Grounded vs. Ungrounded Electrical Devices

Please note: All persons using power tools on a new site should always use a power cord that has a GFCI, Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. Outlet testers will not necessarily inform you if you are protected from a possible lethal shock.

This article pertains to equipment and electronics that are powered by either a battery or AC electrical power using a power cord that contains an internal ground wire connected to its third-prong grounding conductor pin. This ground conductor wire, which should actually be termed a bonding wire, inside the power cord is then bonded to some part of the equipment’s metal casing and connects to the ground conductor in the electrical wall outlet and then continues onto the ground bus bar in the electrical mains panel and ultimately to the Earth ground (soil) using a ground rod, ground grid, etc.

Any ungrounded device, termed “floating, that is plugged into a wall outlet receptacle is a possible shock hazard if shorted. Floating devices will also emit a 6-8 foot electric field (in theory, emanating to infinity) from their power cord and from the powered device itself, even when the device’s power switch is in the off position.

While standing within a 6-8 foot radius of any ungrounded electrical device (the reactive near-field), the corresponding E-Field emitted by this “floating” ungrounded device and its cord will couple onto any metallic objects within this radius. This coupling includes any metal enclosures, metal structures, and your epidermis. The closer proximity any of these conductive objects are to electrically floating equipment, the higher the capacitively coupled voltage will be to the receptor, you, also electrically termed the “victim.” 

Depending on the resistance of your skin’s natural insulators (usually between 1,000-100,000 ohms differing from one person to another) and the voltage frequency, your resistance to any nearby voltage will vary. However, common to all of us is that our natural insulation begins to break down once its frequency exceeds 1.7 kHz (Applied Bioelectricity, From Electrical Stimulation to Electropathology, by J. Patrick Reilly, Ph.D., MIT, Johns Hopkins University.)

Battery-powered devices emit DC electric fields. Devices that use an electrical cord emit AC electric fields. Most people do not know that DC static electricity can have a more interruptive effect on electrical equipment than an AC electric field. Anyone who uses an oscilloscope will eventually learn this fact, hopefully not the hard way.

If a third-pronged power cord is plugged into a wall outlet with “open” ground, meaning the ground conductor is not connected (wired incorrectly,) that tool is considered electrically floating.

(Please, do NOT bend a ground pin so that your tool can plug into an ungrounded receptacle. And, again, always use an outlet tester to verify if the ground tail is connected.)

We occasionally find homes and offices with unconnected grounding ground tails, so it’s always good to have your electrician check that these are connected properly to avoid potential shock from a short circuit. While you are at it, check that your GFCIs (Ground fault Circuit Interrupters) are functioning correctly, too. You can easily find an outlet tested that has this function. Here is a good one: Sperry GFI6302 GFCI Outlet/Receptacle Tester

Please, know that an outlet tester will only inform you if the ground conductor is connected to the outlet receptacle via a mechanical ground. It will not indicate whether your electrical safety system EGC, Equipment Ground Conductor, is functioning correctly. You also need to be sure that your circuit breakers are in good working order. We recommend yearly electrical inspections by your licensed electrician and that you maintain all of your electrical equipment and panels. 

Schedule an annual checkup of your EGC, Equipment Ground Conductor, the Overcurrent Protection System, and all GFCIs. Elexana LLC can conduct these checks. Generally, electricians do not have the tools to measure ground resistance/impedance. Hopefully, someday, this will change.

©2020,©2021

Why Identifying Electrical Wiring Errors is Essential to EMF Testing

A Long Island client suffering from adrenal failure had unusually strong electric fields throughout her home, measured in Volts/meter. This E-Field coupled onto her skin causing her epidermal voltage to average 4,000 millivolts (mV), with peaks near 7,000 mV. (In a Manhattan apartment, normal epidermal voltage ranges from 30-40 mV. In nature, it is zero.) I tested the ground conductors with an electrical engineering monitor and found that there was a huge problem with the grounding system. It most likely very corroded and possibly not even connected. A simple Sperry outlet tester confirmed that there were “open grounds” in every room at the wall outlet receptacles. This meant that either the “pigtails” were not connected (the ground wire to the receptacle), or even worse; that perhaps there was no ground rod connected to the ground conductors. I went outside and confirmed a complete failure of the equipment ground rod, EGC, system. (See photo below.)

In nearly half the homes and businesses we test for EMF, we encounter wiring errors that cause severe to extreme AC Magnetic Fields. Using non-invasive techniques incorporating EMF meters, thermal imagers, wall scanners, and monitors, we can find wiring issues without turning a screw! Yes, we don’t have to open a wall outlet receptacle, take a mains panel off, or anything involving actual electrical work that requires an electrician’s license.

This is the REAL work you should expect from a professional EMF inspection and ELEXANA is the ONLY EMF services company in the New York City Tri-State area that has this training, offers this essential service, and has the partnered electricians to fix these issues.

I went outside to check the ground rod. You can see in this photo that not only is the rod completely rusted, but the ground wire is snipped/severed. Upon our recommendation, a new ground system was installed. Our client’s adrenals were repaired and her energy returned to normal.

How do we do this? Simply, this is accomplished with the skills and knowledge which all those who have passed the Building Biologist® IBE 312 Advanced Electromagnetic Radiation possess. These particular skills were taught in live practical workshops by electrical engineers and master electricians at the IBE 312 in Santa Fe, NM. Unfortunately, there are less than 100 people in America with this training.

How do wiring errors occur? Well, there are quite a few ways. Here are some:

This is the old ground wire. You can see the oxidative corrosion. We not only helped to facilitate our client’s healing process, but we also identified an electrical shock hazard that has been eliminated. This home had many EMF issues which were all fixed. Now, our client can live at home with peace of mind.

