InspectAPedia®   -   Search InspectApedia

Electromagnetic Field EMF Hazard FAQs

Q&A about risks & health effects

Reader questions and answers about electromagnetic field hazards, effects, sources, and measurement methods.

This article and others in this series discuss common sources of exposure to electromagnetic fields and methods to reduce exposure, as well as mentioning some exposure standards.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?

EMF Exposure Q&A

These questions and answers about potential health hazards of EMF or ELF or Cellphone radiation or field exposure and the detection, measurement or sources of these fields were posted originally

at EMF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS & HUMAN EXPOSURE - be sure to check out the diagnostic suggestions on that page.

Question: Can I Hire You to Make Site Measurements of Electrical Fields?

I wonder if you test the RF and magnetic fields given off from cell phone towers. We have recently moved into a building that I just found out that the building owners have placed cell phone towers on the roof.

I am worried since I have a baby. Please let me know if you service. A.F. - New York City.

Reply: Sorry, no.

We no longer offer on-site investigation services for measuring electromagnetic fields, though certainly you can hire local experts who can provide that service, have the necessary equipment, and are trained in its use. But before hiring someone to measure magnetic fields, here are a few things to consider:

First, if your object is personal safety for building occupants, there are other immediate potential hazards that should be attended first, as the absolute risk from other hazards can be very significant.

Explicit, competent, documented electrical field strength measurements are more reliable than unsubstantiated opinions based on visual observation and fear.

No one should be cavalier about people's health, but keeping risks in perspective serves everyone and helps assure that building owners, occupants, parents focus on the big risks first. Review basic building safety items such as

 

Question: reader fears people are being decimated by EMF

I would particularly like to know how you presume your enviro-scare bell curve has any bearing on reality given that people are likely to be debilitated or decimated, keeping the alarms on environmental hazards muted. Please forward me a copy of this e-message with your response to it. - mungai.annie@yahoo.com 12/19/2012

Reply: beware of false assumptions of hazard; clarify the meaning of Enviro-Scare

Ms. Mungai: your question is unfortunately based on what appears to be your own presumption of level of risk, and sadly, reports that "people are likely to be decimated" - which I understand to mean "slaughtered wholesale" (a stunning remark for which you offer no authoritative citations regarding electromagnetic fields).

Compounding these errors you presume that we are motivated to "mute environmental hazards" - an incorrect conclusion regarding our concern for public safety that is readily apparent from reading any of the thousands of articles found at InspectApedia.com.

Lastly, you have perhaps missed the point of the bell curve that is used to desribe Enviro-Scare, so let me try to clarify that topic.

Enviro-Scare refers to the observation, made over decades, that regardless of whether or not a particular environmental hazard is found to be real or imagined, the level of public fear about the hazard follows the pattern of a bell curve, increasing as news reaches the public, reaching a peak, and eventually falling off to near zero, independent of the actual level of risk.

Annie, it is indeed important to take real risks seriously, and at the same time, to set our priority of attention to be sure that we address both great and immediate risks first, as well as subtle and longer term risks such as those that may be present from various environmental contaminants.

In other words, if you break your neck falling down the stairs, the fact that you were exposed to DES as a child in utero will pale in significance.

We are dedicated to making our information as accurate, complete, useful, and unbiased as possible and are so we very much welcome critique, questions, or content suggestions for our web articles.

Question: Where to hire an EMF expert?

I need a qualified expert to measure the radiation being emitted by the cellular tower equiptment on the roof of my building into my apartment on the floor underneath. I live at 195 Chrystie St in Manhattan, tel 212 674 3664. Please provide any references, hopefully for local someone/ones local. (Apr 28, 2012) Bert Spencer

My office is basically a closet converted into an office. On one wall just a few feet from my head is a panel into and out of which are roughly 15 computer chords hooked into modems and router. the chords connect into two strips just above that panel. In addition there is a power strip with three electrical chords plugged into it. A coworker voiced concern that this could be a risky environment in which to work. How can I determine if this is true? (Sept 11, 2014) Stephanie Koell

Reply:

Stephanie

First you need to decide if you personally believe that EMF exposure is hazardous; you can read some recommendations in this article soeries that generally come down on the side of prudent avoidance not heroics and not panic.

Second you can measure the EMF and RF fields in which you sit. Or hire an expert to do so - taking care that your expert really is one, not just someone waving a meter about.

