Is EHS-EMF Sensitivity Real?

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EHS/EMF Sensitivity: Is it Real?

Medical Disclaimer: The following article is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose, be a diagnostic tool, or offer any form of medical treatment. Therefore, if you have any symptoms mentioned, we advise you to see your licensed medical practitioner or physician. In addition, some of the statements herein are the author’s opinions and are not necessarily shared by anyone else associated with Elexana.


In Sweden, electrohypersensitivity (EHS) is an officially fully recognized functional impairment (i.e., it is not regarded as a disease). Survey studies show that somewhere between 230,000-290,000 Swedish men and women report a variety of symptoms when being in contact with electromagnetic field (EMF) sources. - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17178584/


EMF Sensitivity™ @2012, ©2016, ©2018, ©2021. ©2023. All rights are reserved. 

(A.K.A. Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, EMF Sensitive, Electromagnetic Field Sensitive, EHS, Electrohypersensitivity, Electrosensitivity, Radio Frequency Intolerance, EMF Allergic)

An increasing number of New Yorkers and others worldwide have been calling us regularly because they believe they have acquired an acute sensitivity to human-engineered electromagnetism. Is EHS-EMF Sensitivity Real?

  • Are some people gaming the system in Europe, collecting disability because they claim to have EHS to get out of working for a living? Possibly.

  • Are some people who have various psychological adaptive disorders claiming they have EHS and, in reality, do not? Yes, and I have met a few.

  • Are some people claiming to have EHS sensitivity to electromagnetic fields far below any government’s safety guidelines? Yes. I do not doubt that individuals have developed an acute sensitivity to EMF. The number of those suffering from this sensitivity, each to a seemingly different degree, appears to be increasing steadily over time. However, due to the nature of this affliction, I would be surprised if more than 10-15% of the population eventually suffers from EHS. Still, I also have absolutely no doubt that many more people suffer from the consequences of electromagnetic interference caused by human-engineered electromagnetism than the medical profession, except for a select few talented physicians realize.

Back in the 1980s, none of us imagined that telecoms and all of the related secondary and tertiary industries would become as significant drivers of the American economy as they have become today. In a modern economy, the sectors that are the leading profiteers are those buying the most television commercial time. Today, in America, there seems to be not one TV commercial break on any channel that does not have a Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Google, Apple, Sprint, or Samsung TV commercial.

What would it mean to those profiting from technologies involving human-engineered electricity if EHS were an actual physical health issue and not a mental health issue, as considered today? What would it mean if the numbers of those with EHS became the majority? 

The CBS Sunday Morning Show brought up the insomnia epidemic in this country. Why is no one on TV considering the possibility of cellphone towers, wifi, smart meters, and other wireless devices in our homes as catalysts for this insomnia epidemic? One in every five newly married couples is infertile, and the number is growing by the decade. Why is no one on TV making the possible link to wireless technology? Every radio frequency that exceeds 114 MHz travels out through the ionosphere into outer space. If solar flares cause blackouts, how will 60,000 Starlink satellites sending and receiving extremely fast pulsed electrical signals through the ionosphere affect our planet? All frequencies above 114 MHz, do not reflect or bounce off of the ionosphere but travel through it. How are these transmissions affecting both the ionosphere and our planet? Has anyone on TV brought this up? We know that the same money funding modern technology also buys our politicians' campaign funding, provides scientists with the best-paying jobs, and donates billions to our universities. Many museums and historical societies rely on the rent income from hosting antenna ports.  

If you are reading this page, it is because you or someone you know may have EHS, or you think you or they may have it. You may be aware of the "scientific" studies that "prove" that EHS seems to be nothing more than an imagined phenomenon, therefore a psychological issue and not a physical one. This opinion is the current viewpoint of the American Medical Association. Unfortunately, the A.M.A.'s well-documented historical batting average does not provide confidence in their first opinions. Its original medical ideas regarding cigarette smoke, asbestos, processed sugar, and the countless drugs and medical devices they have endorsed that were eventually removed from the shelves diminish its scientific credibility. Are all those suffering from EHS delusional or insane? Or, is EHS a real physical phenomenon, independent of belief systems and neurosis, rooted in physiology and physics?

Is there an unidentified group suffering from EHS who have not yet connected their discomfort to non-ionizing radiation or live in denial because it is just too difficult to accept as a possibility? After all, human-engineered electromagnetism is inescapable if you choose to live in society.

