EMF Meters

List of EMF Meters

Recommended List of EMF Meters and Instruments

For those of you who would like to take your own measurements of EMFs in your home or office, I have put together the following list of recommended affordable EMF meters and instruments that will give you reliable readings of the various EMFs that we consider to be potentially harmful. There is a range of cost for consumer meters from entry-level meters that are affordable but have limitations to those that give more accurate readings but cost more. If your budget allows it, I would recommend that you pay more for more accurate meters.

These are the recommendations of Oram Miller, BBEC, EMRS. While they are based upon the meters and instruments generally recommended by the Building Biology Institute (BBI), the list below is not specifically endorsed by the BBI.

To view videos in which Oram shows how to use various affordable EMF meters, as well as to purchase those meters from EMF Help Center, click here. (Once on the EMF Help Center website, scroll down below each meter to see the links to the videos.)

To see a list of links to EMF Meters and Instruments and EMF-shielding products that I recommend, go to my Store page by clicking here.

Introduction

To take EMF measurements in and around your home, you will need four different instruments to accurately measure the four different EMFs that the building biology profession recognizes:

  • 60 Hz AC magnetic fields
  • 60 Hz AC electric fields
  • Radio frequencies
  • Transient voltage spikes of electric fields at frequencies higher than 60 Hz, also known as “dirty electricity”

Once you have gathered your instruments, you will want to know what we consider to be safe exposure levels for each type of EMF. Our profession has developed safe exposure guidelines since 1987 in Germany and most recently updated in December 2024. These Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines were developed specifically for sleeping areas, and they are broken down into four levels of concern for the first three types of EMFs listed above (the German building biologists did not develop safe exposure guidelines for “dirty electricity,” but I give those values below).

The four levels of concern are “No anomaly,” Slight anomaly,” “Severe anomaly,” and “Extreme anomaly.” Since these standards are quite stringent for the vast majority of our clients, including some of our electrically hypersensitive (EHS) clients, we feel comfortable getting most of our clients out of the “Severe concern” range. Only the most highly EHS people need to try to achieve getting beyond the “Slight concern” level into the “No concern” level, a goal that is generally not easy or is sometimes impossible to reach. We do the best we can with each home.

For the vast majority of people, getting somewhere into the “Slight concern” level will be quite healthy for them, as these levels are on a par with the general consensus for EMF exposure among non-industry EMF experts and researchers around the world. For instance, the “Slight concern” level for AC magnetic field exposure in the building biology profession is 0.1-1.0 milliGauss (mG), while the generally accepted safe magnetic field exposure level according to the larger EMF community is 1-2 mG.

To download and print out the latest building biology safe exposure guidelines, click here and scroll down to the bottom of the page to the link to view a PDF of the most recent set of Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines.

Generally speaking, the safe levels we try to achieve are less than:

  • 1.0 milliGauss (mG) for AC magnetic fields
  • 100 milliVolts (mV) for AC electric fields (measured with a body voltage meter)
  • 10 microWatts/meter squared (uW/m2) for radio frequencies while you sleep (in the real world, we are lucky to get our clients below 100 uW/m2 in the daytime)
  • 25-50 Graham-Stetzer Units (GSU) for “dirty electricity”, but again I am happy if I get my clients below 100 Units

These are the ideals. It will be a challenge to achieve these safe levels in some circumstances, and easy to achieve them in others. I discuss how we can help you do that after describing the meters and instruments used for each type of EMF.

Oram Miller’s EMF Meter Package from LessEMF (and Safe Living Technologies for their Safe & Sound Pro II RF Meter)

In collaboration with Sean at LessEMF in New York, I have created a group of three EMF meters that provide a very good measure of each type of EMF that the building biology profession recognizes. These are not the most inexpensive meters available, but I chose them because they will provide reliable, easy, repeatable assessments of the levels of these potential hidden sources of ill health in your home and help insure the safety of your living and work environment. If you can afford them, these are the meters that I ideally recommend for the person who wants to hire me for a long distance EMF evaluation of your home (when a local building building biologist is not available).

If you already have certain meters, you may want to upgrade (depending upon how well the meter you have measures the EMFs that we consider to be important) or just get the meters you don’t already have.

The three meters are as follows (plus the Safe & Sound Pro II from Safe Living Technologies):

You can order these meters separately from the links above.

I explain each meter in detail in the respective sections below for each EMF type. More affordable choices of meters to measure each of the four types of EMFs, as well as information about each type of EMF and other retailers who also sell great meters, are presented below.

Safe Living Technologies’ EM3 Combination Magnetic and Electric Field Meter

Safe Living Technologies has now come out with their Safe and Sound EM3 Meter to measure both AC magnetic fields and electric fields. This pocket-size meter measures magnetic fields in 3 axes. It also measures electric fields as a 1 axis free-standing electric field meter (with or without ground) or as a body voltage meter. It contains many features (but it will not data log). Available for $599 USD by clicking here. (All Safe Living meters are also available for purchase in four payment installments.)

AC Magnetic Fields

Magnetic fields are considered by us to be the most serious type of EMF, but fortunately, with the exception of magnetic fields from overhead power lines, they are generally localized to only certain parts of the house and are the least common of all types of EMFs. However, when you find them, you must deal with them because they are the most harmful EMFs we deal with. I say to clients that magnetic fields wear you down, causing a depressing influence on the immune system, compared to electric fields, which wear you out and rob you of a good night’s sleep. Magnetic fields cause a serious influence on your vitality and are known to be carcinogenic.