Some of the experts listed at

ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTORS & TESTING SERVICES

may be of assistance. Also see these

Electro-magnetic Fields EMF electromagnetic studies & surveys

 

Worried about large metal objects and vibration from air conditioner compressor

I recently have a big problem with Metal objects. Especially when the new big steel made air condition compressor box (80*80*90 cm) galvanized
steel is installed.

Only this brand Goodman, not others. This metal radiate out big metal kind of sharp noise and sound (not when it is turned on)
but when it is still. Maybe I got some super sense. But it exists. (our old brand does not do like this, nor our neighbor's Lennox brand). I am talking about when the box is in a still state.

So, it comes to the EMF, EMF only happen when the electricity current is on.

So, I think it deals with the OBJECT VIBRATION things.

Actually I had discussed this with Texas State radiation center and one of them did come with a Geiger detector . And this box does not have reaction to it.

But for EMF, I did not buy one yet to test. But I think if I don't feel anything around a microwave, then this steel airconditioner box probably does not belong to that category.

But I can feel wifi's EMF though. And the air conditioner compressor's box (steel ) radiation (i call it this) strength is about 10 times bigger . So
my body is like a sensor.

MY Problem is: How do I block this metal thing?

(I actually bought lead sheet to cover inside of the wall next to this box installed outside) but it does not stop the noise sound (when the box is not turn on).

So it is of object vibration then.

What can block it? Can any detector to test this kind of object vibration? (Not every steel object has the same wave.

I did not study physics, I only sensed it. for building with bad steel , objects....etc)

Please advise me , thank you. - Lei Chu

Advice by Jim Navotney: rubber isolation pads for vibrating condenser unit

@Lei Chu, It sounds like some subsonic sound is in your area and the air conditioner box is the perfect size to be resonant at that frequency.

I would try to isolate the unit with rubber washers or foam rubber seal.

Billions of dollars have been made off the public by creating fear over EMF and RF exposure and none are true.

You are in fact bathed in RF and EMF 24 hours a day everywhere on the planet and HAVE been since the first radio and radar transmitter hit the air in the 30s.

Today thousands of satellites are directly over your head and tens of thousands of TV, FM, AM, marine, police, aircraft, paging, ham radio, cellular, GPS, and wifi transmitters are all around you 24-7.

The Chinese have sold millions of their cheap "EMF" detectors to the tin foil hat crowd and the great 5G hoax has caused the gullible to burn and destroy cell and 911 towers around the world as a direct result of their sale.

Unless you use your power meter or wifi router as your pillow, you have zero to fear On 2021-03-19

Additional comment by (mod) - don't panic: remembrer that strength of an EMF falls off with the square of the distance.

@Jim Navotney,

Thank you again for the comment.

In general it's true that unless you're sleeping with your head in the microwave you don't need to be afraid of it.

I have found a few unusual cases in which there was a very strong electrical field next to the headboard of a bed because of the routing and positioning of an electric meter in the service entrance cable.

There are photos of that in this article series. But it's quite unusual.

The basic point is that the strength of the field falls off with the square of the distance.


Our neighbor is using an electronic devicve that causes head pain and nausea

I need help with this and you seem like you know whats going on and I am past the point of sounding crazy. I am worried for my children and myself

The neighbor seems to be using some sort of device that when he turns it on it causes our ears to pop from the pressure, head pain, and sometime nausea.

What I do know is he has a primitive recording studio in his house and after playing a measly 15 hertz mosquito video from YouTube on a big blue speaker, on the advice of a friend that understands electronic equipment.

The neighbor freaked out and ran around his yard pulling cables and at least 4 or 5 microphones out of shrubs and trees. However, when the FBI didn't show up we watched him install those items back in diverse places around his property.

We watched him on our security cameras which we had installed because we suspected something seriously wrong going on. In retaliation for playing the 15 hrtz so that it annoyed him while he tries to listen in on our boring conversations, he has begun to harass us with whatever he is using. I am wondering if he didn't buy a RF Generator and amplified it while using some type of directional equipment.

We are trying to figure out and collect information before we contact the proper authorities. However, it sounds crazy to say something the jerk is doing is hurting our ears, but no, you can't hear it.

I already purchased the, Hf35c Rf Analyze (800mhz - 2.5 Ghz) -, but think it wont pickup what he is broadcasting because his frequency isn't as high as the equipment tests for. It arrives next week. Also I forgot to mention that we keep a radio on and tuned to the NOAH channel.

