EMF-EMI Site Survey

EMF/EMI Surveys fall into two categories; need defines these.

Image: Welding and Pacemaker Compliance

The first type is surveys for health reasons, and the second is for equipment placement for optimal function or the prevention of electronic malfunction.

Health reasons for testing can be quite varied. These may range from testing for site compatibility for an employee's pacemaker or defibrillator to determine if it will function throughout the day without suffering interference issues ranging to several employees claiming that the work environment is causing or has caused their illness.

A medical device manufacturer will have extensively stress-tested their products for EMI immunity before going to market, ensuring their relative safety. Nevertheless, severe electromagnetic environmental stress will cause any electronic to fail. The patient's doctor can make EMI threshold levels of a biomedical device available, then you can call on Elexana to test your facility.

Site testing is usually rigorous. Pacemakers and other biomedical implants require specific certified calibrated equipment. The surveyor needs an OSHA certification, has experience working in industrial sites, and his/her company must have General Liability and Professional Liability Insurance.

The health effects from regular and frequent exposure to substantial radiation levels for the surveyor can be considerable. An experienced surveyor knows how to measure to reduce his/her exposure, but often, because of the high levels it takes to cause interference to a device and the elevated levels in some facilities, over-exposure cannot always be avoided.

If an employee is complaining about the EMI or EMF levels at the workplace, this is a somewhat different situation for the EMF Consultant. Often, we see that the employee has a meter purchased on the internet and finds that their measurements exceed those standards related to specific standards.

There are many problems with these types of measurements. First, these meters are usually uncalibrated and skew readings towards an exaggerated high side. Also, inexpensive meters made for amateurs are prone to spurs or internal circuitry overload and often present false peak readings to the high side. Another measuring technique mistake that I even see "professionals" doing is to place a meter too close to the source. We have all seen the amateur put the RF meter to the cell phone or wifi or a Trifield EMF meter to an electrical panel. (It is one thing to do this for a photo-op, but another for a survey.)

Most meters cannot measure in the extreme of the near-field. Indeed, no RF meters can measure in the near-field accurately. A third mistake I see amateurs, and some "professionals" make is that they do not identify the correct energy source; instead, they measure the correct energy but identify the wrong energy cause.

Perhaps, this digression is for another posting?

So, there are surveys that measure from a source point, and then the typical industrial surveys measure on a grid or a straight line. Often, a factory will have support columns marking each section. These marked sections make it easy to document a grid survey. Sometimes, a GPS enhances the measuring and documentation process. Other times, using our NFA 1000s, we can data log and map simultaneously. (See the chart.) (Note: Calibration of the NFA1000 takes place in Germany.)

Grid surveys can be helpful. Upon identifying elevated levels, add an overlap survey to determine the correct sources and proper mitigation.

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Everyone Needs a Certified EMRS to Test Their Home

After conducting 1,000+ EMF/EMR assessments ranging from iconic residential classics in New York City to single-family homes throughout the New York Tristate area, and remote-zoom consultations throughout America, it’s clear that everyone needs a certified EMRS (Professional Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist) to test and assess their home for exposure to electromagnetic radiation. Also, importantly, everyone needs their grounding system tested by a company like Elexana LLC.

Further, every family in America should own a gaussmeter. An affordable choice is the Alpha Lab UHS-2. It will measure the AC magnetic fields in your home, office, car, hotel room, and the magnetic emissions from electronic devices to help you determine safe distances. You can request help regarding solutions, other than getting distance, from a trained and certified EMRS. We can also help you via EMRS consultations on Zoom or the telephone to get you the answers you need with correct solutions.

We also believe that owning an RF meter like a Safe and Sound Pro II or an Acoustimeter, will help you better understand your radiofrequency exposure in your home and office and help you to come to the realization that you need to hard-wire your home and office using ethernet cables or fiber optic cables. (See our pages linked: Meters for Clients and Home and Office Products.)

Although everyone should own EMF meters and know how to properly use them, experience has taught us that every home should have both a certified EMRS home inspection and a licensed electrician’s inspection, annually.

Please, call us if you cannot answer “yes” to any of the following questions. And, please do not hesitate to contact us at Elexana to help provide you with the correct solutions on how you and your family can best take control of your home environment.

  1. Do you know and understand your electromagnetic environment well enough to be sure of the best places to locate your bed, your desk, and your favorite chair?

  2. Did you know that 99% of all homes have issues with their grounding system?

  3. How well are your equipment and building grounded? Do you know the impedance on the ground system?

  4. Did you know that almost every electrician and home inspector do not have the tools or knowledge to measure system ground impedance correctly? Hint: an electrician's multimeter will not provide a correct impedance measurement.

  5. Did you know that if your home were grounded adequately, you probably would not need those dirty electricity filters?

  6. Did you know that you can reduce your exposure to low-frequency electric fields by ensuring your home is properly grounded?

  7. Do you know the amplitudes of the frequencies of line noise on your electrical system? And, did you know that line noise could be causing or exacerbating your fatigue, headaches, numbness in your fingers, insomnia, and illness?

  8. Are you confident that you, your equipment, and your building, in general, are sufficiently protected from a lightning strike?

  9. Did you know that having wifi in your home is in some ways like having a cell tower in your home?

  10. Do you know the frequencies and strength of the radio frequencies of the 5G, cellphone towers, smart meters, local ham radios, digitally pulsed AM and FM radio, and TV channels, and airport radar, entering your home?

  11. Do you know how much interference is caused to you and your electrical system by having solar panels, electric vehicles, charging stations, and more? Do you know the best way to remediate these issues from causing harm?

  12. Did you know that wiring errors in your building can cause a fire hazard and elevate your magnetic fields to levels that can cause physical discomfort and illness?

  13. Did you know that even though you previously had your home tested for EMF exposure, your home EMF environment has likely changed, since then?

Again, if you do not know the answers to these questions, then Elexana is here to help you. Call us anytime at (212) 706-1252 or, 1-833-ELEXANA.

Is EHS-EMF Sensitivity Real?

EHS-EMF Sensitivity-Is-it-real.jpeg

EHS/EMF Sensitivity: Is it Real?

Medical Disclaimer: The following article is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose, be a diagnostic tool, or offer any form of medical treatment. Therefore, if you have any symptoms mentioned, we advise you to see your licensed medical practitioner or physician. In addition, some of the statements herein are the author’s opinions and are not necessarily shared by anyone else associated with Elexana.


In Sweden, electrohypersensitivity (EHS) is an officially fully recognized functional impairment (i.e., it is not regarded as a disease). Survey studies show that somewhere between 230,000-290,000 Swedish men and women report a variety of symptoms when being in contact with electromagnetic field (EMF) sources. - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17178584/


EMF Sensitivity™ @2012, ©2016, ©2018, ©2021. ©2023. All rights are reserved. 

(A.K.A. Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, EMF Sensitive, Electromagnetic Field Sensitive, EHS, Electrohypersensitivity, Electrosensitivity, Radio Frequency Intolerance, EMF Allergic)

An increasing number of New Yorkers and others worldwide have been calling us regularly because they believe they have acquired an acute sensitivity to human-engineered electromagnetism. Is EHS-EMF Sensitivity Real?