To read more about the potentially harmful health effects of exposure to magnetic fields and the scientific research to back this up, click on Article on Magnetic Fields and EMF Research Citations.

Magnetic fields are caused by:

1. Overhead power lines, for which there is nothing you can do; if the levels are consistently above 1-2 milliGauss wherever you measure in certain parts of your house, you must move where you sleep to another part of the house where they are lower, or, if that is not possible or the readings are high everywhere, you must consider moving altogether.

2. Electric current on the grounding paths of your electrical system, including the water service supply pipe and cable TV cable sheathing. These can be completely eliminated by installing a dielectric union and proper grounding to keep you in code; by using a non-metallic water pipe material if you are building new; and by installing a ground loop isolater if you have current on your cable TV cable sheathing.

3. Wiring errors on branch circuits in your walls, floors and ceilings, which need the services of an electrician who works in conjunction with one of us to trace and repair. These, too, can be completely eliminated.

4. So-called “point sources” of magnetic field exposure, including transformers and electric motors. Fortunately the magnetic field around these sources, while high close in, drops off by the inverse cube law, meaning it decreases quite rapidly, usually within a foot or so around most sources. Unsafe levels are only seen within 1-2 feet around most plug-in transformers and within 3-4 four feet around a refrigerator when the compressor motor is running. Electric clock radios have a field of 1-2 feet due to the transformer inside (or 3 feet if the hands move around a dial, due to an electric motor). Electric wattmeters and breaker panels have a magnetic field of 3-4 feet due to separation of conductors inside of them.

I suggest that you read my article on magnetic fields on my website here, found on the EMFs page, before you begin measuring magnetic fields. That way you will have a clear understanding of what they are, how they are produced, how they affect human health, what we consider to be the safe levels (compared to what electric utilities and governmental agencies around the world say is safe), and what we do about them. You will find our building biology safe exposure guidelines on my website by clicking here. Generally the consensus is to have magnetic fields below 1-2 milliGauss (mG), and as close to or below 0.5 mG in sleeping areas, where possible.

To measure magnetic fields, you have a choice of purchasing single-axis or triple-axis Gauss meters. You can also purchase meters that only measure magnetic fields, and meters that measure magnetic fields and other types of EMFs, so-called “combination meters.”

With triple-axis Gauss meters it does not matter what orientation you hold the meter in to give you an accurate magnetic field reading. This is because it has three bars within it placed in three different orientations, and the readings from the three bars are calculated together by the meter to give one composite number (a “True RMS” Gauss meter).

With single axis meters, on the other hand, there is only one measuring bar within it, meaning you have to orient the meter the right way to get a meaningful number. Therefore, if you happen to get a high magnetic field reading in one orientation and then rotate the meter 90 degrees off axis, the needle or digital reading will drop, even though you have not moved the meter away from the source. Thus, if you choose to use a single-axis Gauss meter, you must be careful to orient it in all three orientations wherever you are measuring to avoid missing an elevated magnetic field. See below for more on this.

The trade off is that single-axis meters are more affordable, generally less than $100, while triple-axis Gauss meters are $199 to $300 and up.

It is my general recommendation that if you can afford it, you would be wise to spend the extra money to purchase one of the following triple-axis Gauss meters, depending upon your budget. All meters are available from LessEMF:

For those who want to help differentiate magnetic field sources between 60 AC wiring errors vs. higher frequency magnetic fields from dirty electricity, such as from dimmer switches, purchase the 3-Axis Gauss meter that Ignores Power lines from Less EMF (known as the Magnii DSP-523) for $348. This is the Gauss meter that I used for years (now I use the Gigahertz Solutions NFA1000). You can find the Magnii DSP-523 by clicking here. Choose “Ignores Power Lines” when making the choice at “Variation — Choose an option”.

Comparing Triple Axis Gauss meters with Older TriField Model 100XE Meters (and the New Digital TriField Model TF-2)

I recommend one of the Gauss meters listed above for measuring AC magnetic fields rather than the less expensive older TriField Model 100XE combination meters (sold for $149), which are also triple-axis Gauss meters (however, I do use and recommend their new, digital TriField Meter, Model TF-2 and love it–see below). This is because as I understand it, Alpha Labs, the maker of the TriField model 100XE meter, designed it to measure AC magnetic fields from any source from 50 Hz all the way up to 100,000 Hz (or 100 kiloHertz, kHz). This includes magnetic fields from wiring errors and current on ground paths such as metal water pipes and TV cables, which are causes of harmful health effects, but it also includes the magnetic field component of so-called “dirty electricity,” which occurs at frequencies up in the thousands and tens of thousands of Hertz.

I also understand that Alpha Labs favors the natural inflation of the actual magnetic field reading on their Frequency Weighted TriField 100XE models, up to four times the actual number, when measuring sources of magnetic fields at higher frequencies of dirty electricity. That is what is meant by the term “frequency weighted.” As the frequency of the source increases, the natural distortion of the reading of magnetic field exposure on an analog Gauss meter increases. Again, I am told this is acceptable to some because it brings the potential severity of the presence of these frequencies of dirty electricity to the attention of the homeowner and hopefully they will take steps to mitigate it. We don’t disagree with that goal, and this is also a position taken by many in the EMF Safety Community.

