How To Use An EMF Reader
Posted by Security Team on
You may have purchased a new EMF meter or are thinking about buying one.
There are so many types of EMF readers, and to choose the one you want to use, you must first understand what you want to measure.
It is important to note that the best meter for the job is one that is sensitive to the kind of EMF radiation you would want to measure to give you the most accurate information.
Learning what all the terminology means can be confusing.
Let us help you break down the different frequencies and terminology to help you understand what you're looking for in an emf reader.
One of the main questions we want to ask ourselves is what electromagnetic field you are interested in measuring?
- Is it a general reading around your home?
- A smart meter, Electrical wiring, or your phone?
These are some of the things you may want to measure.
What EMF is and Why You Should Care
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are invisible areas of energy, often referred to as radiation, associated with electrical power and various natural and artificial lighting forms.
The truth is that the long-term effects of high-frequency signal exposure from sources such as EMF radiation are still unknown because the general public has not been exposed to these types of frequencies for very long periods.
This is why so many people are incorporating Faraday shielded blankets, curtains, clothing, rooms, and other products into their lives—they would rather be safe than sorry.
Whether or not EMF can harm human health is still a controversial issue.
So until we have more information and research on the possible health effects, the best thing we can do is shield ourselves and take precautions against it.
Check out our other post about:
SIMPLE STEPS TO REDUCE EMF EXPOSURE IN THE HOME
Why Should You Use An Emf Reader?
While ignorance may be bliss, it is not so when it comes to EMFs. Even though most of us don't see, hear, feel, smell or taste EMF, it does not mean that it is not present.
An EMF meter makes the invisible EMFs visible and helps you understand the sources of EMFs and the degree of radiation each source is emitting. With an EMF reader, you will be better able to measure the effectiveness of your reduction measures.
Making changes and testing them to see if it was effective is a valuable asset to reducing their exposure to EMF.
What Type Of Radiation Emitting Fields do you Want to Measure?
EMF meters serve a specific purpose of measuring four different types of EMF that include:
Microwave radiation – from wireless technology such as WiFi routers, mobile phone towers, baby monitors, and smart meters.
Magnetic fields - generally come from power lines. However, bad wiring in your home and also various home appliances can also cause magnetic fields.
Electric fields - these radiate from devices that are not unshielded. Electrical wiring can also cause electrical fields.
Dirty Electricity - referring to the type of frequencies that traverse the wiring of your home. This can include things like power adapters, solar power inverters, fluorescent lighting, switches with a dimmer function, and of course, wireless smart meters.
Please also note that the higher the accuracy you get from a particular type of meter, the higher the price is likely to be.
We will use the TriField TF2 EMF reader as an example of what we can measure and what to look out for when using it, lets take a look.
The TriField has 5 Measuring modes:
The TRIFIELD TF2 may look outdated, but trust us, many still consider it the go-to and industry standard. This is because its internal hardware still meets the criteria for modern standards and performs incredibly well like many other modern designs.
Magnetic Fields
For Magnetic (MAG) Fields (power lines, appliances, wiring in walls, and motors), turn the knob to Standard MAG or Weighted MAG. A typical home with low EMF will read less than 3.0 milligauss on Standard MAG and less than 5.0 milligauss on Weighted MAG.
Covering the top of the meter will not affect the magnetic reading.
Electric and Radio (RF)
These are the most common frequencies people are most interested in measuring think of your router and other wireless technologies around you.
Thankfully most advanced and entry-level EMF readers are more than capable of giving good readings for these measurements.
For Electric (ELEC) Fields (wall outlets and wiring, fluorescent lights, and electrical switches), turn the dial to Standard ELEC or Weighted ELEC or adjust your reader in its settings.
In an electromagnetically quiet home or office, both Standard and Weighted ELEC will read less than 50 V/m. For Radio/Microwave (RF) frequencies (cell phones, WiFi routers, microwave ovens, and radio/tv stations), turn the knob to RF.
Hold the bottom half of the meter below this point for both Electric (ELEC) and Radio (RF) field measurement. Do not block the top of the meter with your hand. Instead, point the meter outward, away from your body.
The reading may be higher when holding the meter than if it is set down. This is because the body concentrates the field.
Therefore, hold the meter to obtain an accurate reading of your total exposure.
Do I measure On Standard or Weighted or both?
Some more advanced EMF readers will let you measure in standard and weighted mode.
Standard MAG or ELEC measures the strength of the field regardless of frequency (40Hz-100kHz). However, weighted MAG or ELEC emphasizes the higher frequencies above 60Hz. This is because higher frequencies will create more electric current inside the human body.
For example, at 60Hz, the body receives field pulses 60 times per second, while at 120Hz, the body receives twice the number of pulses, or 120 times per second, though the field remains the same.
When do I use Magnetic (MAG), Electric (ELEC), or Radio (RF)?
Typical magnetic fields are emitted by motors, appliances, wiring, and power lines.
Electric fields are emitted by power lines, lights, wall outlets, electrical switches, and ungrounded appliances.
RF is found near transmitting cell phones and WiFi routers, cell phone towers, microwave ovens, smart meters, wireless landline phones or walkie-talkies, and radio/tv stations.
Power company smart meters only pulse about once per minute. So watch for the peak number.
To reduce exposure, avoid high-field areas or use shielding. Each type of field has simple, specific shielding techniques.
EMF readers are great to test if your EMF paint, Faraday bags, Fabric, or other EMF countermeasures are doing their job.
What is a 'safe' level?
Absolute safe levels have not been established. However, according to research,
there have not been problems associated with staying below:
- 3mG Standard Magnetic or 5mG Weighted Magnetic
- 50 V/m Standard or Weighted Electric
- 0.200 mW/m2 RF (field measurement) or 1.000 mW/m2 (peak measurement)
Exposure Levels mentioned here are typical readings taken from homes and offices that are relatively low in total electromagnetic fields. Legal maximum exposure levels are MUCH higher than the levels described above. Some practitioners may recommend somewhat different levels.
Conclusion
Hopefully this has helped you understand what to look out for when purchasing and using an Emf reader. Be sure to take a look at our range of Emf readers and Emf shielding products.
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