When I first started researching EMFs and the risks they pose to human health, I came across a term I had never seen before—dirty electricity.
As it turns out, the term dirty electricity doesn’t have a precise definition and may mean different things to different people.
What is Dirty Electricity?
Before I discuss the ways to prevent this form of EMF-inducing electricity, I want to give you a brief explanation of what dirty electricity is and why you may want to limit its presence in your home.
Keep in mind that my explanation of dirty electricity may vary from another person’s, because the term doesn’t have a precise meaning.
In the US, AC electricity is delivered at a frequency of 60Hz (50 Hz in Europe). This means that the electricity alternates cycles at a rate of 60 times per second.
The problem is that many of our modern devices and appliances manipulate the electricity they receive in order to function. They perform this by switching the current on and off in rapid cycles.
Any electricity that isn’t used by the device reverberates back through the electricity wires of your home and through the device itself. These unused spikes of electricity are what is commonly called dirty electricity.
Like any moving charge, dirty electricity emits extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields as it travels through your home’s wiring.
In this guide, I will show you how you can reduce dirty electricity and limit your exposure to the EMFs they emit.
1. Switch to Conventional Lightbulbs
Remember when compact fluorescent lightbulbs were touted as the standard in “clean” energy and “smart” homes? Well, as it turns out, we were probably better off in the good old days of old-fashioned, traditional light bulbs.
Compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFLs, work by converting your home’s A/C current into D/C and then back to A/C. The rapid electrical transformations occurring in the lightbulb generate dirty energy and expose you to unnecessary EMF radiation.
When it comes to lightbulbs, I like the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Traditional lightbulbs are a better and safer alternative to CFL bulbs.
If you prefer a solution that uses less power than a traditional bulb, then also consider LED bulbs. These bulbs use less energy and aren’t made with mercury like their CFL counterparts.
2. Get rid of Dimmer Switches
Nothing kills the mood like a dose of electromagnetic radiation! For all their worth, dimmer switches aren’t something you want to use in your home if your goal is to limit dirty electricity.
In order to dim the lights, dimmer switches limit the flow of electricity to lightbulbs by cycling electric current at varying rates. The problem is that this process of cycling electricity on and off causes a significant amount of dirty electricity to flow back into your home’s wiring.
As I described previously, that remnant flow of electricity induces an EMF as it flows throughout your home. While dimming the lights might be a nice way to set the mood, it may also introduce unwanted dirty electricity into your home.
Instead of using a dimmer switch, I recommend an old-fashioned on/off switch for the lights in your home. If the space you are lighting has multiple lights, you might also consider splitting the lights across two or three switches. This way, you can create a dimmer atmosphere simply by using fewer lights at a time.
3. Charge Your Phone at a Distance
If you haven’t noticed by now, many of the technologies you use daily are creating dirty electricity. Nowadays, even phone chargers manipulate your home’s electricity current in order to charge phones more quickly.
Of course, limiting dirty electricity from your phone’s charger isn’t so straightforward. Most people depend on their phone to work and stay in touch with loved one’s and ditching their smartphone altogether isn’t much of an option.
Luckily, you can charge your phone wherever you’d like. Unlike lightbulbs and dimmers, which occupy fixed locations in your home, you can create distance between you and your charging phone by charging it somewhere removed from your home’s main living space. I recommend charging your phone in a bathroom, for example, instead of on a nightstand or near your bed.
4. Don’t Charge your Laptop while using It
Despite all the temptation to plug your laptop in while using it, you may want to reconsider. Most likely, your laptop’s charger uses a small brick-like unit to convert your home’s power into something usable for the laptop. This unit creates dirty electricity which results in EMFs.
In order to mitigate this problem, try to charge your laptop prior to using it. Charging your laptop before using it will allow you to use it without exposing yourself to unnecessary dirty electricity.
Recommended Products and Conclusion
If you are concerned about your exposure to EMF radiation, then you have to check out these products below:
- Best EMF Meter: CLICK HERE
- EMF Protective Blanket for Babies and Adults: CLICK HERE
- EMF Protective Belly Band for Pregnant Women: CLICK HERE
- EMF Protected Cell Phone Pouches: CLICK HERE
- EMF Protected Laptop Case and Sleeve: CLICK HERE
- EMF Protective Clothing: CLICK HERE
While it probably isn’t possible to rid your home entirely of dirty electricity, implementing the steps above should help you reduce your exposure. If you’re still curious about the EMFs produces by inefficient electronics in your home, consider purchasing your own EMF meter.
Owning your own EMF meter is a fantastic way to find out the main causes of unwanted EMFs in your home.
Hopefully I’ve helped you identify some ways to reduce the amount of dirty electricity in your home. As always, stay healthy and wise my friends!