This is understandable and reflects the common viewpoint outside the building biology profession that dirty electricity is one of the most harmful types of EMF. In contrast, we in the building biology profession take a different view. We place dirty electricity lower on the list of four types of EMFs in terms of its potential harm to the general population, positioned after the other three. Granted, if one is electrically hypersensitive, dirty electricity will bother you and there are people who are quite sensitive to that particular type of EMF. We also acknowledge how potentially harmful dirty electricity can be for the general population.

However, we believe that the other three types of EMFs (AC electric fields and AC magnetic fields from house wiring, and radio frequency EMFs from wireless technologies) are actually more harmful to the population in general and even among those in the electrosensitive community. This is based upon our actual experience in the field. If you don’t look for the other types of EMFs, especially AC magnetic and electric fields at 60 Hz the way we do, you won’t find them. We find that they are exceedingly common and the vast majority of our clients, most of whom are electrically sensitive and symptomatic, report marked improvement in their overall EMF-related symptoms when we find and clear up these 60 Hz AC magnetic and electric fields, especially where they sleep. This is without a great deal of emphasis on dirty electricity, which we do also measure and mitigate. We can debate this issue further, but that is our experience in the field.

As a result, we put our emphasis on finding and reducing these other forms of EMFs, not to the exclusion of dirty electricity, but we don’t put dirty electricity above other EMFs.

We therefore have not used older TriField Model 100XE meters when we report our AC magnetic readings to our clients. We use a True-RMS triple axis Gauss
meter for that purpose. Some of us do use the TriField 100XE Frequency Weighted meter for what we refer to as a magnetic field “detector”. This is because the analog needle does swing up in the presence of magnetic fields, alerting us to their presence, along with the sound on our buzz stick. (The Gigahertz NFA1000, which I now use almost exclusively, also has noise that goes up when in the presence of higher magnetic and other fields, and so does the new digital TriField TF-2 meter. This is a useful tool, hearing when the field strength increases audibly so you don’t have to constantly watch the display as you move around taking readings.)

I used to carry both a Magnii DSP-523 True RMS Gauss meter and my TriField 100XE Frequency Weighted meter set to the 0-3 mG magnetic field setting in one hand, and my buzz stick with an earphone in my ear in the other when hunting for 60 Hz AC magnetic fields in a home EMF assessment. (Now I use the Gigahertz Solutions NFA1000 3-axis Gauss meter and electric field meter to measure AC magnetic and electric field EMFs, available from Safe Living Technologies. The NFA1000 has it’s own built-in sound generator to let you know audibly how strong the field is, so I rarely need my buzz stick anymore.)

This is why we often measure AC magnetic fields readings lower than our clients who only own an older TriField 100XE meter. If you own a frequency weighted TriField 100XE meter, just be aware of this phenomenon. Alpha Labs does sell what they call a “Flat Response” model of the TriField 100XE meter, identified by the words, “Flat Response” on the bottom of the back of the meter (known on the LessEMF website as the “Flat Frequency” model). Most older TriField 100XE meters sold on the market are frequency weighted. If your TriField 100XE does not have the words, “Flat Response” at the bottom of the decal on the back, yours is a Frequency Weighted model.

You will therefore have this distortion (in our opinion) of the magnetic field reading if dirty electricity is present, which is often the case. Special magnets are inserted into the Flat Response TriField 100XE meter to dampen this exaggeration of the reading at higher frequencies. I have compared a Flat Response TriField 100XE Gauss meter with my Magnii DSP-523 True-RMS Gauss meter, and the readings were virtually identical. Thus, if you are going to rely on the numbers from a TriField 100XE meter, only use the readings from a Flat Response model. You can order a Flat Response TriField 100XE meter. However, TriField now has a new digital version of their meter with several important upgrades. See below for details.

When we look for elevated magnetic field readings on our EMF evaluations, we are particularly interested in knowing if wiring errors or current on grounding paths are present, not dirty electricity. This is because we believe they are, in fact, the most harmful sources of the four types of EMFs. Dimmer switches and CFLs do make the needle of the TriField meter and the number on the digital display on a True-RMS Gauss meter go up when dimmers and CFLs are turned on and the Gauss meter is held one foot or more away from the wall. So do the more serious forms of magnetic fields, wiring errors and current on grounding paths.

Distinguishing between them is important in our work because if I see an elevated magnetic field reading at a home I am evaluating, I need to know whether to bring in an electrician or plumber to fix a wiring error or have a dielectric union installed in the water service supply pipe, versus telling the client the elevated magnetic field reading on their TriField meter they are so concerned about is only due to a dimmer switch. Contact me for more details on how we can help you make this distinction.

The True-RMS triple axis meters recommended above, unlike the Frequency Weighted TriField 100XE Gauss meter, are designed not to inflate the reading when measuring magnetic fields at higher frequency levels. They also measure magnetic fields within a more circumscribed frequency range. They will help you differentiate between elevated magnetic fields simply from a dimmer switch versus a more serious wiring error or current on your water pipe.

The magnetic field readings from a True-RMS Gauss meter will also be more in line with readings obtained by EMF experts with the local electric utility and when comparing your home’s EMF levels to internationally accepted safe exposure levels for AC magnetic fields. That is why I recommend you ideally spend an additional $50 to $100 and purchase one of the models recommended above. If you cannot afford that, then now you can purchase the new digital TriField TF-2, used in “Standard Mode”.