  • Are some people gaming the system in Europe, collecting disability because they claim to have EHS to get out of working for a living? Possibly.

  • Are some people who have various psychological adaptive disorders claiming they have EHS and, in reality, do not? Yes, and I have met a few.

  • Are some people claiming to have EHS sensitivity to electromagnetic fields far below any government’s safety guidelines? Yes. I do not doubt that individuals have developed an acute sensitivity to EMF. The number of those suffering from this sensitivity, each to a seemingly different degree, appears to be increasing steadily over time. However, due to the nature of this affliction, I would be surprised if more than 10-15% of the population eventually suffers from EHS. Still, I also have absolutely no doubt that many more people suffer from the consequences of electromagnetic interference caused by human-engineered electromagnetism than the medical profession, except for a select few talented physicians realize.

Back in the 1980s, none of us imagined that telecoms and all of the related secondary and tertiary industries would become as significant drivers of the American economy as they have become today. In a modern economy, the sectors that are the leading profiteers are those buying the most television commercial time. Today, in America, there seems to be not one TV commercial break on any channel that does not have a Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Google, Apple, Sprint, or Samsung TV commercial.

What would it mean to those profiting from technologies involving human-engineered electricity if EHS were an actual physical health issue and not a mental health issue, as considered today? What would it mean if the numbers of those with EHS became the majority? 

The CBS Sunday Morning Show brought up the insomnia epidemic in this country. Why is no one on TV considering the possibility of cellphone towers, wifi, smart meters, and other wireless devices in our homes as catalysts for this insomnia epidemic? One in every five newly married couples is infertile, and the number is growing by the decade. Why is no one on TV making the possible link to wireless technology? Every radio frequency that exceeds 114 MHz travels out through the ionosphere into outer space. If solar flares cause blackouts, how will 60,000 Starlink satellites sending and receiving extremely fast pulsed electrical signals through the ionosphere affect our planet? All frequencies above 114 MHz, do not reflect or bounce off of the ionosphere but travel through it. (RF sources transmitting above 114 MHz include the 5G network, air communication, police security bands, smart meters, WiFi, C-Band, and radar, also.) How are these transmissions affecting both the ionosphere and our planet? Has anyone on TV brought this up? We know that the same money funding modern technology also buys our politicians' campaign funding, provides scientists with the best-paying jobs, and donates billions to our universities. Many museums and historical societies rely on the rent income from hosting antenna ports.  

If you are reading this page, it is because you or someone you know may have EHS, or you think you or they may have it. You may be aware of the "scientific" studies that "prove" that EHS seems to be nothing more than an imagined phenomenon, therefore a psychological issue and not a physical one. This opinion is the current viewpoint of the American Medical Association. Unfortunately, the A.M.A.'s well-documented historical batting average does not provide confidence in their first opinions. Its original medical ideas regarding cigarette smoke, asbestos, processed sugar, and the countless drugs and medical devices they have endorsed that were eventually removed from the shelves diminish its scientific credibility. Are all those suffering from EHS delusional or insane? Or, is EHS a real physical phenomenon, independent of belief systems and neurosis, rooted in physiology and physics?

Is there an unidentified group suffering from EHS who have not yet connected their discomfort to non-ionizing radiation or live in denial because it is just too difficult to accept as a possibility? After all, human-engineered electromagnetism is inescapable if you choose to live in society.

If you are reading this post, you may be wondering about yourself or your spouse? Have you been recently experiencing unexplainable pressure inside your head, tingling or heat sensations on your skin, inexplicable rashes, sudden heart palpitations, insomnia, occasional vertigo, dizziness, or constant fatigue? Does your eardrum area hurt when you put a cell phone to your ear? Do you ever feel a deep pressure at the top of your spine?

Do you suffer from a thyroid condition, premature cataracts, unexplainable headaches, ADHD, ADD, short-term memory lapses (and you are not old), irrational mood swings, premature aging, or a symptom your doctors can't explain?

Many of these experiences or symptoms have been shown, with peer-reviewed studies at www.BioInitiative.org, to be caused by entering into strong electromagnetic fields or from persistent and prolonged exposure to electromagnetic radiation. Therefore, if you consciously feel electromagnetic radiation or experience discomfort, you may have EHS (Electro-Hypersensitivity), EMF (Electromagnetic Field Radiation) Sensitivity, EM Sensitivity, EM Awareness, etc. Call it what you will. If you have it, you live with it; it doesn't matter what anyone calls it.

Human-engineered electromagnetism is not natural electromagnetism. Human-engineered electricity is either made from:

  1. Alkaline and lithium-ion batteries or other batteries use chemical reactions to generate and store DC electricity.

  2. AC (Alternating Current) uses rotating magnets and transformers to convert natural energy into electricity with a sinusoidal waveform at 50-60 cycles per second.

  3. Human-engineered DC (Direct Current) electricity is produced using rectifiers consisting of looped circuit alternating diodes switching on and off, and often adding resistors, a transformer/inductors, and capacitors to smoothen out the AC sine wave to form a pulsed DC at 120 Hertz.

  4. EMF emissions are from electrical equipment such as wifi routers, cellphones, cellphone tower transmissions, power lines, transformers, unshielded home wiring, electrical wiring errors, power tools, wireless surveillance systems, baby monitors, Bluetooth devices, and so much more.

The number of persons with EMF Sensitivity is estimated to comprise 3-5% of the population. The numbers could be much higher due to the growing awareness of EMF health effects and the regular addition of new wireless technologies. I want to add the perversely high percentage of poorly grounded homes and the high number of homes with electrical wiring errors made by unlicensed and poorly trained electricians.

Those who claim to be sensitive often begin feeling this energy in their early to mid-forties. (Although lately, we're encountering an increasing number of callers in their thirties and even twenties. In addition, many children with Downe syndrome or those on the spectrum present EMF sensitivity.

Most with EHS can relate to a time in their lives when they were exposed to specific electromagnetic fields for long periods. Examples are: sitting hours at their desk with the wifi next to them, sleeping near their electrical panel, welding for a living, using power tools for a living, driving a patrol car for many years, living under a power line, etc.

The realization that one is sensitive can be perplexing, daunting, or even terrifying. EHS can suddenly seem to happen in one day. Bam! You suddenly feel everything that produces electromagnetism. And then, the awareness that RF transmitters are everywhere! In the subways, everyone has a cellphone; smart meters are in your building, Bluetooth devices are in your home; electromagnetic radiation is ubiquitous!

Typical EHS symptoms include feeling an uncomfortable pressure in the cerebral cortex/occipital lobe areas, deep pain or pressure in the neck area or upper spine, chronic insomnia, brain fog, concentration issues, short-term memory lapses, or going suddenly blank in the middle of doing something, occasional vertigo, loud ringing in the ears, low-frequency rumbling sounds, unexplainable rashes or a burning or heating sensation in the skin, tingling sensations in the legs and arms, sharp headaches, sudden pain in an eye, intermittent irritability for no apparent reason, mood swings, irrational relationship-sabotage or self-sabotage, teeth grinding or clenching during sleep, and more. Every month, I hear of a new symptom.