If you are reading this post, you may be wondering about yourself or your spouse? Have you been recently experiencing unexplainable pressure inside your head, tingling or heat sensations on your skin, inexplicable rashes, sudden heart palpitations, insomnia, occasional vertigo, dizziness, or constant fatigue? Does your eardrum area hurt when you put a cell phone to your ear? Do you ever feel a deep pressure at the top of your spine?

Do you suffer from a thyroid condition, premature cataracts, unexplainable headaches, ADHD, ADD, short-term memory lapses (and you are not old), irrational mood swings, premature aging, or a symptom your doctors can't explain?

Many of these experiences or symptoms have been shown, with peer-reviewed studies at www.BioInitiative.org, to be caused by entering into strong electromagnetic fields or from persistent and prolonged exposure to electromagnetic radiation. Therefore, if you consciously feel electromagnetic radiation or experience discomfort, you may have EHS (Electro-Hypersensitivity), EMF (Electromagnetic Field Radiation) Sensitivity, EM Sensitivity, EM Awareness, etc. Call it what you will. If you have it, you live with it; it doesn't matter what anyone calls it.

Human-engineered electromagnetism is not natural electromagnetism. Human-engineered electricity is either made from:

  1. Alkaline and lithium-ion batteries or other batteries use chemical reactions to generate and store DC electricity.

  2. AC (Alternating Current) uses rotating magnets and transformers to convert natural energy into electricity with a sinusoidal waveform at 50-60 cycles per second.

  3. Human-engineered DC (Direct Current) electricity is produced using rectifiers consisting of looped circuit alternating diodes switching on and off, and often adding resistors, a transformer/inductors, and capacitors to smoothen out the AC sine wave to form a pulsed DC at 120 Hertz.

  4. EMF emissions are from electrical equipment such as wifi routers, cellphones, cellphone tower transmissions, power lines, transformers, unshielded home wiring, electrical wiring errors, power tools, wireless surveillance systems, baby monitors, Bluetooth devices, and so much more.

The number of persons with EMF Sensitivity is estimated to comprise 3-5% of the population. The numbers could be much higher due to the growing awareness of EMF health effects and the regular addition of new wireless technologies. I want to add the perversely high percentage of poorly grounded homes and the high number of homes with electrical wiring errors made by unlicensed and poorly trained electricians.

Those who claim to be sensitive often begin feeling this energy in their early to mid-forties. (Although lately, we're encountering an increasing number of callers in their thirties and even twenties. In addition, many children with Downe syndrome or those on the spectrum present EMF sensitivity.

Most with EHS can relate to a time in their lives when they were exposed to specific electromagnetic fields for long periods. Examples are: sitting hours at their desk with the wifi next to them, sleeping near their electrical panel, welding for a living, using power tools for a living, driving a patrol car for many years, living under a power line, etc.

The realization that one is sensitive can be perplexing, daunting, or even terrifying. EHS can suddenly seem to happen in one day. Bam! You suddenly feel everything that produces electromagnetism. And then, the awareness that RF transmitters are everywhere! In the subways, everyone has a cellphone; smart meters are in your building, Bluetooth devices are in your home; it's endless! 

Typical EHS symptoms include feeling an uncomfortable pressure in the cerebral cortex/occipital lobe areas, deep pain or pressure in the neck area or upper spine, chronic insomnia, brain fog, concentration issues, short-term memory lapses, or going suddenly blank in the middle of doing something, occasional vertigo, loud ringing in the ears, low-frequency rumbling sounds, unexplainable rashes or a burning or heating sensation in the skin, tingling sensations in the legs and arms, sharp headaches, sudden pain in an eye, intermittent irritability for no apparent reason, mood swings, irrational relationship-sabotage or self-sabotage, teeth grinding or clenching during sleep, and more. Every month, I hear of a new symptom.

* Again, if you experience any of these symptoms, I am legally obligated to recommend seeing your doctor.

Before continuing, I have to make one significant point: Everyone is adversely affected by EMF to one degree or another. Anyone who does not realize this or believes that their exposure to electromagnetic radiation is not a potential concern is ignorant of the peer-reviewed science. In addition, some professionals, including doctors, understand the health effects of electromagnetic radiation and why it can cause health problems. However, most realize this understanding requires a cross-discipline knowledge of physics and biology, Quantum Biology or Molecular Biophysics, which most doctors do not learn in medical school. 

After all, what is a chemical reaction? In essence, it is bonds created or broken by the sharing or releasing of electrons. In other words, a chemical reaction is an electromagnetic reaction.