Measuring AC Electric and Radio Frequency EMF Levels with Older TriField Meters (Model 100XE)

If you do own an older TriField Meter model 100XE, it is called “TriField” because it does have the ability to measure magnetic, electric and radio frequency fields (which is why it is called a “combination meter” in the LessEMF catalogue). While that is true, we have only recommended using it for detecting the presence of magnetic fields, and using other EMF meters to measure the electric and radio frequency levels. That has, as mentioned, changed with the new digital version of the TriField, the Model TF2, reviewed below.

This previous position was held because, first of all, the TriField 100XE meter set in the electric field setting still measures near zero when the body voltage meter or other hand-held electric field meters show what my profession considers to be harmful electric field exposure levels, particularly where you sleep. Unfortunately, the TriField meter is just not sensitive enough to measure this important but highly overlooked type of EMF.

We consider 10 Volts/meter (V/m) to be the beginning of the extreme concern level in sleeping areas, yet the number “1” on the top scale of the TriField 100XE meter, used for measuring electric fields, represents this 10 V/m value. (This equates to 1,000 milliVolts on the body voltage meter.) Unfortunately, it is very difficult to measure down at the 1.5 V/m level (100 mV) or below that we consider to be safe with the TriField 100XE meter. That would be down at 0.1 or lower on the top scale, which is not easy to see.

So in my opinion, the older TriField 100XE meter is unfortunately not reliable as a way of measuring electric fields, however their new digital model is (see below). See the Electric Field section below for recommended meters for reliably measuring electric fields where you sleep, and elsewhere in your house.

Secondly, the lowest number you can read on the older TriField 100XE meter when measuring radio frequency fields is 0.1 milliWatts/centimeter squared. While this is 100 times lower than what the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) considers to be safe, which is 1.0 milliWatts/centimeter squared, it is equivalent to 100,000 microWatts/meter squared in the unit of measurement that most of the world and our profession uses. This level is substantially higher than what my profession and other agencies and researchers, such as reported in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, consider to be close to a safe exposure level. For us, that level is down at 10-100 microWatts/meter squared, six orders of magnitude lower than what the FCC considers to be safe, and unfortunately, three to four orders of magnitude lower than the lowest reading possible on the TriField 100XE meter. See the section entitled, “The FCC Versus the Rest of the World” in my Article on Radio Frequency EMFs page for more information.

Therefore, I only recommend using the TriField 100XE meter, if you have one, for detecting magnetic fields (and using a True-RMS Gauss meter, or Flat Response TriField model, or their new TriField TF2 Meter for determining actual magnetic field readings) and I recommend using other meters for measuring electric and radio frequency fields, including their new digital meter. I am not trying to disparage Alpha Labs and their older product, the TriField 100XE meter (which, again, has now been improved with their new digital model). It is just that since their older meter is so popular, a position in the marketplace that the company has well earned, and is still in the hands of tens of thousands of people including many of the people we work with, I simply want to point out to those who do use it that to accurately measure electric and radio frequency EMFs at the sensitivity that my profession considers to be healthy, it would be necessary to use other meters–including their great, new digital model (although see my comments below on radio frequencies).

For those who do have a TriField 100XE meter, in order to measure magnetic fields, start on the 0-3 mG scale. You want the levels you measure to generally be 1.0 mG or less. If you read higher than 3 mG (the needle pegs to the right), you have problems and need to switch to the 0-100 mG scale to see the actual number. Move the meter closer to and then back away from a potential source to see what the safe distance is, where it gets back to 1-2 mG. Again, if a Frequency Weighted TriField 100XE is elevated in the magnetic field mode, the actual magnetic field reading may actually be lower than the meter reads. However, in defense of the TriField meter, I can say that if the TriField 100XE meter reads below 1.0 mG, you can reliably assume you don’t have any significant magnetic fields from any source.

Less Expensive Gauss meters

For those on a budget, there are more affordable Gauss meters than the more expensive triple-axis Gauss meters I mention above. The first is the Dr Gauss / Gauss Master, sold by LessEMF for only $35, available by clicking here.

LessEMF also sells digital single-axis Gauss meters for under $100. This includes the Pro 1-Axis Gauss meter for $99.95, available here. There are more entry-level Gauss meters on LessEMF’s website linked to here.

Another option is to purchase a combination meter that measures AC magnetic fields as well as radio frequency and AC electric field EMFs. There are several models that do just that.

The first is the new TriField Model TF2 combination meter. I review it in detail below. It is a remarkable and welcome improvement over their model 100XE, the best selling EMF meter in the world today. If you want to get a TriField meter, this new TF2 model is the one to get. It has several improvements that I discuss below. You can order it here.

The Cornet Improved ED88T is a Gauss meter (magnetic field), electric field meter and RF detector. Since it only measures these three types of EMFs in a single axis, you will have to move it in different orientations to make sure you don’t miss any of these the fields, but it is an affordable way to measure them. It retails for $199.95 and is available from EMF Help Center. I have recorded a video tutorial in which I show how to assess magnetic fields (as well as radio frequency EMFs) with the predecessor to this meter, the ED78S, as well as showing how AC magnetic fields can manifest in a home. Just click here and scroll down below the Cornet meter to see the link to the video. You can order the Improved ED88T from EMF Help Center, and we will be recording new instructional videos how how to use the ED88T in the coming weeks.

I discuss and compare the TriField TF2 and Cornet ED88T below.