* Again, if you experience any of these symptoms, I am legally obligated to recommend seeing your doctor.

Before continuing, I have to make one significant point: Everyone is adversely affected by EMF to one degree or another. Anyone who does not realize this or believes that their exposure to electromagnetic radiation is not a potential concern is ignorant of the peer-reviewed science. In addition, some professionals, including doctors, understand the health effects of electromagnetic radiation and why it can cause health problems. However, most realize this understanding requires a cross-discipline knowledge of physics and biology, Quantum Biology or Molecular Biophysics, which most doctors do not learn in medical school. 

After all, what is a chemical reaction? In essence, it is bonds created or broken by the sharing or releasing of electrons. In other words, a chemical reaction is an electromagnetic reaction.

From the vantage of all certified EMRS, an increasing number of people suffer from uncomfortable physical symptoms and illnesses due to electromagnetic radiation. We have each tested many homes of those claiming to have EMF Sensitivity. These clients felt the most discomfort when the EMF levels were at their highest in their homes. Most clients with EHS have consistently identified the areas in their homes with the strongest fields. For those who have proven to be truly sensitive, I encourage them to trust what they are feeling. We all need to do this; trust what we feel, but verify with accurate testing.

As already indicated, I know that most studies claiming the "data" prove that EMF Sensitivity appears to be “psychosomatic and idiopathic.” Yes, anything is possible regarding the tricks the mind can play. But what explains when someone gets a sharp pain without knowing that an active cellular antenna was nearby? What defines the consistency between the areas in their homes where they feel the worse, and the measured levels corroborate what they are feeling? We need to consider the possibilities.

Fortunately, I am well-versed in the scientific method and have reviewed every single one of these "studies" I could find which claimed to debunk EHS. What did I uncover?

I have found that each of these studies had at least one significant error or flaw involving either the set-up, measuring protocols, assumptions, data collection, or data analysis. To add, any person who has studied statistics also knows that a clever person can create a "study" to prove or disprove just about anything! Replicability is essential for verifying scientific conclusiveness. Without a third party replicating any of these debunking studies, anyone should not take their conclusions seriously.

All pain can be said to “be in the head.” Our brains receive signals from traumatized cells, irritated nerves and then register these sensations as pain.

Let's look at two studies.

When someone says that they felt pressure from applied electrostimulation and then 20 seconds later did not, it does not prove that this person was making their sensitivity up after being exposed the first time. And, for a scientist to draw this conclusion only provides us with information that they 1. do not understand the nature of EHS at all and 2. do not have the necessary talent, training, motivation, or discipline to conduct an open-minded experiment.

If nerves within the surrounding fine tissue containing trace amounts of metals, such as; copper, iron, silver, and others, are irritated, that fine tissue becomes inflamed or swollen, to some degree, in reaction to the irritation. As a result, these nerves may not differentiate a second exposure occurring within a short time interval from the first exposure. In addition, the slow healing time of swollen tissue will ipso facto cause the subject to lose the ability to differentiate consequential exposures.

Another “debunking study” shows that an EHS subject was "proven" to be duped by a placebo exposure to electromagnetism while sitting near the testing machine that was electrically floating, emitting a strong proximal electric field. The subject's feet were also close to the wall that may have had unshielded wiring, and overhead was an old-style magnetic ballast fluorescent light undoubtedly emitting a magnetic field, causing harmonic transients coupled onto the electric fields of the testing device itself. Who knows what the ambient EMR was in the room? Here was a "conclusive scientific experiment" that only proved the scientists' shortcomings.

What about studies from "third-party independent labs." So many of us can be gullible regarding the tricks of "science," either innocent or manipulative, that both science and the medical industry can play. We need to ask, "Who funded the study? Was this a shell company funding this study? Did the funder or the scientist have a bias or personal agenda? How was the data compiled and interpreted?" And then there's the whole concept of using relative versus absolute result ratios, which can skew any experiment's interpretation. 

Too many studies and their conclusions are unreliable and dishonest. This is why I do not “trust the science.” This is why I have to test myself. (5G is a good example. The present reality of 5G is not even close to what the TV commercials tell us that it is. Most likely, the sales and marketing managers do not even understand the details of the technology of 5G.)

If you walk into a room and feel a strong EMF, measure it or have an Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist (EMRS) measure it for you. Everyone should own an AC gaussmeter and an RF meter. Amateur meters will tell you if the levels are going up or down. That is all you need to know in many instances. A certified EMRS can help you with solutions.

From what we EMRS have collectively observed, there appear to be consistencies between chemical toxicity sensitivity, Lyme disease, and EMF toxicity sensitivity. According to Dr. Martin Pall, Ph.D., one significant result of exposure to EMF is interference with calcium ion (Ca2+) motility and signaling in the body. This interference has a direct effect on neurology and autoimmune function. Thus, chemical and EMF sensitivity appears to be natural results of becoming over-exposed to particular environmental stressors or toxins. 

The human body is capable of sensing the lowest levels of electromagnetism. Dr. Robert O. Becker (The Body Electric) writes that the human body is sensitive to direct electrical stimulation down to nearly 100 nano-amperes. A nano-amp is a billionth of an amp or 0.000000001 amps. Today, Mount Sinai Hospital uses electrical stimulation, just a few hundred nano-amps of DC, to accelerate bone cell regeneration. Like many things, a little can be good, and a lot, not so good.

Our skin-voltage monitor shows our clients that the skin will react to electromagnetic fields with a strength as low as a thousandth of a volt, a millivolt. During an epidermal voltage measurement, one never consciously feels anything on their skin, yet the skin responds immediately to the slightest change in the electric field. Thus, the epidermis is highly sensitive to electromagnetism, whether we consciously feel it or not.

To further show how sensitive we are to the smallest amounts of microsimulation from electromagnetism, Guy Doron and Michael Brecht published a work in 2015 titled "What Single-Cell Stimulation Has Told Us About Neural Coding." 

In this report, they state, "The later development of intracortical microstimulation (ICMS), a technique in which trains of short (100–200 ms) constant electrical pulses of small current intensities (1–100mA) are delivered extracellularly via a microelectrode at rates of tens to hundreds of Hertz, enabled a more reliable activation of localized populations of neurons and directly influenced sensory perception, movement, and cognition."

Of course, none of us can consciously sense levels as low as a few hundred nano-amps. Still, there is mounting scientific evidence that conscious sensitivity to higher levels is a natural result of one having higher levels of trace metals or even naturally occurring biogenic magnetite in their tissues. The latter resulted from a study by Caltech's Joseph Kirschvink in 1992. 

http://www.roaringlionpublishing.com/tony_uploads/Magnetite_Biomineralization_in_the_Human_Brain.pdf

Here, Kirschvink reveals that we all have ferromagnetic magnetite (Fe3O4) in our brain tissue and throughout our bodies. Iron is not only conductive, but iron is also is susceptible to magnetic fields.

In 1975, Allen Frey demonstrated that continuous exposure to microwaves at power densities as low as 30 µW/cm2 (30,000 µW/m2) could weaken fine membranes such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB). A permeable BBB will allow larger-sized trace-heavy metals, such as mercury, cadmium, aluminum, lead, antimony, and others, to penetrate the BBB. 

