Whole-house EMF protection: essential or overkill?
Let’s settle once and for all if whole-house EMF protection is something you actually need. And if yes, how to do it simply, and more important, cost-effectively.
Let’s dive in.
EMF Safety Starts With You
I can’t even begin to tell you how many calls I get from people asking me how to protect their house from a cell tower a mile away.
While I’m glad they’re seeking solutions for themselves and their loved ones, they’re missing one crucial thing. And that is the cell phone they’re using to call me.
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If you take away only one thing from this article, let it be this: Before you even begin to worry about the EMFs coming from the outside, first, take care of the EMF that your cell phone is emitting, and all the other sources inside your home.
It’s only after you’ve got a grip on your internal EMF sources that you can even begin to address the EMFs coming from outside.
And when I say EMFs in your home, I don’t just mean EMFs coming from your phone or WiFi router. Although you should address them as well. Check out my post, “10 Powerful Sources of EMF Radiation in Your Home” for more information.
Let’s have a look at some other EMF sources in your home besides your beloved gadgets.
Electric Fields
Electric fieldsDefinition and Nature of Electric Fields Electric fields are a fundamental aspect of electromagnetic fields, created by electric charges, either stationary or moving. These fields represent the force that electric... More come from the wiring inside your walls. You can address this by:
- Creating a fair distance between your body and the walls
- Moving the power cords a bit far from your body
- Grounding your computers
- And de-energizing your circuits for bedtime.
Magnetic Fields
Magnetic fields can come from sources like current on your water pipe or cable line, wiring errors, appliances, or power"Power" in a scientific context refers to the rate at which work is done or energy is transferred. In simpler terms, it's how fast something is using energy. For example,... More lines (overhead or underground).
You can hunt down the source and fix all of them with the help of a professional, with the exception of power lines.
There’s almost nothing you can do about the magnetic fieldsDefinition and Nature of Magnetic Fields Magnetic fields are a fundamental aspect of electromagnetic fields, produced by moving electric charges (electric currents). The strength of a magnetic field is measured... More from power lines. I say almost, because if the circumstances are just right you can attempt what’s called ‘Active Magnetic Shielding’.
This is a highly complex approach that must be done by a professional. It is expensive, technical, and generally does not guarantee eliminating the magnetic fields from your home.
Besides, you also need to have enough space around your home to install the system. These considerations make the technique prohibitive for most. So in general, magnetic fields from power lines are deal-breakers.
So, if you’re moving to a new home, or thinking of buying one, hire a building biologist and do a magnetic fieldIn the context of electromagnetic fields (EMF), the term "field" refers to a region in space where electric and magnetic forces are exerted. An electromagnetic field is generated by electrically... More assessment once.
Dirty Electricity
Dirty electricity (DE) comes from variable-speed motors and energy-saving appliances. The best way to address dirty electricityDirty Electricity, also known as electrical pollution, refers to the presence of irregularities or distortions in the normal electrical current within a wiring system. These distortions, which deviate from the... More is to simply eliminate the sources and replace them with safer alternatives.
For example, instead of buying a dimmer switch, buy a low-power bulb that you can use at night.
You can also use DE filters to address the dirty electricity problem, but I recommend taking thorough measurements of your home first.
If you have elevated magnetic fields, for example, sometimes using these filters can make the situation worse. You need to know what’s going on inside your home before using them.
Again, hiring a professional to help you is the best strategy here.
When Should I Shield My Home?
When you address all these internal concerns in your home, your EMF exposure will drop significantly.
And if you find that even after addressing all these internal concerns, you’re still getting unacceptable levels of EMF, you can now consider whole-house EMF protection.
For example, say that you switch off all EMF emitting gadgets but you’re still getting high radio frequencyRadio Frequency (or RF), a subset of EMF, encompasses electromagnetic wave frequencies ranging from about 3 kilohertz (kHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz). These frequencies are extensively used in modern wireless... More readings on your EMF meter, this is a sign that you need whole-house EMF protection.