From the vantage of all certified EMRS, an increasing number of people suffer from uncomfortable physical symptoms and illnesses due to electromagnetic radiation. We have each tested many homes of those claiming to have EMF Sensitivity. These clients felt the most discomfort when the EMF levels were at their highest in their homes. Most clients with EHS have consistently identified the areas in their homes with the strongest fields. For those who have proven to be truly sensitive, I encourage them to trust what they are feeling. We all need to do this; trust what we feel.

As already indicated, I know that most studies claiming the "data" prove that EMF Sensitivity appears to be “psychosomatic and idiopathic.” Yes, anything is possible regarding the tricks the mind can play. But what explains when someone gets a sharp pain without knowing that a cell transmitter is nearby? What defines the consistency between the areas in their homes where they feel the worse, and the measured levels corroborate what they are feeling?

Fortunately, I am well-versed in the scientific method and have reviewed every single one of these "studies" I could find which claimed to debunk EHS. What did I uncover?

I have found that each of these studies had at least one significant error or flaw involving either the set-up, measuring protocols, assumptions, data collection, or data analysis. To add, any person who has studied statistics also knows that a clever person can create a "study" to prove or disprove just about anything! Replicability is essential for verifying scientific conclusiveness. Without a third party replicating any of these debunking studies, anyone should not take their conclusions seriously.

All pain can be said to “be in the head.” Our brains receive signals from traumatized cells, irritated nerves and then register these sensations as pain.

Let's look at two studies.

When someone says that they felt pressure from applied electrostimulation and then 20 seconds later did not, it does not prove that this person was making their sensitivity up after being exposed the first time. And, for a scientist to draw this conclusion only provides us with information that they 1. do not understand the nature of EHS at all and 2. do not have the necessary talent, training, motivation, or discipline to conduct an open-minded experiment.

If nerves within the surrounding fine tissue containing trace amounts of metals, such as; copper, iron, silver, and others, are irritated, that fine tissue becomes inflamed or swollen, to some degree, in reaction to the irritation. As a result, these nerves may not differentiate a second exposure occurring within a short time interval from the first exposure. In addition, the slow healing time of swollen tissue will ipso facto cause the subject to lose the ability to differentiate consequential exposures.

Another “debunking study” shows that an EHS subject was "proven" to be duped by a placebo exposure to electromagnetism while sitting near the testing machine that was electrically floating, emitting a strong proximal electric field. The subject's feet were also close to the wall that may have had unshielded wiring, and overhead was an old-style magnetic ballast fluorescent light undoubtedly emitting a magnetic field, causing harmonic transients coupled onto the electric fields of the testing device itself. Who knows what the ambient EMR was in the room? Here was a "conclusive scientific experiment" that only proved the scientists' shortcomings.

What about studies from "third-party independent labs." So many of us can be gullible regarding the tricks of "science," either innocent or manipulative, that both science and the medical industry can play. We need to ask, "Who funded the study? Was this a shell company funding this study? Did the funder or the scientist have a bias or personal agenda? How was the data compiled and interpreted?" And then there's the whole concept of using relative versus absolute result ratios, which can skew any experiment's interpretation. 

Too many studies and their conclusions are unreliable and dishonest. This is why I do not “trust the science.” This is why I have to test myself. (5G is a good example. The present reality of 5G is not even close to what the TV commercials tell us that it is. Most likely, the sales and marketing managers do not even understand the details of the technology of 5G.)

If you walk into a room and feel a strong EMF, measure it or have an Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist (EMRS) measure it for you. Everyone should own an AC gaussmeter and an RF meter. Amateur meters will tell you if the levels are going up or down. That is all you need to know in many instances. A certified EMRS can help you with solutions.

From what we EMRS have collectively observed, there appear to be consistencies between chemical toxicity sensitivity, Lyme disease, and EMF toxicity sensitivity. According to Dr. Martin Pall, Ph.D., one significant result of exposure to EMF is interference with calcium ion (Ca2+) motility and signaling in the body. This interference has a direct effect on neurology and autoimmune function. Thus, chemical and EMF sensitivity appears to be natural results of becoming over-exposed to particular environmental stressors or toxins. 

The human body is capable of sensing the lowest levels of electromagnetism. Dr. Robert O. Becker (The Body Electric) writes that the human body is sensitive to direct electrical stimulation down to nearly 100 nano-amperes. A nano-amp is a billionth of an amp or 0.000000001 amps. Today, Mount Sinai Hospital uses electrical stimulation, just a few hundred nano-amps of DC, to accelerate bone cell regeneration. Like many things, a little can be good, and a lot, not so good.