• If a critter gets into the walls and chews an electrical wire, then the resistance in the wire will change and may not be capable of bearing the voltage load.

• If a screw that holds down a wire to a connection loosens, then the gap creates a change in the current flow and also effects the resistance.

• If an electrician does not adhere to National Electric Code because he has not kept up-to-date with new code changes, or he’s in a hurry, then a wiring error can occur. Just because the lights go on does not prove that there’s not a wiring error. Unless we test, a client does not know, for sure, if they had a good electrician or a poor one.

Where there is electromagnetism, there’s heat.

Mitch, Ryan, and Jim have evolved to becoming experts at locating wiring errors.  Wiring errors are not only a potential fire hazard (48% of all fires are caused by these issues) but, they are also a common source of strong electromagnetic fields in the home.

Call us today for your professional EMF assessment. There’s no reason to live with this question unanswered.

(212) 706-1252 or 1-833-ELEXANA

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.

Cell Phone GPS on Airplane Mode

As a passenger in a truck or automobile, you are already receiving quite a bit of electromagnetism from the engine's electromagnetic field, especially if it's a hybrid vehicle. Most readers are already aware that reflective surfaces will increase your electromagnetic field radiation exposure, due to the ricochet effect, so why would you ever want your cell phone set on cellular and add to this electro-schmutz?

Not every vehicle has a built-in navigation GPS system. So, what do you do if you are lost while driving? Yes, you can use you phone's GPS if you have location services activated. Just set your phone on "airplane mode." 

In airplane mode, your phone is not sending/receiving electromagnetic particle-waves, benignly termed "signals," from the nearest microwave transmitters (A.K.A. Cell Towers). With location services enabled, your phone's location is being tracked by satellite and the GPS app will still work. There is still some increase to the already present EMF field, but less than when the phone is on the cellular setting.

This is all a compromise; using the lesser of evils in a pinch, but you will be able to calmly find your destination and avoid distractions that could cause an accident.

Tips to Reduce EMF Exposure in Your Home

©2018 All rights reserved.

Real Estate Adventures and EMF Radiation Chapter 1

With the repletion of education and information that the internet provides, EMF (electromagnetic field) radiation has increasingly become a topic of concern; especially when it comes to buying a new home.

US government safety standards for EMF radiation are no longer taken seriously by informed Americans. Powerline AC Magnetic Fields or ELF (Extremely Low-Frequency Radiation) and cell tower transmitter RF (Radio Frequency or Microwave Radiation) emissions are becoming the foremost concern among a growing number of home buyers.

What does today's real estate agent, attorney, or home buyer need to know? First, America has no official public safety limit or distance due to EMF radiation for how close a property can be to a power line or cell tower transmitter. Anyone who wants to employ an excessive level of EMF for their cause or reason to be released from their responsibilities agreed to by contract will not prevail in a court of law.

Therefore, good advice for an inexperienced buyer is to have the desired property assessed before entering into a purchase agreement. It costs a lot less money and aggravation to have a home tested for EMF than it costs to break a signed contract.

Here's a story of a situation that occurred a few months ago. A man, interested in buying a house on a few acres in southwestern New Jersey, requested an EMF Testing. He shared that he had just shown the house to his brother who remarked that the power lines crossing through the backyard "looked nasty" and that the property should be assessed for EMF radiation. The new caller admitted that he had knew little about EMF radiation but wanted to have the property tested before moving his young family into this new home.

I tested the AC Magnetic Fields (ELF); the frequencies in the EMF spectrum associated with power line energy. The readings were elevated throughout the property.  Unforeseen, there was actually another power line running underground just beneath the front yard that caused elevated magnetic levels inside this house. The lines out back consequently affected the large backyard where the boys would be playing.

In the written EMF Report, he received all measured and recorded data, safety standards from countries outside the US, and a link to the BioInitiative.org website.

The next day, I received a phone call from his lawyer. She summoned, "Based on your expert opinion, what is your safety limit for ELF radiation?" I asked her why was she was phoning me, and not my client, and if this conversation was being recorded. She said, "Yes." 

She divulged that our mutual client had already signed a contract with the owner, prior to our first contact. Oh, boy.

The client had apparently gone to the owner with his EMF Report. The owner then replied that none of this was his concern. (Nice guy, huh?) If the client didn't want the house, then he would lose his money. That's when he called a friend's attorney.

I emailed my client to phone me. He shared that the owner would not let him test the property unless he paid a $1000 deposit towards the signing fees and that this money was not refundable.

My response surprised him. I said that if you are looking for me to testify that the EMF radiation on this property, according to US standards, is not safe, then he is mistaken. (I was clear in my report to him that this property was within US government safety standards for EMF.)

However, there was an easier way for him to be released from this contract. Because the owner would not let him test the property for EMF unless he signed a contract and paid monies, he technically entered this contract under duress. Therefore, the contract could be dismissed.

There are four lessons learned from this story:

1) You have the right to test your prospective dream home for electromagnetic radiation. 

2) You should have the home tested before entering into a signing contract. It could save you money and aggravation in the long-run.

3) Real Estate agents should know that if they maintain their integrity and look out for their clients' best interests, then they will not only sleep better at night, but will build a dependable, faithful, and loyal client base for referrals.

4) When in doubt, definitely have your home tested for electromagnetic field radiation. It could save you and your family's life.

©2018 All rights reserved.

Electromagnetism Casts a Large Net

Most of us would not associate the cause for an electrical fire, the heat and radiation from a thermal nuclear explosion, the pulsing energy generated from your cell phone, or the warmth created from a home appliance, with electromagnetism.

Electromagnetism has been with us since the Big Bang. It is considered one of the four natural forces of the universe, along with gravitational force, strong nuclear force (which holds atoms together), and weak nuclear force (radioactive decay).