Eberhard et al. (2008) report that two-hour exposures to cell phone GSM microwave RF resulted in albumin leakage across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and neuron damage. Neuronal albumin uptake was significantly correlated with the occurrence of damaged neurons when measured at 28 days post-exposure. The lowest exposure level was 0.12 mW/kg (0.00012 W/kg) for two hours. The highest exposure level was 120 mW/kg (0.12 W/kg). The weakest exposure level showed the most significant effect in opening the BBB and neuron damage and death. https://www.elexana.com/news/2017/12/22/cell-phone-study-drastically-lowers-safety-thresholds

Are our brains also electromagnetic sensors? In 2016, Joseph Kirschvink proved that we use biogenic magnetite to sense polarity changes in the Earth's magnetic fields. This sense helps our brain's awareness of daytime short waves shift to nighttime's much longer waves, signaling the pineal gland to release melatonin.

Yes. Science is speaking. We are all sensitive to electromagnetic fields. This phenomenon is why it is so critical that we mitigate the strong fields created within our homes and workplaces. 

Sometimes, those with EHS feel like they are "trapped in this modern technological world."

There is hope. Removing trace metals from the blood takes time, but clients have done it. Unfortunately, discharging trace metals from the brain area is more challenging once they pass the BBB. Yet, I believe it is possible to release these toxins. For that matter, so does the University of Kentucky's Dr. Boyd Haley, who has a chelating agent in the final testing stage for FDA approval.

Another theory for the cause of EHS symptoms is that some are deuterium toxic and can't release this heavy form of hydrogen. It is found everywhere in the universe. D2O is the heavy water we use to cool nuclear reactors. High-fat diets seem to help the body release deuterium. There is much we don't know about this area of research.

Some medical practitioners, such as Dr. Jerry Tennant, believe that emotional trauma causes DC magnetic fields to become stored in the limbic system. Some medical practitioners believe that healing therapies can help reduce limbic system magnetic fields to reduce sensitivity to EMF.

In conclusion, some folks have not only found relief from the intensity of EHS but have risen above the existential angst of feeling trapped without an escape from our modern world's ubiquitous human-engineered electromagnetic radiation. So, please, do not despair. Reach out to your local EMRS for a home consultation. If you do not have a local EMRS, please call Elexana for virtual testing via the zoom platform. Take control of your immediate environment as best you can.

What is the Difference Between Residential EMF/EMR Testing and Electrical Services Provided by an Electrician?

All Electrical Services are provided by electricians licensed in the county where you reside, and EMF/EMR Testing and Mitigation Consulting Services are provided by nationally certified Building Biology® Institute of America Professional Electromagnetic Radiation Specialists (EMRS.) If you hire anyone else to test the electromagnetic fields in your home other than an EMRS or Michael Neuert, of the EMF Center in California, then best of luck.

  • An EMRS conducts a series or panel of non-invasive testing, performs a certified analysis of the data, then presents an informed consultation to the client including the next recommended steps to mitigate any actionable findings. Some of these solutions may then involve an electrician.

  • A licensed electrician will then do the electrical work required to correct any electrical errors or necessary upgrades uncovered by the EMRS uncovered by non-invasive EMF/EMR testing and visual inspections. (Non-invasive means that we do not remove electrical panel covers, junction box covers, or outlet receptacle cover plates.)

Persons engaged in either of these professions undergo extensive training, coursework, and must successfully pass written exams.

  • It takes someone about 4-5 years to become a licensed electrician.

  • It takes 3-4 years to become a certified EMRS. Both electricians and EMRS should carry General Liability Insurance to enter your property and you the consumer have a right to request to see visual proof of this insurance.

Just like any other profession, there are various levels of talent and expertise within a certain range of each and every EMRS. Some are excellent and some are just getting started on their own. But, like all professions, at least you know that the baseline is professional competence. At Elexana LLC, we would like to think that we have some of the best in the field.

EMF/EMR Testing and Mitigation Consulting Services should only be offered by a trained and certified EMRS or someone under their supervision. 

An EMRS receives extensive training from EMRS-electrical engineers, EMRS-electricians, and other experienced certified EMRS at the Building Biology® Institute of America. She or he must pass several exams and a final project before receiving an accredited certification. 

There are no services that an EMRS provides homeowners that have not been taught at the BBI and sufficiently learned. Punctuated is the distinction between EMF/EMR testing and mitigation consulting services and electrical services to every student.

In short, an EMRS surveys electromagnetic fields seeking out sources for EMR emissions and consults with you, your engineers, electricians, and contractors when there is an electromagnetic interference issue requiring a specific mitigation plan, operation, or application. 

It is your locally licensed electrician who will do the actual electrical work to implement any necessary corrections and install any electrical filters, switches, ground rods, etc. Unless an EMRS is also a licensed electrician, an EMRS does not perform electrical services. 

From our experience, most electricians fail to identify and correct wiring errors if left on their own without guidance or direction. One can wire a renovation or new chandelier where the lights will turn on, but in the process may also violate several NEC requirements that produce harmful magnetic field emissions and pose a potential fire risk. Many electricians mistakenly think that the fix for a wiring error is in grounding and bonding circuits properly. Hiring an EMRS, in this circumstance, to work in concert with your electrician is often helpful. The EMRS can guide how to identify the circuits where there are parallel returns. This training is just one learned protocol that separates the professional EMRS from the typical New York TriState EMF expert or inspector.

Another non-invasive test an EMRS conducts is measuring stray current and voltage on your water service, coaxial cables, and gas lines. Home inspectors and electricians do not check these utilities for stray current, which can cause potential health and safety issues.

A third test that an EMRS could conduct that is non-invasive that a home inspector for electrician does not provide to measure the impedance on the system ground. If there is a ground loop or exceedingly high impedance, this will cause the electric fields inside the home to be stronger than if the system ground were functioning with a proper impedance. Shunting the electric fields to the earth ground is essential. Furthermore, a flawed system ground poses a potential shock and fire hazard. 

Most electricians are not aware that many common wiring errors can produce elevated magnetic field radiation and pose a fire hazard. After all, according to the NFPA, 48% of all home fires are electrical.

Induced magnetic fields from specific wiring errors can adversely affect sensitive electronic equipment and cause ill-health after prolonged exposure. If relatively low AC magnetic fields comparable to the US standards, which are virtually non-existent, did not cause interference, all AC magnetic shielding companies would be out of work. It would take me much less time to consult on the best placement for Magnetic Resonance Imagers (MRI), Ultrasound Imagers, Electron Microscopes and Scanners, and other scientific and medical equipment. Determining pacemaker compatibility would be a breeze.

A fourth non-invasive test that an EMRS conducts that no electrician or home inspector offers is to test the levels of harmonic line noise and airborne interference coupled to indoor electric fields, often called "dirty electricity." There are several techniques to assess these frequencies, but again, all tests are non-invasive. 

A fifth non-invasive test that an EMRS conducts that an electrician does not is a radio frequency scan. Strong radiofrequency radiation levels can cause electronics to malfunction and ill-health with prolonged exposure, according to the scientists of the Bio-initiative, Physicians for Safer Technology, and the scientists of The Environmental Health Trust.