If you can only afford the $35 Gauss Master, then by all means purchase it, and be sure that you follow the directions that come with it carefully and learn how to orient it methodically in all directions to get the highest reading because it is a single axis Gauss meter. You will get the hang of it and it will be of assistance to you.

Also, be sure not to keep your finger on the button every time you take a reading in what they call “Mode 2,” as this is designed to allow you to get readings in tenths of a milliGauss where the scale is 0 to 1, rather than 0 to 10. This has confused many a newbie when first using this meter. The directions on the back of the meter are a bit confusing. Call me if you have any questions about how to use any of these meters.

New Combination Meters from Alpha Labs (TriField Model TF2) and Cornet (ED88T)

I have now seen and used Alpha Labs’ new digital version of their TriField Meter (Model TF2). I carry it in my bag to EMF consultations and show it to clients to purchase as an affordable entry-level combination EMF meter.

The TriField TF2 combination EMF meter is completely revamped, digital, and has much more sensitivity in the electric and radio frequency settings than the older TriField model 100XE, which is welcome. Plus, you have the ability to measure magnetic field levels and electric field levels in either “Weighted” or “Standard” mode, meaning you can choose which side of the issue you want to be on with a flip of a button. We would still suggest you measure in “Standard” mode, but that is now easy to do. That will give you magnetic field readings that track pretty closely to what I measured with my Gigahertz Solutions NFA1000 three-axis Gauss meter. The electric field readings tracked pretty closely with my NFA1000, getting down to levels that mean something to us (down close to 1.5 Volts/meter with breakers off in bedrooms), and the radio frequency readings were also more in line with what I measured with my Gigahertz Solutions HF59B. It gets down to a decent 100 microWatts/meter squared (0.1 milliWatts/meter squared, or mW/m2). We feel readings below 10 uW/m2 are best at night, but for the cost, this is a great improvement over the older model. I will report further as I spend more time with the new meter.

I have also used Cornet’s new ED88T. The first iteration of that meter had the addition of an electric field setting, which only went down to 0.5-0.8 Volts/meter in my experience, not low enough for us (we want electric field readings to be 1.5 V/m or less in sleeping areas). However, Cornet now has an improved version of the ED88T, the “Improved Tri-Mode (Hi/Low Frequency) Meter”. I have not yet used that model but will do so in the coming weeks and will report back at that time. I already know the Cornet meters, starting with the ED78S, have a very accurate RF meter for the price, getting down to 1 microWatt/meter squared (uW/m2). That is also true for the first versions of the ED88T I have used.

When considering the TriField TF2 or the Cornet ED88T for taking more sensitive RF readings in a combination meter, choose the new Cornet ED88T. Also, I anticipate the sound that you will hear with the Improved ED88T will help you differentiate the actual RF sources in the room or coming in from outside. I have had that capability with every Gigahertz Solutions RF detector I have owned, and it is invaluable at helping me determine what RF sources are impacting the environment I am evaluating for my client. The TriField TF2 does also have sound, but it is only an audible measure of the strength of the signal (as helpful as that is), not an audible representation of the RF signal sources themselves, as with the Gigahertz Solutions and other brands of RF meter. I am waiting to see if the Improved Cornet ED88T has that capability and how good the sound is, as that is something particularly helpful in determining RF sources.

Regarding measuring AC magnetic field EMFs (the “M” of the EMF), on the other hand, that mode in the Cornet ED88T is single axis, not triple axis, as the magnetic field mode is in the new TriField Model TF-2 (and the older 100XE models). As a 3-axis Gauss meter, you essentially get the same reading in any orientation. So, if you want an easier meter to read accurate magnetic field readings and not miss the true value because you don’t want to have to move the meter in all three axes, choose the TriField TF-2.

Also, the TriField TF2 appears to measure electric field readings somewhat lower than the Cornet ED88T, getting down closer to 1 V/m. This is very important to us when measuring sleeping areas. (Of course, my all time favorite for accurately measuring AC electric field EMFs where you sleep is still the body voltage meter, available from LessEMF by clicking here and from Safe Living Technologies by clicking here.)

Overall, the TriField TF2 is a great new combination meter for the price from the maker of the most commonly used EMF meter in the world. Good work, Alpha Labs.

Cornet continues to do a great job, as well, improving their already great combination ED88T meter.

The “Buzz Stick” as an Adjunctive Tool for Tracing Magnetic Fields

Another useful tool to measure the presence, though not the amount, of magnetic field exposure is the “Budget Buzz Stick,” available from EMF Help Center for $16.94. Click here for the “Budget Buzz Stick.” I would recommend using an earphone headset to help hear the specific locations of paths of magnetic fields under floors and behind walls even better. You can see a video tutorial in which I show how to use the buzz stick by scrolling down below the item at EMF Help Center.

You can also purchase the exact same merchandise at a local Radio Shack store. Ask for: Removable Telephone Pick Up, SKU 44-533, and Mini Amplifier-Speaker, Catalogue # 277-1008C. They will also have an earphone.

Attach the magnetic field pick-up to the end of a three-foot dowl stick, wind the cord around the stick, and plug it into the input jack of the battery-operated amplifier. Use it like a metal detector at the beach, sweeping it back and forth along the floor and walls to hear the precise location of magnetic fields, such as electric current on water pipes or grounding conductors that run under floors and in walls. This tool is also invaluable in the hunting and fixing of wiring errors on circuits in walls.