When we feel the ear pressure and pain, the NOAH weather channel fades to white noise. You can tell when he turns it off as the channel comes back in and you can once again hear the NOAH broadcast.

However, I think he is changing the frequency since for the first time yesterday I noticed the security cameras which we display over a regular flatscreen, not smart, TV, closed circuit, the screen on the TV was exhibiting interference. Later in the day when I looked again it was gone.

Had not noticed that before. I know it sounds crazy, but any advice would be appreciated. On 2016-09-07 by MomofTwo

Suggestions by (mod) -

Mom,

From e-text I cannot guess what your neighbor is doing nor what are its effects.

I can say that exposure to an electromagnetic field, such as emitted by power lines, would not be expected to make your ears pop.

While it would be extremely unusual, it is technically possible to deliberately aim powerful electromagnetic as well as some other field types at people sufficient to cause mental effects.

Watch out: Someone who's not expert at detecting different types of electrical fields is at risk of buying a "test device" that has nothing to do with what's actually going on at a property. It's sort of a stab in the dark.

You would be best served by your local authorities, building department, electrical inspector, building code officials or health department.


Question: is it unhealthy to live near an AM radio tower?

Do you think it is a health hazard for a sensitive person to live near AM radio towers that emit 5,400-6,000 mV/m? The AM station frequency is 1260. Thanks. - Sarah 8/3/2011

Reply:

Sarah AM radio stations transmit medium frequency radio waves, not low frequency EMF; The U.S. FCC reports no health hazard from exposure to AM radio transmissions from RF (radio frequency) transmissions.

But at least some research shows that exposure to high levels of RF may be harmful.

Because the jury is likely to remain out on this topic for some time, a reasonable approach is that of "prudent avoidance" - meaning that you would take reasonable steps to avoid prolonged exposure to high levels of EMF or RF energy but you would not panic, spend thousands of dollars on questionable "magic bullet" remedies, etc.

You can start by determining just what your exposure is by duration, distance, and signal strength. As we describe in these articles, inexpensive RM measuring equipment is available from a number of manufacturers.

Bottom line: unless you are living right under a radio tower there's not likely to be a measurable health effect from it.

And while working to stay healthy and safe, keep hazards in their proper perspective. Falling down the stairs (the most common accident) or failing to wear a seat belt, or smoking, are more immediate health hazards that are easy to avoid.


...

Continue reading at EMF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS & HUMAN EXPOSURE - topic home, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

Suggested citation for this web page

EMF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS & HUMAN EXPOSURE FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING ENVIRONMENT

Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly.

Search the InspectApedia website

Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, photograph, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. Apologies for the delay.

Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like.
You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted.
Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response.

Comment Form is loading comments...

 

IF above you see "Comment Form is loading comments..." then COMMENT BOX - countable.ca / bawkbox.com IS NOT WORKING.

In any case you are welcome to send an email directly to us at InspectApedia.com at editor@inspectApedia.com

We'll reply to you directly. Please help us help you by noting, in your email, the URL of the InspectApedia page where you wanted to comment.

Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

  • US DEHS, FactSheet: MAGNETIC FIELD EXPOSURE AND CANCER: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS [PDF] (2005) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute, retrieved September 2010, original source: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/magnetic-fields, NIH link updated 2025/04/25 https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/electromagnetic-fields-fact-sheet
    • Electric and magnetic fields (EMF) are areas of energy that surround any electrical device. EMFs are produced by power lines, electrical wiring, and appliances (see Question 1).
    • Electric fields are easily shielded or weakened by walls and other objects, whereas magnetic fields are not. Since magnetic fields are more likely to penetrate the body, they are the component of EMFs that are usually studied in relation to cancer (see Question 1).
    • Overall, there is limited evidence that magnetic fields cause childhood leukemia, and there is inadequate evidence that these magnetic fields cause other cancers in children (see Question 2).
    • Studies of magnetic field exposure from power lines and electric blankets in adults show little evidence of an association with leukemia, brain tumors, or breast cancer (see Question 3).
    • Past studies of occupational magnetic field exposure in adults showed very small increases in leukemia and brain tumors. However, more recent, well-conducted studies have shown inconsistent associations with leukemia, brain tumors, and breast cancer (see Question 4).
  • In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested

    CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES.

ADVERTISEMENT