Finally, an EMRS is a consultant who can offer their educated and experienced opinion on best practices for EMF/EMR/EMI mitigation. This knowledge and expertise are beyond the training scope that a home inspector or an electrician receives. The electrician or licensed electrical contractor works to mitigate the non-ionic radiation produced by wiring errors, unshielded electrical cables, poorly grounded homes, and installing all electrical equipment, EMR remediation equipment, etc.

So, yes, although all tests that an EMRS conducts are non-invasive, they do require training and certification. Unfortunately, there is no license issued in any country or court for EMF/EMR testing. We certainly wish there were. Requiring a license would ensure that the consumer receives a baseline of competency.

Earthing, Grounding, and Bonding

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Misunderstood and misinterpreted concepts circulate the world of EMF remediation consulting, especially those involving earthing, grounding, and bonding. Hopefully, this article will help you gain an improved working knowledge of these terms.

To begin, let's define the term electrical conductor. An electrical conductor is any metal wire that can provide a guiding path for electricity to flow. Of course, humans are not electrical conductors in this sense, but we are conductors of electricity. Current can travel across the epidermis and through our bodies. When either a ground rod, also termed a grounding electrode, or a human being connects directly to the Earth, we call this Earthing.

Are you connected to the electrical system or the Earth?

Are you connected to the electrical system or the Earth?

The frost line is 30 inches below Earth ground's surface. Everything above this imaginary line becomes wholly frozen during the winter months. This top layer of Earth's skin is also where most stray voltage and current traverse, especially when the soil is moist. This energy comes from nearby electrical power lines, substations, underground cabling, and electrojets formed via solar flares passing through the ionosphere that couple to the secondary windings of transformers to produce odd harmonics to the 13th order.

Ubiquitous modern-day microwave communication signals couple to all lower frequency energies resulting in fast transient harmonics running over the Earth’s surface. These transients need to be compensated for while conducting soil resistivity tests by using low pass filters.

With lower temperatures or high-frequency ground currents, soil resistivity increases, potentially raising a grounding electrode's impedance. The NFPA 70E® required impedance for a grounding electrode to function appropriately is 25 ohms or less, except in particular circumstances when sensitive electronics are involved, where 5 ohms is required. Power stations will require 0.5 ohms (IEEE 1.9.5)

(NEC 250.54 (A) states: "A single electrode consisting of a rod, pipe, or plate that does not have a resistance to ground of 25 ohms or less shall be augmented by one additional electrode of any type specified in section NEC 250.52 (A) (4) - (a)(8).)" To achieve this target of 25 ohms or less, we need to drive an eight-foot ground rod beyond this thirty inches until the rod's top is either level or just below the surface (NEC 250.53 (G.) 

(Depending on the soil resistivity, you may need more than one eight-foot ground rod inserted to a deeper calculated depth than eight feet or apply alternative methods using ground rings, ground plates, or ground trenches. Each of these electrodes must be a minimum depth of 30 inches (NEC 250.53 (F)(G)(H).) Note: Elexana LLC is certified to make these determinations and calculations.

To protect our buildings from high-voltage lightning strikes, line surges, or unintentional contact with high-voltage lines (NEC 250.4 (A)(1)), a low impedance grounding electrode is required to provide an effective ground-fault path to Earth. NEC 250.66 (A) requires either a 6 AWG copper wire or a 4 AWG aluminum wire for the grounding electrode conductor fastened with a copper or galvanized clamp to connect the ground rod with the ground/ neutral busbar inside the Mains electrical panel. (Some panels have separate ground and neutral busbars connected via a bonding screw (often painted green) or a bonding strap.) The neutral return wires (usually gray or white) from every branch circuit in your building and all ground conductors (green wire) from every wall outlet receptacle eventually connect to the Mains neutral busbar. The neutral busbar's return conductor connects through your electrical service entry back out to your power company's transformer. The transformer is the drum on the telephone pole if you have overhead distribution lines or the metal cabinet near your front lawn if you have underground distribution lines.

To further protect your building from a catastrophic lightning strike, NEC 250.104 requires bonding all water and gas pipes. Bonding means connecting all metal piping and structural steel (NEC 250.52 (A)(2)) and linking them back to the grounding electrode. All raceways (NEC 250.96) and metal cabinets such as your refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer, toaster oven, etc., must be grounded/bonded via the ground conductor pins on their plugs to the wall outlet ground socket (NEC 250.114.) (Note: This connection also protects you from a shock hazard in case of a short by initiating the GFCI, Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, or your circuit breaker to flip.) The term "grounding" means connecting your appliances and devices to the Equipment Ground Conductor, EGC, to your Mains panel neutral busbar, then out to the grounding electrode. 

The Earth does not provide ample protection from a lightning strike, so the final protection from a lightning strike is the overload ground conductor connecting your neutral busbar to your water service pipe in your basement near to where it enters your building. The excess voltage will travel from your water pipe, "leap" over your water meter via a jumper and continue onto the municipal water supply, absorbing all extra voltage. 

Many folks have the false notion that the grounding conductor in their home or office is some pristine connection to Earth. This idea could not be further from reality. Even if you powered down your building altogether, you would have a voltage and current on your grounding conductor. Depending on radio frequency interference and the condition of your local transformer, you will have a wide bandwidth of harmonics (dirty electricity) on this conductor and your neutral conductor, as well. 

Some clients who wish to "ground" themselves from their office or home have asked if they could drive a separate independent ground rod into the Earth and not connect it to the Mains panel. We can't endorse this practice because NEC 250.50 requires bonding for all grounding electrodes. Remember, this code is to protect you. Further, without adequately testing your soil resistivity, your temporary ground rod may very well be corrupted by stray voltage and current traveling along the surface of the ground. Additionally, this cable's impedance is too high for anything like a negative ion to travel from Earth ground back to you.

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Earthing can provide real health benefits. Not only will earthing shunt unwanted voltage from your epidermis, but the Earth contains negative ions, which can have a restorative and therapeutic effect. Negative ions are naturally occurring molecules holding a negative charge, extra electrons, correlated with alkalinity. Negative ions exist in ocean water, flowing streams, and clean air, especially after a thunderstorm. Negative ions also flow from sunlight and the Earth. Earth, of course, unless there is human-engineered stray voltage or current traveling along its surface. 

If you live in a city or suburb, then most likely you are not earthing when you walk barefoot in your backyard. You would certainly not be earthing if you walked down the sidewalks of most New York City streets. Because concrete is conductive, walking barefoot in NYC would often have the opposite effect of earthing. With human-engineered electromagnetic radiation leakage from local electrical distribution lines traveling just below the sidewalk’s surface line, you can take on positively charged ions. Also, this activity could pose a potential shock hazard if a nearby utility is shorted.

If you want to know if you are genuinely earthing, verify the soil resistivity. (Note: If you are within a power-dense electromagnetic field, although earthing will bring your relative potential to zero millivolts (skin-body voltage), all energies will still couple to the epidermis. In other words, earthing shunts voltage but does not block electromagnetic energy.)