In most cases, this RF is coming from cell towers down the block, or even a few miles away.
Note that the more items you have in between you and the tower (houses, buildings, trees) the lesser your exposure will be.
But if you have a direct line of sight between your home and the tower, even if it’s several miles away, you can get an exposure high enough to warrant whole-house EMF protection.
Other sources might include radio towers, airport radar, or even a neighbor’s devices if you live in very close quarters like townhouses, apartments, or very dense urban areas.
If you find yourself in one of these situations, and you have reliably verified a high level of exposure, then it’s time to shield.
Besides RF, occasionally, I also find circumstances where electric fields are sneaking into the house from the outside. But this is rare and usually requires expert guidance and creative techniques to mitigate.
There’s a lot involved with these methods, and that topic is outside the scope of this post.
If you need help with electric fields from external sources, hire a building biologist to assess your home, or you can also book a consultation time with me so I can direct you to the appropriate steps.
Who Shouldn’t Shield?
Now before you even get started, you need to be aware of the mandatory behavior changes you need to make inside a shielded home.
This is absolutely crucial for you to understand and to accept.
If you apply shielding to all the walls in your home, you will essentially create a Faraday cage. In simple terms, this is like living inside a metal box.
Conductive materials like metals block EMF. So, if you use EMF-emitting gadgets inside your shielded home, the waves will essentially bounce all over the place and have no way to leave the metal box.
Doing this will increase your EMF exposure exponentially, which is obviously not good.
So if you decide to shield your home, there needs to be a ‘No EMF Devices’ policy for everyone inside.
This means you can not use a cell phone inside, you can’t have WiFi, smart speakers, smart appliances, Bluetooth, fitness trackers, wireless baby monitors, cordless phones, etc.
Using any of these RF devices inside a Faraday completely defeats the purpose.
So, you need to be honest with yourself and evaluate whether or not this would be possible for you and anyone who lives in (or visits) your home.
For many people, this is not feasible. And if you’re one of them, you can try to shield specific rooms, instead of your whole house. For example, your bedroom.
There’s absolutely no reason you should bring your phone to your bedroom or for it to have WiFi access. Your bedroom is for sleeping and other non-digital tasks.
If this isn’t a problem for you, however, then let’s discuss the different options.
Note: These options also apply to those who are only trying to shield a single room.
What Materials Should I Use and How Do I Do It?
There are a number of ways to apply EMF shieldingEMF shielding refers to the practice of reducing the electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure in a particular area by blocking or altering the electromagnetic waves with barriers made of conductive or... More, though the underlying principle of how they work is the same.
Check out SYB’s post about EMF shielding materials which explains the science in more detail to get a better understanding.
As for which ones you can use to make your home an EMF-free space, here are the most viable options.
EMF Shielding Paint
One of the most common ways to do whole-house EMF protection is to use EMF shielding paint.
Most paints are either carbon or copper-based. Both work very well when applied properly – which is the key.
To apply it properly means you need a minimum of two coats, preferably three; it must be continuous (no gaps), and it should be properly grounded.
A liter of one of the most common paints costs $65. One liter will cover 5 square meters with two coats (54 square feet).
Let’s say your home is 1,500 square feet. If you’re going to paint the entire house, it would cost you a minimum of $1,805 for the paint, not including shipping.
Then you also need to factor in either your time or the cost for the painters, plus a few topcoats unless you want black walls. The cost of this can add up rapidly.
The advantage of using paint to shield your home is that it is highly effective at blocking RF, even up to the 5G millimeter range.
I have several clients who have painted their homes and noticed significant improvements in their EHS symptoms.
Disadvantages of EMF Shielding Paint
The disadvantages of EMF shielding paint are the expense, the labor, and the fact that it is semi-permanent. Once the paint is applied, the only way to remove it is to remove the drywall or to whatever surface you apply it on.