As with the TriField meter mentioned above, be aware that the pick-up will also buzz in the presence of the magnetic field component of harmonic frequencies of dirty electricity produced by dimmer switches and other sources. Thus you do need to distinguish between a source of dirty electricity versus a wiring error when you measure and hear the presence of magnetic fields. Again, call me if you encounter this problem and I can walk you through differentiating between these two types of EMFs.

How to Measure Magnetic Fields with your Gauss meter

Whatever Gauss meter you choose, we recommend that you measure for magnetic fields in your home with electric loads (light switches, appliances) turned on and then off to see if there is a difference. You will always measure magnetic fields close to a light switch or outlet (within an inch or two). That is normal and will not harm you because the reading drops off to near zero when you move away more than an inch or so. However, if you still measure elevated magnetic fields a foot or more away from the wall (or as you move the Gauss meter up the wall) when the switch is on, we would say you have a wiring error until proven otherwise. This requires the services of an experienced building biologist working in collaboration with an electrician to find and repair the wiring error, although we can help you and your electrician over the phone if you don’t have a building biologist in your local area.

If you see an elevated magnetic field reading in the room that does not change substantially no matter where you move, and that elevated reading only changes slightly as you move from one end of the house to the other end, chances are your house is very close to an overhead (or sometimes a buried) electric power line. This is a serious situation in our experience, because you cannot shield against these magnetic fields and they are out of your control. In that case, if the levels are consistently high enough, higher than 2-3 milliGauss, we usually suggest you consider relocating in the near or long term, depending upon your existing health levels, whether you have young children, and other factors.

Finally, to fully detect and assess the presence of magnetic fields on grounding paths as well as from unbalanced loads between the hot and neutral conductors of a circuit with wiring errors, and to evaluate the effectiveness of your mitigation strategy, you will want to purchase a couple of clamp meters, one small and a larger rope clamp, to clamp around electric circuits and water pipes, where accessible.

Start with a smaller Triplett 9200B True RMS AC Mini Clamp Meter from Amazon for under $67. This fits into breaker panels and around circuits when wall switches and outlets are opened.

Amazon also sells an 11-inch flexible rope clamp from Extech, the Extech MA3110 True RMS AC Flexible Clamp Meter for $209.

Multi-meters are mentioned in the parts list for the electric field measurement kit in the section below.

To see a video tutorial in which I demonstrate how to find and measure magnetic fields using the Cornet ED78s meter, click here. Even if you use a different brand of Gauss meter, I recommend that you watch this video because I review where magnetic fields will be found in your home and how you might mitigate them. Scroll down below the Cornet meter to see the link to the video.

AC Electric Fields

Electric fields are mostly a problem at night when we sleep. I say to clients that electric fields wear you out, compared to magnetic fields, which wear you down. Electric fields cause an agitating influence at night when the body should be in a recuperative environment (all EMFs should be avoided at night, but magnetic fields are least common in bedrooms at night). Most sleeping areas have elevated electric field levels, which come from voltage in plastic-jacketed (Romex) circuits in walls and plastic AC power cords that you plug in. Unplugging cords and having plastic AC lamp cords replaced with MuCord shielded cord from LessEMF only helps when you have metal-clad wiring in your walls.

I measure electric fields most reliably using what we call the “Body Voltage” method. This involves the use of a Volt meter and wires that ground you and the meter to the earth. This measures electric fields in milliVolts (mV). The TriField, Cornet ED88T and other hand held-meters also measure electric fields, but in Volts per meter, and I find this to not be as accurate or reliable as the body voltage method. I have placed the older TriField 100XE meter right over a lamp or extension cord and measured only a slight increase in electric field (roughly equal to 1 V/m, or the “1” position on the top scale of the TriField 100XE meter), whereas that same cord would produce over 1,000 milliVolts using the body voltage method, considered by my profession to be an unsafe level for nighttime exposure when sleeping. For my purposes, it is not useful to use a hand-held electric field meter.

You can purchase a ready-made body voltage meter from LessEMF for $89.95 by clicking here.

To see a video tutorial in which I demonstrate how to find and measure electric fields using the body voltage meter, click here. Scroll down below the meter to see the link to the video.

We consider levels below 100 milliVolts to be safe, and I have found that the average healthy person starts to notice that sleep is more disturbed and agitated starting at around 200-300 mV. The average bedroom, on the other hand, has 1,000 to 1,500 mV and up.

To download a protocol that a local lamp or small appliance repair shop can follow to replace an unshielded AC lamp cord with a shielded one, click here.

To reduce electric fields at night, one option is to purchase a “plug-in switch” at any hardware store for about $5. These are two-pronged and can be plugged into an outlet near your bed. Then plug your lamp into the plug-in switch. Flip the plug-in switch so that the light comes on when you turn it on at the lamp switch. Then, when you want to turn off the light at night, leave the lamp switch in the on position, and instead of shutting it off as you normally do, reach down and flip off the plug-in switch at the outlet. That way, the light goes off and the voltage in the plastic cord goes dead, in which case the electric field level will be reduced and your sleep will be somewhat more deep. (You will also need to remove your electric clock radio and use a battery operated clock, and get rid of all other electric appliances within six to eight feet of your bed.)