In summary, earthing occurs when we directly connect to the Earth, grounding, when we join a conductor to the electrical system ground/neutral busbar, and bonding, when we connect metal casings and pipes to the system ground/neutral busbar. 

We all need to experience Nature as often as is possible, get plenty of sunlight, fresh air, and move our bodies throughout the day. Swimming in the ocean and walking on a beach provide earthing benefits. In contrast, grounding to your electrical system is not earthing. I encourage you not to be so naive about every alternative therapy and remedial device, no matter how many positive reviews and endorsements.

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*If the grounding electrode is encased in concrete, then a 4 AWG copper wire is required (NEC 250.66 (B))

Know Your Grounding Electrode's Impedance

It is essential to know your grounding electrode’s impedance to ensure that your home or business is properly protected from a lightning strike.

Every year, we see homes catching fire or industrial sites exploding because no one ever properly checked the system ground. Recently, I serviced a 1.5 million square-foot facility that did not have the lightning protection connected and the grid was rendered ineffective by a limestone bed.

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There is a jaw-dropping number of homes and businesses in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts with grounding systems that have resistances beyond the NEC required impedance of ≤ 25 ohms.

Home inspectors do NOT test or verify the actual impedance level of your grounding rod electrodes. Nor do 99.99% of electricians or EMF testing companies.

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Fortunately for all of us, Elexana LLC provides this service. As NFPA 70E® certified, we measure your grounding rod electrode or grounding grid electrode’s impedance and then verify how well your building is grounded using an isolated non-floating oscilloscope. Then, we suggest solutions to your engineering staff or electrician. We are the only EMI/EMF Testing and Mitigation Consulting Services Company that provides this essential service.

If you have a limestone bed, rocky, or sandy soil, your ground rods were installed on an angle, you can see your ground rod, you see galvanic corrosion on the top of your ground rod, or you have green oxidation on your grounding electrodes, then you may not be adequately protected.

The National Electrical Code (NEC) section 250-56 requires for a single ground rod or ground plate installed into Earth ground to have an impedance of 25 ohms or less. IEEE 142, “IEEE Recommended Practice for Grounding of Industrial and Commercial Power Systems,” recommends an earth resistance in the range of 0.50-5 ohms.

No inspection in the world conducts as complete an electromagnetic field assessment as Elexana LLC.



Electromagnetic Interference Explained

You are in your window seat on American Airlines waiting for your plane to head out for the runway. Your pilot goes on the intercom, politely asks for your attention, and then requests that you power OFF your cellphones or place them in “airplane mode.” But why?

Your pilot is clearly concerned about the cumulative electromagnetic interference (EMI) emitted from the cell phones reflecting off of hard surfaces inside the cabin. Even though the plane’s computer systems are encased in metal to protect them from interfering radio waves, there is still a concern that some intrusion onto the computer’s circuitry, which controls the landing gear, could cause an EMI malfunction.

What is EMI?

Electromagnetic interference is the distortion resultant on to:

  1. an existing electromagnetic field, or

  2. a conductor, which is termed the "receptor." A conductor in the electrical context is any wire that can provide a path for current to flow. In general terms, any metallic object or any mass that is retaining moisture is conductive. A human being or animal can also be a receptor of an electromagnetic radiation source that can cause biological interference to healthy functioning cells.

Interference requires:

  1. a noise source (emitter)

  2. a pathway (method of coupling or energy transfer)

  3. a receptor, (a receiver that is susceptible to interference.)

    Any Electromagnetic Field Test is ultimately an EMI test in the sense that its purpose is to determine the potential for any specific ambient electromagnetic field of causing interference or obstruction to electrical systems, equipment function, or staff safety.

However, EMI testing goes to even deeper levels whereby we also look at the specific equipment of concern or under test (EUT) down to the circuit boards and the device’s electrical function, emissions, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) when deciding on its best location in your facility.

EMI causes the altering of waveforms, electron path and direction, due to the coupling of noise from electromagnetic radiation. How disruptive any interference will be to a receptor depends on its susceptibility and immunity to the interference.

With the exponential increase of wireless technologies around the globe, EMI has become common vernacular. Synonyms are signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), line noise, harmonic transients, dirty electricity, RFI (radio frequency interference), and electromagnetic coupling.

I prefer electrical engineering terms because it is with engineers whom I have to communicate.

We used an oscilloscope with a magnetic sensor probe to measure EMI on an Apple TrackPad II. If there was no EMI on the DUT (device under test), we would have had a smooth sine wave, instead it is quite jagged. Notice the 645.9 kHz fundamental. A sm…

We used an oscilloscope with a magnetic sensor probe to measure EMI on an Apple TrackPad II. If there was no EMI on the DUT (device under test), we would have had a smooth sine wave, instead it is quite jagged. Notice the 645.9 kHz fundamental. A smooth sine wave would be 60 Hz. Copyright ©2020 All Rights Reserved.

The Four Types of Electromagnetic Coupling are:

1. Conductive Coupling occurs when the coupling path between the source and the receptor forms a direct electrical contact with a conducting body.

Examples of Conductive Coupling: 

  • when wires cross in an electronic device 

  • when a human touches an active wire 

  • when the system ground wires attached to an active water pipe which is conducting a neutral current

Signal-to-Noise (S/N) 

  • When the S/N ratio appears in phase, in the same direction on both conductors, we call this common impedance.

  • When the S/N ratio appears out of phase, in the opposite direction on both conductors, we call this differential impedance.

2. Inductive Coupling occurs when a strong electromagnetic force, or EMF, intersects an electrical conductor within a magnetic field, causing the first magnetic field to become distorted. The famous Michael Faraday, who developed what is now termed the Faraday Cage, discovered electromagnetic induction in 1831. James Clerk Maxwell, who preceded Albert Einstein, mathematically described this process as "Faraday's Law of Induction."

3. Capacitive Coupling occurs when two fluctuating electrical fields co-exist between two adjacent conductors, thereby inducing a change in voltage on the receiving conductor, or receptor. Capacitive Coupling is one of the most intriguing and challenging for the new student to grasp. We see this occurring when we turn off the circuit in a room, and the electric field becomes stronger. It is because the electrician strung wires in parallel from different circuits.

4. Radiative Coupling occurs when there is a distance exceeding one wavelength between the source point and the receptor. The source point and receptor both act as antennas whereby the source-point emits or radiates an electromagnetic force which then emits across space in between and is coupled or received by the receptor. An example is a cell transmitter sending an HF signal that couples on to your equipment’s wiring.

Why Be Concerned With EMI?

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) causes latency, malfunction, and sluggish performance to fine electronics such as computers, medical devices and equipment, pace-makers, financial trading platforms, graphic software, recording equipment, and more.

How Do You Know It’s EMI?

An easy way to tell if you have an EMI issue is to observe the presence of any:

  • overheating of any metal enclosures. Are enclosures very hot to the touch? (Inductive Heating)

  • motor failures from overheating. (Voltage Drop)

  • fuses blowing for no apparent reason (Inductive Heating and Overload)

  • static or interference on sound or voice communication (Harmonic Line Noise)

  • electronic equipment shutting down for no apparent reason (Voltage Distortion)

  • computer malfunction or locking up. (Voltage Distortion)

  • flickering fluorescent or LED lights (Transformer Saturation)

  • blinking incandescent lights (Transformer Saturation)

  • flickering or distortion lines and static on screens (Transformer Saturation)

What Are the Additional Benefits of Reducing EMI?

