with inferior equipment, rush through your home, and tell you everything “looks good.”

With life experience, we eventually learn that to truly “understand” a topic is to ask the right questions. When it comes to EMF Testing cost, the best first question is, “What will you receive for your hard-earned money? And then ask, what will the EMF assessment cost.

The very first edition of this article was posted in September 2018. I intended to develop a national standard fee structure and also provide the general public with expectations of what they would pay and what level of service they should expect. This effort stems from the vast discrepancies between EMF consulting companies in their costs and competencies operating within the New York Tri-State area, where I reside and work.

Today, the closest to finding a technician with a homogeneous skill set in EMF testing and consulting skills is for you to hire a certified Building Biology® Institute Professional Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, EMRS. However, even within this group, there is a wide range of competencies, as in any other profession. (The Institute has attempted to address this discrepancy by holding monthly Zoom meetings to share knowledge and techniques.) But, alas, as in any other profession, there will constantly be varying degrees of professional competency due to each person’s specific evolutionary process, knowledge, creativity, experience, intuitive investigative abilities, tenacity, talent, and understanding of the scientific method.)

Like most niche professions, the fee structure has evolved. The fee for each EMRS or any other EMF Consultant is what the market will bear for that individual. Each person’s fee essentially comes down to their business cost, demand, and availability.

No two EMF Service companies are the same. Knowledge, experience, thoroughness, level of care, talent, and equipment are all distinguishing factors. A doctor goes to medical school, does an internship, and sets up a practice. We all know that there are good doctors and there are poor ones. If you hire an EMRS or a certified Professional Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, you will at least be in the ballpark to receive a competent assessment.

An EMF Testing & Consulting Company can provide a price quote for your residential EMF on-site services in several ways. Some companies use square-footage metrics, such as the number of rooms and floors, type of dwelling (apartment vs. a stand-alone house), hourly rate, or any variation.

To estimate the scope of work: 

• The number of rooms in the home, the number of bedrooms, and workstations. 

• The home's square footage and the property's size are often factors.

• The number of different types of EMF tests

(If you plan to fly an EMRS to your city or country, there are essential additions to cost, such as airline travel, car service, the estimated total hours of travel time, local hotel charges, and GSA meal per diem.

It would help if you had a checklist of the EMF tests that will be conducted. Someone telling you they test “everything” is not a good answer. At Elexana, we promise a thorough EMF assessment. Here is what you can expect: Professional Certified EMF Testing

A complete testing panel and consultation session usually requires 2.5 to 4 hours, depending on the number of specific tests conducted, the property's size and layout, the complexity of source identification, and the determination of good, better, and best solutions.

It would be best if your certified EMRS encouraged and welcomed you to be present during the entire assessment, participate with questions, learn helpful tips, and understand your mitigation choices.

Take your time when choosing someone to hire. You need to become an informed consumer.

After conducting countless electromagnetic field EMF Testing assessments in the New York City Tri-State area, we have concluded that the most important thing you can do for yourself and your family is to hire a Professional Certified Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, EMRS, to assess your home and office.

*** Here is a listing of certified Building Biology Institute Professional Electromagnetic Radiation Specialists in your area. EMRS list

(Note: To be trained and certified means being adequately trained and certified by the Building Biology Institute® as a Professional Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, EMRS. Hiring someone who is not a certified EMRS is a poor decision.

(Sometimes, there may not be an EMRS available in your area, or because of the pandemic, you may be reluctant to have someone enter your home. In this case, we recommend our virtual remote EMF Residential Service.)

Travel beyond a one-hour round-trip needs to be compensated. This is whatever seems fair. Most use travel time plus mileage, gas, and tolls. Some use mileage or some combination of all of the above.

Know the consultant’s actionable safety limits.

An actionable EMF safety limit is the measured level at which the EMF expert considers the need to make recommendations for remediation and mitigation. If your consultant doesn’t believe that prolonged exposure to strong AC electric fields, AC magnetic fields, or RF (radiofrequency fields) can pose health issues, you would be wasting time and money hiring these consultants. Do your research and decide on your safety levels. An EMRS upholds the highest safety standards. 

Our practice is first to suggest the most practical, cost-effective solutions for EMF remediation. Often, the Law of Diminishing Returns applies to spending on EMF mitigation. Costs for remediation are analogous to buying stereo equipment; you could pay so much more for only a tiny increment of improvement. We will work with you to help determine what is best for your EMF situation and budget.

Remember that much EMF remediation you’ll need can happen at no cost during the EMF testing and consultation. 

Please contact us, and we will provide you with a quote. It would be our pleasure to meet you and, hopefully, have the opportunity to offer our services.

©2025. All rights are reserved.

I'm Looking For a New Home: Should I Buy an EMF Meter?

Every day, I get asked this question. Too often I encounter people causing themselves unnecessary stress and anxiety because they recently self-tested their home using an amateur meter and are consequently freaking out because of the high measured levels. 

Many EMF meters are so inaccurate that the readings are just ridiculous. If they would have used those precious funds to pay for a legitimate EMF home testing, then they would have avoided so much anxiety. 

Further, don't fall for these EMF online salespeople (and, just recently I learned of another EMF Consulting company, I dare not mention.) They'll sell you a grounding pad, harmonizer, phone sticker, pendant, RF blocking hat, or some other hoax waste of money without even flinching.

Some people we encounter are so sensitive to EMF that they ARE the meter. When they enter a powerful electromagnetic field they immediately begin to feel uncomfortable. He/she may feel tingling on their bodies, heat sensations, pain or pressure in the head or spine, nausea, vertigo, tinnitus, racing pulse, and more.

For EMF sensitive or just health-conscientious people who are about to start looking for a new place to live, just using one's own sensory abilities is not the best way to go. 

There is a big difference between having to remediate from ELF (an extremely low-frequency radiation field) and an RF (radio frequency or microwave field.)

Most who are sensitive to EMF cannot differentiate the fields. They just feel what they feel. For this reason, I recommend purchasing an Alpha Labs UH2S Gaussmeter and an EMFields Acoustimeter at www.slt.co

Use discount code: Elexana-SLT

These are accurate lower level meters that won't break the bank, have excellent sensors, and are very easy to learn how to use.

To have an EMF technician test every property you are interested in can be cost prohibitive. Via an EMF phone consultation, I can guide you in using these meters correctly, record the data, and report back to me. With this information, we can discuss and assess each property, together. It's not like having me with your testing, but it will suffice.

Remember, this would only be a basic testing. It is not nearly as in depth and thorough as a full home EMF testing such as the one you would receive from ELEXANA or from one of the few competent EMF testing consultants in North America.

If I were not an EMF Consultant myself and in the market for a new home, I would definitely buy those meters I mentioned previously and before flopping down that big down-payment and signing the contract, I would hire an EMF Consultant to do a complete examination of the property and home. Often, the electrical wiring mistakes alone which I find can be put back on the owner. These costs saved are oftentimes less than the EMF testing cost itself.

We have a small list of the few companies we can recommend to you which may be nearby your location.  

 ©2018 All rights reserved.