If you decide you don’t like it, or you move out, that’s a big job to remove all that paint.
Another very important point is that some people don’t feel well with the paint applied. This usually has something to do with other fields being present.
For example, if you have high dirty electricity and you ground the paint to your outlets, as the directions advise, then you can bring contact current onto all the walls of your home.
I know many EHS people who cannot be in painted rooms for this reason.
So, if you decide that you want to paint your home, I strongly suggest you hire a building biologist to guide you. You really need to make sure your home is a good candidate for an EMF shielding paint job.
Metal Siding
Another method of shielding your home from EMF is to apply some kind of metal siding to the outside – usually aluminum. Aluminum does a pretty good job of shielding RF.
If you’re building a new home, the cost will actually be cheaper than vinyl or wood. Aluminum siding is roughly $3-$6 per square foot installed.
So if you’re home is 1,500 square feet, you’re looking at a total cost of approximately $4,000-$9,000. If you need to replace existing siding that you already have, you should add about $1-$3 per square foot for labor, so an additional $1,500 to $4,500.
It’s worth noting that when you shield the inside of your home with paint or foil (see below), you will also shield the electric fields from the wires running through your walls. Consider this a bonus.
If you shield the outside of the home however with metal siding, you will not achieve this same effect.
Aluminum Foil
If you are fortunate enough to be building new, another highly effective method of shielding is to use aluminum foil to line the walls prior to putting up the drywall.
This allows excellent coverage and allows you to have whatever finishes you desire.
The advantages of aluminum siding and foil are that they are relatively inexpensive products when used on a new build. They are easy to apply and readily available.
The only disadvantage is that they may not be feasible in an already existing home.
Replacing existing siding for aluminum is not difficult, but may be cost-prohibitive. Adding aluminum foil to cavities behind drywall is highly intrusive, expensive, and not very practical.
Note that you do want to groundIn the context of electricity, "ground" or "earthing" refers to a reference point in an electrical circuit from which voltages are measured, a common return path for electric current, or... More the siding and foil, so consider this if you are hiring someone to apply them for you. Find a contractor that really knows what they’re doing. I suggest supervising them if possible.
RF-Blocking Wallpaper
You can, however, achieve similar results to the foil and the paint by using RF-blocking wallpaper.
I personally have not measured wallpaper before to verify its effectiveness, but manufacturers claim a very high attenuation rate.
There are various brands on the market, but an approximate estimate is that one roll will cover approximately 60 square feet. I have seen cost estimates of $70 to $255 per roll. For a 1,500-square-foot home that would cost you $1,750 to $6,375, not including shipping and labor.
The benefits of using wallpaper include the fact that it can more easily be removed if you decide you don’t like it, or you are moving out and the new occupants don’t want to live in a Faraday cageA Faraday cage, named after the English scientist Michael Faraday who invented them in 1836, is a structure used to shield its contents from external electric fields, including electromagnetic fields... More.
You can also apply this during a new build, or anytime after as it simply gets applied over the existing walls.
The disadvantages include availability (it’s often sold out), and the touch-up required if it does need to be removed.
You will also need to find a laborer who knows how to hang wallpaper.
They will likely need to be trained on how to hang it correctly so the pieces are in contact with each other to maintain a solid connection throughout the living space.
Also, don’t forget to ground the wallpaper.
What About Windows, Doors and Roofs?
With each of the options listed above, you may have noticed that none of them provide a complete enclosure.
All of our homes have big holes in them in the form of windows and doors. And since the point of shielding your home is to provide a complete enclosure, then what do we do about this? No matter which option you choose, you will also have to shield these openings.
For windows, you have a few choices.
Metal Window Screens
My preferred method is to use aluminum or stainless steel window screens on the outside of all windows. This metal mesh is highly effective at blocking RF, and it allows you to still open your windows and screen out the bugs.
If your 1,500-square-foot home has 10 ‘average-sized’ windows, you’re going to need 2-3 rolls, which will cost about $60 before shipping and labor.
