Chapter 03: The Beginner’s Guide to
Common EMF Sources in
Home Offices
In this chapter, you’ll learn all about EMFs commonly found in home offices.
We’ll go over the these sources and suggest alternatives to make your office a low-EMF area.
Let’s get started:
Common EMF Sources Found in Home Offices
This section is a compilation of common EMF sources found in living rooms, TV rooms and home offices.
These are areas where people spend a lot of time, especially in the evenings, and can be littered with many different RF producing tech devices.
With all our sections, we’ve included a recommended solution for most of these. Some of these outbound links may be affiliate links to help our mission of EMF education.
Computers and Computer Peripherals
This includes the computers, internet connectivity and computer peripherals that are commonplace in nearly all office settings.
Many of these are essential office components, so instead of removing the sources entirely we focus on low-EMF replacement solutions.
01
Desktop Computers
Desktop computers can have sizeable magnetic fields and electric fields. These should not be located directly adjacent to where you’re sitting. Place the computers and the computer’s power cord as far away as possible.
A Low EMF Solution
Distance is your friend.
02
Laptop Computers
The “laptop” in laptop computer is a misnomer. These should never be used on your lap due to elevated magnetic fields from the computer and from the electric fields you may be subjected to from the keyboard and possibly an ungrounded power cord.
Best practices would be to keep these at an arms length and use a wired mouse and keyboard instead of the touchpad and keyboard on the computer itself.
Best practices also include keeping these in airplane mode with wi-fi and bluetooth disabled. The low-emf solution would be to connect with ethernet cable.
A Low EMF Solution
Never use these on your lap.
Best practices dictate using these in airplane mode connected via ethernet cable and, also, utilizing a wired keyboard and mouse.
03
Computer Monitors
These can sometimes have elevated AC electric and AC magnetic fields.
TCO Certified, an organization out of Sweden, does sustainability testing for IT products. This testing includes some AC electric and AC magnetic testing for monitors and other devices.
Using their product search is a good place to start in a search for computer monitors. After shortlisting some models, we recommend testing them with a gaussmeter and electric field meter before purchasing.
The new LCD and LED monitors won’t have elevated fields to the extent of the old CRT monitors, but we recommend playing it safe and not being right on top of the monitor.
A Low EMF Solution
Use the TCO Certified product finder and then test in-store if possible, before purchasing a new computer monitor.
04
Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
Both a wireless keyboard and wireless mouse will commonly communicate with bluetooth RF radiation. This is something that you’re going to be inundated with for eight hours a day.
Instead we recommend using a wired mouse and a wired keyboard instead.
A Low EMF Solution
While the wired varieties of these aren’t quite as stylish as having no cords at all, this is unnecessary RF radiation for you to be inundated with. Make the decision to strive for a lower-EMF home office environment.
05
Wireless Headphones
Wireless headphones look cool, but they hit you with RF fields and AC magnetic fields from the speakers. Both are directly adjacent to your head and brain and are worn for long periods of time.
Get a pair of wired, airtube headphones instead. These will eliminate the RF radiation from bluetooth and greatly reduce AC magnetic exposure.
A Low EMF Solution
Airtube headphones will significantly lower your magnetic and RF field exposures. Exposure over forty hour weeks adds up when the year is done.
06
Wireless Speakers
We’ve talked about these in previous chapters, but remember that these can be large sources of RF radiation and the exposure times are often long.
We recommend getting a wired speaker system that you can plug your phone or computer straight into.
A Low EMF Solution
These are novel, but go old school and find speakers that you can directly plug into and turn off its wi-fi and bluetooth functionality.
07
Copiers, Printers & Scanners
As with most other products, many of these utilize wireless connectivity which means radio frequency field exposure.
Most printers, copiers and scanners can be accessed with USB or ethernet cords and we recommend doing so. Don’t forget to turn off the wireless functionality on the product.
If you happen to be using a corporate-level office copier, be aware that these can produce can produce elevated magnetic fields, so you won’t want them directly adjacent to where you’re sitting.
A Low EMF Solution
As you may have guessed by now, we recommend turning off the wi-fi or bluetooth connectivity with these and simply using USB or ethernet connections.
08
Wireless Router
We’ve mentioned wireless routers in previous field guides, but many people have their router within their home offices.
We always recommend using wired ethernet connections, but if you have to use wireless connectivity make sure that the router is as far away as possible.
A Low EMF Solution
Use wired, ethernet connections when possible.
09
Wireless Projectors
These will have radio frequency fields and possible AC magnetic fields, too. We recommend getting a projector model that you can hardwire with ethernet cable and turn off the wifi or bluetooth functionality.
A Low EMF Solution
Find equipment models where you can turn off the wifi and bluetooth and use cables to connect to.
10
Desktop Cooling Fans
As with most fans these will produce magnetic fields. Make sure and put these a safe distance away from where you sit. You can test with a gaussmeter to be certain.
A Low EMF Solution
Make sure these aren’t right next to you.
11
Surge Protectors & Battery Backups
These can subject you to elevated AC magnetic and electric fields. We recommend you move these out from under your desk and as far away from your seated position as possible.
The cords from these devices can also be responsible for elevated AC electric fields. Wrapping them in conductive tubing can help lower these.
A Low EMF Solution
Move these as far away from your desk as you can. The more distance the better.
12
Power Strips
These are often found adjacent to where people sit for long periods of time. Try to create space between these and your desk.
A Low EMF Solution
These can also be shielded by wrapping them in conductive tubing.
13
Computer Speakers & Subwoofers
Computer speakers and subwoofers are often in close proximity to the computer users. These can produce elevated electric and magnetic fields (and perhaps RF fields, too, if they utilize wireless or bluetooth functionality).
We recommend that you stick with wired models and create as much distance as you can between you and these components.
A Low EMF Solution
As with most of these, use wires and utilize distance.
14
Wired & Wireless Chargers
These cords will often emit elevated electric fields. Put these on the other side of the home office from you, if possible.
You can test these with an electric field meter.
A Low EMF Solution
Locate these across the room from where you sit in your office.
more information about the beginner’s guide to emfs
Beginner’s Guide to EMFs
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