Our skin-voltage monitor shows our clients that the skin will react to electromagnetic fields with a strength as low as a thousandth of a volt, a millivolt. During an epidermal voltage measurement, one never consciously feels anything on their skin, yet the skin responds immediately to the slightest change in the electric field. Thus, the epidermis is highly sensitive to electromagnetism, whether we consciously feel it or not.

To further show how sensitive we are to the smallest amounts of microsimulation from electromagnetism, Guy Doron and Michael Brecht published a work in 2015 titled "What Single-Cell Stimulation Has Told Us About Neural Coding." 

In this report, they state, "The later development of intracortical microstimulation (ICMS), a technique in which trains of short (100–200 ms) constant electrical pulses of small current intensities (1–100mA) are delivered extracellularly via a microelectrode at rates of tens to hundreds of Hertz, enabled a more reliable activation of localized populations of neurons and directly influenced sensory perception, movement, and cognition."

Of course, none of us can consciously sense levels as low as a few hundred nano-amps. Still, there is mounting scientific evidence that conscious sensitivity to higher levels is a natural result of one having higher levels of trace metals or even naturally occurring biogenic magnetite in their tissues. The latter resulted from a study by Caltech's Joseph Kirschvink in 1992. 

http://www.roaringlionpublishing.com/tony_uploads/Magnetite_Biomineralization_in_the_Human_Brain.pdf

Here, Kirschvink reveals that we all have ferromagnetic magnetite (Fe3O4) in our brain tissue and throughout our bodies. Iron is not only conductive, but iron is also is susceptible to magnetic fields.

In 1975, Allen Frey demonstrated that continuous exposure to microwaves at power densities as low as 30 µW/cm2 (30,000 µW/m2) could weaken fine membranes such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB). A permeable BBB will allow larger-sized trace-heavy metals, such as mercury, cadmium, aluminum, lead, antimony, and others, to penetrate the BBB. 

Eberhard et al. (2008) report that two-hour exposures to cell phone GSM microwave RF resulted in albumin leakage across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and neuron damage. Neuronal albumin uptake was significantly correlated with the occurrence of damaged neurons when measured at 28 days post-exposure. The lowest exposure level was 0.12 mW/kg (0.00012 W/kg) for two hours. The highest exposure level was 120 mW/kg (0.12 W/kg). The weakest exposure level showed the most significant effect in opening the BBB and neuron damage and death. https://www.elexana.com/news/2017/12/22/cell-phone-study-drastically-lowers-safety-thresholds

Are our brains also electromagnetic sensors? In 2016, Joseph Kirschvink proved that we use biogenic magnetite to sense polarity changes in the Earth's magnetic fields. This sense helps our brain's awareness of daytime short waves shift to nighttime's much longer waves, signaling the pineal gland to release melatonin.

Yes. Science is speaking. We are all sensitive to electromagnetic fields. This phenomenon is why it is so critical that we mitigate the strong fields created within our homes and workplaces. 

Sometimes, those with EHS feel like they are "trapped in this modern technological world."

There is hope. Removing trace metals from the blood takes time, but clients have done it. Unfortunately, discharging trace metals from the brain area is more challenging once they pass the BBB. Yet, I believe it is possible to release these toxins. For that matter, so does the University of Kentucky's Dr. Boyd Haley, who has a chelating agent in the final testing stage for FDA approval.

Another theory for the cause of EHS symptoms is that some are deuterium toxic and can't release this heavy form of hydrogen. It is found everywhere in the universe. D2O is the heavy water we use to cool nuclear reactors. High-fat diets seem to help the body release deuterium. There is much we don't know about this area of research.

Some medical practitioners, such as Dr. Jerry Tennant, believe that emotional trauma causes DC magnetic fields to become stored in the limbic system. Some medical practitioners believe that healing therapies can help reduce limbic system magnetic fields to reduce sensitivity to EMF.

In conclusion, some folks have not only found relief from the intensity of EHS but have risen above the existential angst of feeling trapped without an escape from our modern world's ubiquitous human-engineered electromagnetic radiation. So, please, do not despair. Reach out to your local EMRS for a home consultation. If you do not have a local EMRS, please call Elexana for virtual testing via the zoom platform. Take control of your immediate environment as best you can.

What is the Difference Between Residential EMF/EMR Testing and Electrical Services Provided by an Electrician?