  • Reduced Electrical Consumption

  • Cooler Equipment

  • Longer Lifetime for Equipment

  • Lowered Utility Bill

  • EMF Reduction for a Safer and Healthier Environment

  • Surge Protection for Your Entire Facility

  • Improved Screen Quality

  • Improved Audio

  • Phase Correction Which Improves Efficiency and Performance

  • Cleaner Power Resulting from Transient Harmonic Attenuation

  • Improved Health and Wellness

How Does EMI Occur?

Metal, of course, is a conductor for electromagnetism. If you have a strong electromagnetic field nearby a metal wire that has an electrical current and/or voltage, the nearby electromagnetic field will magnetically converge, couple, and ride along with the original current. Imagine a surfer hopping onto his surfboard to ride that perfect wave.

The amount of interference that will occur on an electronic is relative to frequency, the V/m (Volts per meter), and the magnetic flux of the intruding EMF.

The analogy of wind and water wonderfully illustrates the concept of EMI.

If there is a slow and easy breeze moving across the surface of a lake, you will see ripples or small mercurial waves in the water.

When wind velocity and force increase, you will see more turbulent water. This resembles EMI.

EMI is why certain hospital wings will have cell phone-restricted areas.

© 2020, 2022. All rights are reserved.

EMI Mitigation: How and Why are Electric Fields Measured?

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One reason an engineer can fail to solve an EMI issue is that she or he does not consider the potential impact of capacitive coupling attributed by E-Fields (electric fields.)

When we assess E-Fields, we are referring to measuring the electron particle component of electromagnetism in terms of voltage separated from the perpendicular, or vector, magnetic flux "lines-of-force" component of A.C. (alternating current.) The standard frequencies of electrical power are 50 Hertz (European) or 60 Hertz (North American), 5 Hertz (European Railways), 25 Hertz for the Traction Power Grid for New Jersey Transit and Amtrak (60 Hz for the New Haven Line), and the Siemen’s Sitras Brand which uses AC and DC.

Most think that electricity travels within the electrical cabling and is wholly contained within these metal conductors, whether they be transmission lines, distribution lines, facility wiring, or equipment and appliance electrical cords. However, an electrical conductor functions merely as a guide. The larger the load on this conductor, the more spread the field. The girth of the electric field around the conductor will depend on how well the overall electrical system is contained and grounded, as well as the resistance of the soil of Earth's ground.

There are four possible relationships between the electric and magnetic aspects of electricity. You can have: 

  1. a strong electrical component with a weak magnetic flux, or 

  2. a weak electric component with a strong magnetic flux, or 

  3. both relatively weak, or 

  4. both relatively strong. 

    We identify and measure these aspects separately because the remedial solutions are very different.

 We mitigate E-Fields by proper Earth grounding versus Magnetic Fields which need to be either:

1. canceled by bringing the hot wire (phase conductor) and the neutral return conductor closer together, or 

2. create a literal distance by moving further from the source-point, or 

3. create distance from a source-point via shielding because the magnetic waves have the travel around the shielding thereby weakening. More on all of this later.

If a consultant speaks about EMF as lines of force, and they only show up with a gauss meter and not any tool to measure the E-Fields, then the EMI assessment will be incomplete, and thereby incorrect, if not accounting for the potential of capacitive coupling. E.P.R. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and the Stark Effect will disrupt superconductors and more.

Human-made alternating current has only been in our world since George Westinghouse began mass-producing electricity. In 1893, Westinghouse Corporation applied massive magnetic transformers to step-up electricity generated by turbines placed at Niagara Falls. With the first installation of its kind, New York State was officially on the power grid. 

Perhaps one of the most insidious forms of non-ionizing radiation resides within our very own home or office walls. Unshielded electrical cabling (Romex) emits an E-Field that is about 6-8 feet. Romex is also an excellent antenna for radiofrequency emissions (RF.) A factory is required to have industrial electrical cable in the walls, however as I just witnessed recently, an outside vendor had installed lighting that was not to code. Unless an electrician has experience working in manufacturing facilities, then they may not know the necessary codes.

A slight digression: Once RF couples on to active wiring, both line, and airborne electromagnetic interference (EMI) results. EMI causes high-frequency harmonic transients or signal-to-noise (S/N) beyond the fundamental 60 Hertz of our electrical supply. Using oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers, we measure electromagnetic interference. The more RF wireless devices in the facility, and the more conductive surfaces, then the more EMI will be introduced onto our systems.

Depending on the voltage (V/m), then the more potential impact the EMI will have on equipment.

1. Using an NFA 1000, we measure the potential-free voltage in the air. This tool utilizes a proprietary technology developed by Gigahertz Solutions in Germany, measuring airborne voltage using a triaxial X, Y, and Z pattern sensor array without the need for a ground reference. This method allows us to measure V/m quite efficiently. 

2. A second way is to drive a ground stake into the Earth-ground and take a relative to Earth's ground E-Field measurement.

3. A third method is to measure the actual voltage coupling to the skin. Using a reference ground and grasping a brass bar in the palm, we measure the average potential on the epidermis. The epidermis reacts to the size and strength of the E-Field. This measuring technique is a direct way to evaluate occupational exposure.

At Elexana, we incorporate a third: Using a 3-D sensor array that picks up electrical particles down to 9 kHz, which is the VLF (very low frequency) range; just above the ELF range of our 60 Hertz electricity. With this, we measure the upper harmonic transients of the electrical supply and the electrical aspect of radio frequencies.

Before the NFA 1000, I would go from room to room, measuring my epidermal voltage to determine the size and strength of the E-Fields and determine the level of success of remediation. It was time-consuming but effective. 

EMI Diagnostic work requires a passion for thoroughness, relentless attention to detail, and spontaneous on-demand creativity. It's not for everyone, but if you think that you have these qualities, then with the proper knowledge and training, you could become a talented EMI Consultant.

Know Your EMI Tolerance and EMF Safety Levels Before Hiring an EMF Testing Company

You could need EMI Compliance or EMF Safety tests for all sorts of reasons. Before you jump into the internet search rabbit hole, do some homework based on your needs. 

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If you need to know if a new piece of equipment will function properly at a new location, then check the manual for EMI tolerance specs. We even had one piece of equipment that required a specific meter be used for the compliance test, or the manufacturer’s guarantee would not be applicable.

If you have a medical device, such as an anesthesia table, then know that there is a specific FDA compliance testing procedure that this little side table must undergo. Be sure that during your manufacturing process, you put the table under the rigors of pre-compliance testing to save you time and money.

Are you interested in RF emissions from an industrial dryer that emits 27-30 MHz of strong RF, then you need to know National IEEE, OSHA, and your particular state’s DEP safety regulations. We recommend also knowing international standards for occupational safety. If one day you wish to partner with a Chinese, Israeli, or European firm, then they may insist that their workers are operating within their own country’s guidelines.