Keep in mind you need to have custom screens made to cover your window dimensions, which will add some cost.
You also need to shield windows that open, and windows that don’t open. All glass will need protection, as this is the most easily penetrated part of the home.
Window Cling
Another option for the windows is window cling.
Window cling can be a good option, as it’s clear and therefore unnoticeable, and it won’t obstruct your view.
It’s also highly effective at blocking RF. The major downside with window cling is that if you open your window, you have just made a big hole in your Faraday cage for RF radiation to come through.
So this is best applied to windows that don’t open.
So if you’re applying this film to those same 10 windows I discussed above, you’re looking at roughly $450 to cover all your windows, give or take.
Keep in mind you will need to hire someone who has experience applying window cling.
EMF Shielding Curtains
Finally, you could use shielding fabric hung as curtains to shield your windows. I do not recommend this as your only solution for covering windows as you lose the ability to draw the curtains and open windows to any degree.
Used in conjunction with the window cling or window screen, however, it can add extra protection. There are numerous different types of fabrics that you can choose from, and how much you need will vary widely depending on the design, floor length, and type of material chosen.
Options For Doors & Roofs
Finally, you need to shield your doors. The most practical option here is to purchase a high-quality steel door for any exterior doors.
They come in decorative designs that look nice and are not reminiscent of ‘safe rooms’! Just be sure to shield any glass (windows) that may be within the door itself.
If a steel door doesn’t fit your style, you can also attach an exterior screen door that you can outfit with a metal screen, or window film if it’s glass or plastic. That option will allow you to keep your doors open during warmer months if desired.
Oh, and don’t forget the roof! There’s no sense in shielding all your walls if your roof supplies a huge entry point for RF.
The best solution here is to have a metal roof installed. If that is not an option, then lining the underside of the roof with the metal mesh would be your next best option.
Remember, you want your roof to breathe so be careful not to cover up vents too tightly or use any type of plastic in the attic.
Invest In a SYB Faraday Bed Canopy
As you can see, shielding your entire home can be very labor-intensive, quite complicated, and fairly expensive.
Due to all the technical factors involved, I strongly recommend that you consult with an EMF professional to identify the ideal solution for you.
As I already mentioned above, shielding your entire home is the last resort. There are other ways you can protect yourself from outside EMF sources without declaring your home a no-EMF zone.
You can shield single rooms, or you can even consider investing in the SYB Faraday Bed Canopy to have the same type of complete enclosure protection, but on a much smaller scale.
I generally recommend the SYB Faraday Bed Canopy as the first step to make sure you respond well to being in a Faraday Cage, and to get immediate relief for your sleeping area.
Fact: A well-rested person is significantly more resilient to EMF’s ill effects than a person who can’t sleep well.
This canopy isolates you from outside EMFs and even the EMF sources in your home, which in turn, helps you sleep really well.
So, if you can’t commit to whole-house EMF protection just yet, and don’t want to significantly alter your bedroom, invest in SYB’s Faraday Bed Canopy – to make it safer, healthier for you and your loved ones to live in this EMF-polluted world.
Whole House EMF Protection: Final Considerations
Navigating EMF protection for your home isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. It’s personal, shaped by your home’s layout and the EMF sources you’re up against.
I’ve filled this guide with insights and strategies to kickstart your journey toward reducing EMF exposure, but the real magic happens when we tailor these strategies directly to you.
That’s why I offer one-on-one consultations. It’s our chance to dive deep into your unique situation, pinpointing the EMF sources at play and picking out the best shielding solutions to match.
Whether you’re just starting to explore EMF protection or you’re ready to tackle advanced shielding, our session will leave you with a crystal-clear plan of action.
Think of whole-house EMF protection as a journey that’s uniquely yours. Booking a consultation is your first step toward a strategy that fits just right, blending seamlessly with your life.
Let’s work together to make your home as safe and harmonious as possible.