Even if you use the plug-in switch, however, there will still be electric fields from the plastic-jacketed Romex wiring in the walls (unless you are lucky enough to have metal-clad wiring in your house). Contact Oram about how to determine which type of wiring you have and how to effectively reduce electric field levels if you have Romex wiring. Using plug-in switches will not be enough to produce the depth of sleep reported by many clients on the Comments from Clients page.

If you need a grounded, three-pronged shut-off switch, you can order the GE Grounded Power Switch for $9 from Amazon by clicking here. GE’s outlet Power Switch is rated for 15 Amps, 1800 Watts.

Radio Frequency Fields

There are several meters available for measuring radio frequencies (RF), starting at under $100 and going up to several thousands of dollars. First, I recommend that you read my article on radio frequencies here to get an understanding of what you are trying to measure and what we and researchers around the world consider to be acceptable, safe exposure levels.

Of all the meters available, for those who want an accurate RF meter at a middle price for better grade meters, I recommend purchasing a Safe and Sound Pro II RF Meter from Safe Living Technologies. This RF meter is quite useful for reliable measurement of radio frequency fields from cell phones, cordless phones, Wi-Fi-enabled routers and computers, tablets, baby monitors, and smart meters, with more accuracy than entry level consumer-grade RF and combination EMF/RF meters.

Purchase the Safe and Sound Pro II RF Meter from Rob Metzinger at Safe Living Technologies in Ontario, Canada (888-814-2425–please mention coupon code “CHHOM”) for $375 USD. For information on more affordable RF meters, see below.

To hear audio samples of different sources of radio frequencies, go to the Safe Living Technologies website and click on EMF Sounds.”

Some of these are European examples, so here is what the letters stand for and their North American counterparts:

  • LTE-downlink — I believe this a download to a cell phone from a cell tower
  • DECT 1 and 2 — Digital Electronic Cordless Telephone; this is the sound made by a DECT 6.0 cordless telephone (usually continuous)
  • DVB-T, GSM900, GSM org channel, and UMTS — These are examples of cell towers (usually continuous)
  • GSM Telefon — An example of a cell phone transmission to a cell tower (usually intermittent)
  • WLAN 1 — Wireless Local Area Network; a typical Internet router with Wi-Fi enabled (usually continuous)
  • WLAN 2 — A Wi-Fi enabled Internet router broadcasting two Wi-Fi signals at once (usually continuous)

To see a video tutorial in which I demonstrate how to find and measure radio frequency fields using the Cornet ED78s meter, click here. Even if you use a different brand of radio frequency meter, I recommend that you watch this video because I review where radio frequency fields will be found in your home and how you might mitigate them. Scroll down below the Cornet meter to see the link to the video.

Regarding smart meters, electric utilities use either 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz for their neighborhood area network (NAN) mesh networks, and therefore those frequencies will also be picked up by the HF38B. Likewise, home area networks (HAN), when they start being activated by electric utilities, will use 2.4 GHz in most parts of the country and will be picked up by the HF38B (although I am told that a utility in Maine will use 5.8 GHz for their HAN). The HAN is currently not yet activated in at least California-based utilities.

I should point out that my electrical engineer building biology colleagues tell me not to trust any RF readings obtained within 3 feet of smart meters, which would be within what is known as the “near field.” This is because the 900 MHz frequency of the neighborhood area network, or NAN, has a wavelength of 13 inches. Engineers don’t read inside the near field, which is within three wavelengths, or in this case, 3 feet, because the wave form can be scattered and has not yet coalesced and the readings will be unreliable and possibly artificially high. These engineers take readings at 3 feet and further away from that in the far field, where the wave has coalesced and your readings are accurate.

We recommend that you start taking RF readings at 3 feet from smart electric meters by pointing the RF meter at the smart meter (the antenna is very directional, and the 3 feet is measured to the antenna of your RF meter). Wait several minutes to see the pattern and occurrence of micro-bursts.

With smart meters, you will notice that there is no set pattern to the occurrence of these micro-bursts, nor is the highest number consistent from one burst to the next. Just pay attention to the range you see and determine the overall pattern. Back up and take readings again a few more feet away until you find a distance that gets you below 100 or less microWatts per meter squared. Ideally in sleeping areas you want to be below 10 microWatts per meter squared. This is many times less than the level the FCC says is safe, which is 1.0 milliWatt per centimeter squared. That equates, however, to 10 million microWatts per meter squared, which is the unit of measurement used by Europe and the rest of the world. Read my Article on Radio Frequency EMFs and my Smart Meter article for much more information.

When you measure the radio frequency field levels from your cordless telephone base unit or wireless-enabled Internet router (also called “Wi-Fi”), you will see how high these levels are and how far they extend out from the device. Your cell phone and Wi-Fi-enabled laptop also have radio frequencies, but more intermittently.

If you cannot afford a Safe and Sound Pro II RF Meter, they do sell their Safe and Sound Classic III RF Meter for a more affordable $169 USD. The Classic III has the same sensitivity RF meter inside and it has sound. What differentiates is from the more expensive Pro II is that the less expensive Classic III has no display showing RF readings in numbers. Instead, it has different colored LED lights, just as the Pro II does, but more LED lights with number ranges assigned to each light, giving you a good approximation of what your RF exposure is in an accurate but affordable way.

You will find information on how to protect yourself from radio frequency EMFs in two articles that I have written on my website, Safer Use of Computers and Safer Use of Cell Phones.