If you wish to buy a new investment property, then you need to not only know the US safety levels, but you also need to know all of the international safety standards. A European or Israeli company is often not concerned with the US safety levels because the standards are so much lower than the rest of the world’s standards. For example, the US safety level for exposure to AC Magnetic Fields is 1,000 mG (milligauss) whereas the Israeli safety level is only 4 mG. Another example; the US/IEEE safety level for radio frequency exposure is 10,000,000 µW/m² whereas much of the world’s safety level including Israel, Germany, France, Russia, and China’s is 10,000 µW/m². Salzburg, Austria’s and Luxembourg’s limits are 1,000 µW/m².

If you wish to have your family residence tested, then you should do some research to know what AC Magnetic, AC Electric, and RF emission levels are acceptable to you. Elexana’s safety limits for residential work are in line with the Building Biology® Institute. We are certified Electromagnetic Radiation Specialists (EMRS). 

Be sure that the EMF Company you are interviewing shares with you their EMF Safety Actionable Levels long before you hire them. If they believe that 10 mG is an acceptable level and 10 mG is what their shielding will leak, then any electron microscopes or scanners will be situated within a magnetic environment that may not meet manufacturer’s specifications.

Wiring error identification is a service that a trained and certified EMRS learns how to provide. It does NOT require an electrical license because it is non-invasive. Wall outlet receptacles or electrical panels do not need opening up to provide this service. 

Every trained EMRS works with an electrician who will then do the follow-up work. We can instruct an electrician on how to troubleshoot and identify problems in a mains or a sub-panel. Our affiliate licensed electricians continue the process we begin, making your home safe from potential electrical fires and AC Magnetic Fields, created by wiring errors, which can cause a possible fire. Often, we see that a more efficient electrical system will lower your monthly utility bill.  

Hand-Held Radio Frequency Meters: Pros vs. Cons

Pros:

Hand-held RF meters are cost-effective and easy to use. Those with a logarithmic periodic antenna are particularly good at identifying general source points, such as smart meters, cellular antenna ports and towers, wifi, cordless phones, BlueTooth, etc. For this reason, the Gigahertz Solutions HF59B and HF59D hand-held meters serve well the excellent work that an Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, EMRS, provides you. 

The Gigahertz Solutions HF59B, one of the best hand-held RF analyzers (Made in Germany), is most responsive in the ‘Sensitive” setting and measures RF signal power to a resolution of a microwatt per square meter (µW/㎡) for power readings. Unfortunately, it does not take much to overload this setting, so the max settings that bump the measurement units up to a milliwatt per square meter (mW/㎡) are often required. It has a running RMS (Root-Mean-Squared Average) setting and a PEAK and PEAK-hold function that do not average but sum the three highest received peak frequencies. By the FCC, this mathematical method is acceptable as a viable calculation method.

The isotropic antenna (Isotropic is a “donut-shaped” pattern above the antenna) has a typical zero dBi (decibel-isotropic) gain. This means the measurements are relatively linear (consistently representative of the actual signal strength across all frequency bands) and do not require antenna factor calculations. (The logarithmic periodic antennas and all other log-per antennas require compensation calculations because the dipole antennas that make up a log-per antenna resonate with specific frequencies more than others. So, these resonating frequencies will be received better than others. The weaker resonating frequencies will be received as a weaker signal than in reality, so compensation for the signal as measured weaker than it is are needed for those specific frequencies. This compensation is termed the antenna factor, AF.)

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Cons:

The typical hand-held meter is a scalar measuring instrument that can exaggerate the measured power density levels. It can also under-measure.

A Gigahertz Solutions RF Analyzer and most hand-held meters can under-record a cell tower measurement. Today’s 5G antenna ports emit five different frequency bands. So, if the analyzer is only summing three of the highest amplitudes, it will not account for the two bands with weaker signals. (The effect of RF on electronics and persons results from power density and other factors such as frequency, phase modulation, pulse amplitude variations, and distortion.)

In addition, because these meters cannot measure phase, any impedance mismatches and reflections can add in and out-of-phase distortion with the incident signal you are measuring, resulting in magnitude uncertainty. This typically occurs while measuring inside any room or on a New York City block because of multiple reflective surfaces. An EMRS is aware of this issue while measuring indoors and tries to account for this during the assessment.

Most hand-held RF meters are broadband and not frequency selective. As a result, all unwanted signals caused by the meter’s circuitry will get averaged into the measurement, often causing false or inaccurate readings. This is why we throw out spike readings that do not correspond to a smart meter’s demodulated audio signal.

Intermodulation resultants are signals generated by nonlinear interactions within the transmitter components. For example, the internal mixer which processes the RF signal has a nonlinear behavior. The mixer outputs the sum and difference of three input signal frequencies via diode sensors, and then the output is isolated. Most high-end meters have an IF Filter (Intermediary Frequency Filter.) The higher frequency summation is a process known as up-conversion, meaning that the output frequency is higher than the second input frequency.

The problem with using any mixer within the circuitry path is that mixers can present signal combinations along with their harmonics and leakage of the input signals to the output. The frequency and amplitude of the intermodulation resultants will then change with a delta in the input signals, resulting in yet another way to get an incorrect measurement. Care and experience can minimize this effect in specific environments, but it is nearly impossible to avoid in a dense RF environment such as New York City.

We term any unwanted signal as a spurious event or spur. Spurs from internal circuitry leakage and external radiative coupling may occur at any frequency or power level. If you use any hand-held RF meter or hand-held spectrum analyzer, there is a good chance that your peak readings will have spurs. Therefore, we recommend monitoring the RMS (root-mean-squared) readings, taking extended-time measurements, and voiding any one-time spike readings.

Often, you can use your own eyes to locate RF sources unless you are in a big city or a rural area with dense foliage and do not have an FCC mapping of licensed antennas in your vicinity. Generally, a hand-held RF meter is not the correct tool to acquire data for scientific assessments of RF signals, except for a specific few makes and models. Still, meters such as the Gigahertz Solutions HF59B and HF59D will work for general residential work where you want to get a sense of the relative power levels entering your space.

Usually, if you want accurate isotropic broadband measurements for scientific purposes, then either ascertain an isotropic broadband antenna with a dedicated spectrum analyzer or find a hand-held meter that isolates the antenna from the electronics, has internal RF shielding with a built-in attenuator, and monitor the RF signals for a longer time-span.

Calibration and Professional Meters:

A professional meter, for most applications it is designed for, has an up-to-date ISO 17025 calibration certificate. This certification includes a detailed report of the +/- decibel (dB) error or percentage level of uncertainty for each frequency and measurement traceability to a specific up-to-date calibrated tool.

If the meter has a NIST (National Institute of Standards) traceable certification only, then it is helpful as a reference tool but not for taking critical high-risk measurements such as for the aviation industry, industrial safety, pacemakers, etc.

If your meter has a factory calibration, measurements are generally certified by the manufacturer at their stated accuracy for one year. Most measuring equipment used frequently will go out of calibration within one year.

Up-to-date calibration certificates should be included in your report. If you are a professional providing high-risk assessments, we recommend you use ISO 17025 certified-calibrated equipment.

© 2022. All rights are reserved.