The amount of modern electronics has increased dramatically in recent years and so has dirty electricity. It is very fast-growing type of EMF pollution.
So what is dirty electricity and is it harmless enough to ignore? This article will explore the causes of dirty electricity and how you can check the levels of it in your home and what you can do to minimize the effects of this type of EMF pollutant.
What is Dirty Electricity?
Dirty electricity forms when the electrical power lines and wiring within your home encompass frequencies other than the standard electrical voltage of 110 volts and current of 60 hertz. In Europe you’d be looking at around 230 volts and 50 hertz respectively.
These additional frequencies hitchhike on the electrical wiring and extend into the environment of your home.
What Causes Dirty Electricity?
Dirty electricity in the environment from electromagnetic interference (EMI) occurs from various everyday sources. But among the worst sources that contribute the highest levels of dirty currents are:
- Light dimmer switches
- LED and CFL lighting
- Power inverters
- Faulty electrical installations
- Wireless devices (smart meters, WiFi routers etc.)
- Smart tech electronics
Most of modern appliances and cell phones run on electricity that is direct-current (DC). Whereas standard electricity that we receive from the grid is in typically run of alternating-current electricity, or AC.
The AC current converts to DC current so that your appliances and devices can operate. This converting AC electricity to DC electricity, also known as transient voltage, creates dips and surges in the voltage. 
This forms so called wasted energy that converts ‘clean’ electricity to ‘dirty’ – a potentially very harmful electromagnetic field, that radiates into the immediate environment and further flows through the wiring of the entire building.
How to measure dirty electricity
While dirty electricity is a form of EMF, standard EMF meters that are used to measure RF radiation and electromagnetic frequency are not designed to measure dirty power as they are not capable of measuring voltage transients.
There are several tools available to measure dirty electricity:
1. EMI detector
A simple EMI detector is a basic AM radio like this one here. Simply turn the AM dial to the left (500 kHz) and right (2 MHz), and the AM radio will show you a difference in static based on changes in the electromagnetic environment. The higher the static means higher levels of electromagnetic pollution in the immediate environment. The radio works better if you are using an older AM radio.
2. STETZERiZER® Microsurge Meter and Greenwave Dirty Electricity Meter
STETZERiZER® Microsurge Meter and Greenwave Dirty Electricity Meter are specifically designed to measure dirty electricity and will show more accurate readings.
Both meters are similarly priced and works in similar easy way. Simply plug the meter into the outlet and it will read the voltage variation levels.
Dirty Electricity Health Effects
It is important to note that dirty electricity is by far under-researched area of EMF, possibly due to roadblocks that persist in studying the effects of exposure to dirty electricity, such as unpredictability of it.
Science shows dirty electricity to be directly disturbing to human biological systems because of its bioactive nature. When this happens, various disorders may result from the effects of electro-pollution: autoimmune disease, neurological conditions, poor sleep, attention disorders, anxiety, and many other chronic illnesses directly relating to inflammation.
There are number of reputable researchers that have conducted studies on dirty electricity and have shared their findings, among the most notable are Dr Samuel Milham and Dr Magda Havas.
In a research, conducted by Dr Milham in a school with extremely high levels of cancer death among teachers and students, Dr Milham observed the electro-pollution so high, the transient pollution readings surpassed the meter’s measuring scale. The final analysis that Dr Milham reported in American Journal of Industrial Medicine concluded that continuous exposure of teachers to electric transients had elevated their chances of developing cancer (and particularly melanoma, thyroid and uterine cancer) as high as 13 times.
In his book ‘Dirty Electricity’ Dr Milham notes that increased levels of electrification in modern times have led to new diseases in our society – Alzheimer’s, depression, infertility and heart disease are just some of them. He further notes that these diseases were not observed where people were not exposed to EMF from the electric grid.
Dr Havas study on ‘Biological Effects of Dirty Electricity with Emphasis on Diabetes and Multiple Sclerosis’ was conducted in homes and schools where electricity filters were installed to lower dirty electricity pollution in the environment. The results were astonishing, the symptoms that are persistent in electromagnetic hypersensitivity were reduced substantially. The study further notes that disorders such as diabetes, ADD, asthma, chronic fatigue and multiple sclerosis are growing rapidly as our exposure to electromagnetic pollution increases. It calls for further research in electro-pollution connection with these disorders.
Number of studies also show that children are particularly vulnerable to electrical pollution. In 2008 Ozen research showed that the transient electromagnetic frequency induces higher levels of current density on the body of a child in comparison to the power frequency with identical field strength.
How to Reduce Exposure to EMF and Electromagnetic Pollution
An essential factor is a variability in the exposure we are getting by using different devices and sources. As a result, this may lead to the change in the behavior of the cells in our body. Two things can happen that depend on the exposure to the electric currents and also depend on the specific electric currents: the electrical type of wave and the frequency. The impact varies on each body, which makes it harder to pinpoint a solution.
However, there are some things that one can do to reduce exposure to dirty electricity, here are some of them:
- Unplugging electronics when not in use – particularly any electronics that feed of AC power (most modern electronics) and contributes to transient in voltage.
- Eco lighting – this is a double edge sword unfortunately. While it lowers electricity usage it also contributes to higher electric pollution levels. CFL and LED lighting – both are notorious when it comes to voltage transients in the environment. Where possible, switch to incandescent or halogen light bulbs.
- Avoid light dimmers – similar to ecofriendly lighting, the light dimmer switches contribute to voltage transients significantly. Opt for traditional light switch options.
- Dirty electricity filters. As noted earlier, the research conducted so far shows that use of dirty electricity filters may reduce chronic symptoms associated with exposure to electrical pollution. Dirty electricity filers filter out stray electricity from the environment.
The most notable filters are STETZERiZER® Filter and Greenwave Dirty Electricity Filter. STETZERiZER® Filter has been used in Dr Havas research conducted to determine the ability of dirty electric filters to minimize poor power quality in school. The changes in health among students and teachers were remarkable.
The amount of filters that are required for one household depends on the size of the house and number of electronics at play. On average, a typical household requires approx. 20 filters to fully filter out dirty electricity.
The following video demonstrates use of filters in practice, the results are mind-blowing.
Final Thoughts
While our lives may seem to benefit from all the upgrades we have in our homes, the scientific evidence so far shows that we need to be aware of the potential impact from these new ‘improved’ technologies and seek to protect ourselves where possible. Adverse health effects can have a negative consequence on productivity and quality of our life.
With the exposure increasing significantly, it is important to take time to examine how to co-exist in our electromagnetic world. Because it is invisible to us, electro-smog is harder to identify. Start with the fundamental changes and monitor your wellbeing.
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