Harmonic Frequencies (Dirty Electricity)

The final EMF that we consider to be potentially harmful is voltage spikes of harmonic frequencies of 60 Hz, also known as “Dirty Electricity.” These generally occur in the 4,000 to 150,000 Hz range, or 4-150 kiloHertz (kH), although they can also occur at higher frequencies. These frequencies are multiples of 60 Hz, which is the fundamental frequency of AC electricity in North America coming into your home from the electric power company.

Dirty electricity is produced by dimmer switches. It is also produced by those devices that need to operate at low voltage, including compact fluorescent lamps (CLFs), halogen lights, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and digital smart electric meters. This type of transformer is known as a switching mode power supply and is a chip in the circuit board of electronic appliances or smart meters. A switching mode power supply is used in devices that do not have room for the more traditional linear transformer, which is a coil of wires, and is found in the black box you plug into the wall for your cellphone charger or cordless telephone. Other electronic devices, such as some printers, and those appliances that have variable speed motors, such as newer energy-efficient furnaces and front load washing machines, also produce dirty electricity.

These harmonics will leak off plastic circuits and wires about six to eight feet that we plug in connected to the appliance or device that is producing the harmonic frequencies. These can also ride on the 60 Hz sine wave of AC electricity on circuits and wires all over the house, and can even come into your home from neighbors’ homes by way of the electric utility power lines that bring electricity to your meter and breaker panel.

Dirty electricity can cause an agitating influence for many people as well as potentially more serious health symptoms. Read more about dirty electricity in the book, Dirty Elecricity by Dr. Sam Milham, who has written extensively about this problem.

Many filters are available on the market to reduce dirty electricity. These include: Greenwave filters and Graham-Stetzer filters.

You can purchase Greenwave filters by clicking here.

You can purchase Stetzer filters by clicking here.

To measure dirty electricity, you can purchase the Greenwave EMI (electromagnetic interference) Meter for $130 by clicking here.

You can also measure the level of dirty electricity with a High Frequency Pollution Meter for Wiring made by Stetzer Electric and sold by LessEMF for $150 by clicking here. This is also known as a microsurge or EMI (electromagnetic interference) meter.

The Greenwave EMI Meter has a broader frequency range that it measures, and it can measure higher levels than the basic Stetzer EMI Meter. It also provides the percentage of reduction when you continue to test dirty electricity levels while you insert a Greenwave filter.

You generally want to get below 25-50 Graham-Stetzer (GSU) units (these are not milliGauss, milliVolts, or microWatts/meter squared; they are related to Volts/meter of electric fields). If you measure high levels of dirty electricity, try shutting off dimmer switches, halogen lights and other sources and see if the levels drop. If so, we advise first that you replace CFLs and halogens with incandescent light bulbs, preferably full spectrum, and hire an electrician to swap out your dimmer switches with straight on/off switches. If levels continue to be high, the dirty electricity can be coming in from outside your home or from appliances within your home that you cannot replace. In that case, start plugging in filters according to the directions of the manufacturer and keep measuring until you get down to acceptable levels.

You should notice a calmness when you do this, as you will also experience when you reduce and eliminate the other EMFs you will be measuring. I should also add that the microsurge meter does not measure voltage spikes caused by smart electric meters. That is an entirely different subject, which is quite vexing for us and for some EHS people. Please refer to my smart meter article to learn more about this issue by clicking here.

How to Use the Data you Measure

Of course, the question arises when you do all this, what do you do when you measure EMF readings higher than what are considered to be safe levels? That depends upon how high the reading is, where it is (bedroom or day/evening use area versus a part of the house seldom used) and how sensitive or symptomatic you are.

We want our clients to become as self-sufficient as possible so you can watch that EMF levels do not go up if and when your teenage son or husband buys an iPad, and you are sensitive to radio frequencies. You need to know just how high the radio frequency levels are whenever they get their email or surf the web on that device, because there is no hardwired Ethernet option as there is with a laptop. You also need to see that even though you are connected to the web on your laptop with an Ethernet cable, until you turn off the Wi-Fi, the laptop is still pumping out very high radio frequency levels every couple of seconds until you turn it off.

Likewise, if we help you achieve low electric field levels where you sleep, you want to know how high the electric field levels rise if your spouse brings in an extension cord to power his or her electric clock radio, instead of purchasing a battery operated clock. And on and on.

If you find high EMF levels, you should start by following the recommendations in the various articles on my website recommended above, but ultimately you will benefit most by consulting with one of us to develop a plan to reduce and eliminate the particular sources of these fields in your house. I am available for telephone consultations (310-720-7686), as I do have out of state clients use these same meters and instruments to take the various EMF measurements for me so that I can know what they are dealing with and develop a plan for mitigation.

You can also bring in a local building biologist, if one is within driving distance of your home. You will find them on the building biology website. To get there, click on Find an Expert on my website and follow the instructions. If your local building biologist is not fully experienced in EMF mitigation, I can and have worked with several of my colleagues around the country who become my “eyes and ears” and we come up with a mitigation plan together. Many building biologists with whom I have worked have found doing so to be helpful in advancing their knowledge of EMFs and the client gets a comprehensive EMF plan for their home.

Contact me if you have any questions with these recommendations, send them to me on my Contact page.

We are your Sherpa guides to help you maneuver through the EMF mine field in the average home, but you can and should be educated in how to measure your own EMF levels to stay safe and to know when to call us. These meters and instruments and protocols will help you do that. Happy EMF hunting!