Before my sensitivities to EMF really escalated, I was looking for a new place to live and a low EMF home was one of the main features I was looking for. Along the same lines I was looking for a place with one floor so that my bedroom was as close to the ground as possible. (Rooms that are on the ground floor tend to be naturally better shielded from ambient EMF.) When I chose my condo, I knew it had much less EMF than the apartment I had been living in before. However, without a good EMF meter, it was really hard to know if it was in a healthy frequency range according to EMF experts. (Which doesn't mean the government "experts", but experts who help those affected by EMF get on the road to feeling better.)
When I chose the condo, I had judged EMF levels not with a meter, but by the number of wi-fi signals showing on my phone. Luckily, there were only a few wi-fi signals compared to 30+ at my previous place! This way of choosing a place to live is not recommended since there can be more going on in a home than just wi-fi from other homes. Think cell towers and smart meters too. It's just that back then, I had never heard of Building Biologists or EMF meters. Ideally if you are having EMF sensitivities, calling on a Building Biologist or a similarly qualified professional is the way to go.
Building Biologists are highly skilled professionals when it comes to creating a truly healthy home. They train and certify their Electromagnetic Radiation Specialists to consult with the public. Being naive to this world, I thought I was reaching out for help with wireless radiation only, but they actually test for 4 types of EMF. Since I had been zapped by a cell tower, I remember thinking at the time, "I don't care about electric field testing!" However it is really important. A good Building Biologist will shed light on many hidden frequencies that can adversely affect someone. Only later did it become apparent as to why they help with other types of EMF. Later on, I could feel the light in my closet, no fun.
Building Biologists test for these 4 types of EMF:
Wireless (aka radio-frequency microwave radiation or RF) - such as wi-fi, cell towers, and smart meters
Electric fields - which are created as electricity travels through wiring in the home
Magnetic fields - which are also created as electricity travels through wiring
Dirty electricity - electricity that is of a higher frequency than 60 Hz, the normal frequency for North America; or 50 Hz for Europe
I was mostly interested in these topics when I made the appointment:
If the six smart meters on my garage wall were polluting the condo
How high the wi-fi coming into my bedroom from my neighbor's condo was and possible shielding of one wall in my bedroom if the wi-fi field was high
My workspace's electric field (since I already turned off all sources of wi-fi)
Other sources of EMF that I may not be aware of
Building Biologists focus on the rooms where you spend the most time - the bedroom is at the top of the list. At the time the specialist came to my home, I was sleeping on the couch since I could feel that my bedroom was higher in EMF. (When you are sensitive, your body is the meter, eek!) The second room where I spent the most time was my workspace since I was forced to work from home.
Here were the findings:
Although there are six smart meters on my garage wall, since they are in an outdoor closet with a heavy metal door, the radiation emitted from them is low by the time it reaches the condo. That was good news.
As I thought from the wi-fi signals on my phone when I first found my condo, the wi-fi and other forms of wireless radiation were generally really low, yay! Even though there were some cell towers in the area, they didn't seem to be a big deal. Since I had already hard wired my computer, said buh bye to wi-fi and kept my phone on airplane mode, I had no source inside my home. (Let the song-shine in!)
My bedroom had high radio-frequency from my neighbor's wi-fi router not surprisingly. Since I had no control over this router, shielding was my only option. There was the option to paint the wall with a shielding paint such as Y-Shield or buy a shielding fabric. I opted for the shielding fabric since it would be easier to remove; I could always paint later if it came to that. The Building Biologist tested a few fabrics and the one that fit my situation was Safe and Soft which I ordered from LessEMF.com. I know this sounds easy to do, but Building Biologists have to test several things when they are testing fabric. In some cases, shielding fabric can make things worse which is why it's really something for a professional to do. Further, as the fabric stops the radio-frequency from entering my bedroom, it creates an electric field that must be grounded.
My workspace was free and clear of wi-fi as mentioned, but the electric fields were the next culprit. At the time my laptop was a newer model and newer models can tend to give off stronger electric fields than older versions. Being metal was also part of the issue. It was highly recommended to get an external keyboard and a laptop shield, called a WrapTop from Lessemf.com. (Important note that this is not to shield you from wireless. In my experience the best way to shield wireless is to turn it off and hard wire your computer. Products that shield wireless only work when the entire device is shielded which means no service. There are wonderful pouches, such as Spero which work great that I highly recommend. However, I used to have a Safesleeve before I became sensitive and I cannot recommend products that do not fully shield you. They are experimental at best.)
A few days later when the fabric arrived I was thrilled since I'd be getting my bedroom back. (Well, as thrilled as you can be for shielding fabric!) I loved that it was a soft pink color which was soothing to my raw senses and it complemented my soft green bedding. (I mean, if you've got to shield, you want it look as good as possible, right?) Boy was I in for a surprise as I put it up. The room suddenly took on a palpable peaceful, calm feeling. Wow! It felt even better than it looked. It felt earthy somehow. Totally unexpected. Can you believe what we get used to in this day and age with all this energetic "noise" whirling around? What a relief to have peace and calm.
If you are having trouble with sensitivities to EMF, it's important to hire a professional such as a Building Biologist to help you with solutions.
I can't thank the Building Biology Institute enough for helping me shine on!
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