All Electrical Services are provided by electricians licensed in the county where you reside, and EMF/EMR Testing and Mitigation Consulting Services are provided by nationally certified Building Biology® Institute of America Professional Electromagnetic Radiation Specialists (EMRS.) If you hire anyone else to test the electromagnetic fields in your home other than an EMRS or Michael Neuert, of the EMF Center in California, then best of luck.

  • An EMRS conducts a series or panel of non-invasive testing, performs a certified analysis of the data, then presents an informed consultation to the client including the next recommended steps to mitigate any actionable findings. Some of these solutions may then involve an electrician.

  • A licensed electrician will then do the electrical work required to correct any electrical errors or necessary upgrades uncovered by the EMRS uncovered by non-invasive EMF/EMR testing and visual inspections. (Non-invasive means that we do not remove electrical panel covers, junction box covers, or outlet receptacle cover plates.)

Persons engaged in either of these professions undergo extensive training, coursework, and must successfully pass written exams.

  • It takes someone about 4-5 years to become a licensed electrician.

  • It takes 3-4 years to become a certified EMRS. Both electricians and EMRS should carry General Liability Insurance to enter your property and you the consumer have a right to request to see visual proof of this insurance.

Just like any other profession, there are various levels of talent and expertise within a certain range of each and every EMRS. Some are excellent and some are just getting started on their own. But, like all professions, at least you know that the baseline is professional competence. At Elexana LLC, we would like to think that we have some of the best in the field.

EMF/EMR Testing and Mitigation Consulting Services should only be offered by a trained and certified EMRS or someone under their supervision. 

An EMRS receives extensive training from EMRS-electrical engineers, EMRS-electricians, and other experienced certified EMRS at the Building Biology® Institute of America. She or he must pass several exams and a final project before receiving an accredited certification. 

There are no services that an EMRS provides homeowners that have not been taught at the BBI and sufficiently learned. Punctuated is the distinction between EMF/EMR testing and mitigation consulting services and electrical services to every student.

In short, an EMRS surveys electromagnetic fields seeking out sources for EMR emissions and consults with you, your engineers, electricians, and contractors when there is an electromagnetic interference issue requiring a specific mitigation plan, operation, or application. 

It is your locally licensed electrician who will do the actual electrical work to implement any necessary corrections and install any electrical filters, switches, ground rods, etc. Unless an EMRS is also a licensed electrician, an EMRS does not perform electrical services. 

From our experience, most electricians fail to identify and correct wiring errors if left on their own without guidance or direction. One can wire a renovation or new chandelier where the lights will turn on, but in the process may also violate several NEC requirements that produce harmful magnetic field emissions and pose a potential fire risk. Many electricians mistakenly think that the fix for a wiring error is in grounding and bonding circuits properly. Hiring an EMRS, in this circumstance, to work in concert with your electrician is often helpful. The EMRS can guide how to identify the circuits where there are parallel returns. This training is just one learned protocol that separates the professional EMRS from the typical New York TriState EMF expert or inspector.

Another non-invasive test an EMRS conducts is measuring stray current and voltage on your water service, coaxial cables, and gas lines. Home inspectors and electricians do not check these utilities for stray current, which can cause potential health and safety issues.

A third test that an EMRS could conduct that is non-invasive that a home inspector for electrician does not provide to measure the impedance on the system ground. If there is a ground loop or exceedingly high impedance, this will cause the electric fields inside the home to be stronger than if the system ground were functioning with a proper impedance. Shunting the electric fields to the earth ground is essential. Furthermore, a flawed system ground poses a potential shock and fire hazard. 

Most electricians are not aware that many common wiring errors can produce elevated magnetic field radiation and pose a fire hazard. After all, according to the NFPA, 48% of all home fires are electrical.

Induced magnetic fields from specific wiring errors can adversely affect sensitive electronic equipment and cause ill-health after prolonged exposure. If relatively low AC magnetic fields comparable to the US standards, which are virtually non-existent, did not cause interference, all AC magnetic shielding companies would be out of work. It would take me much less time to consult on the best placement for Magnetic Resonance Imagers (MRI), Ultrasound Imagers, Electron Microscopes and Scanners, and other scientific and medical equipment. Determining pacemaker compatibility would be a breeze.

A fourth non-invasive test that an EMRS conducts that no electrician or home inspector offers is to test the levels of harmonic line noise and airborne interference coupled to indoor electric fields, often called "dirty electricity." There are several techniques to assess these frequencies, but again, all tests are non-invasive. 

A fifth non-invasive test that an EMRS conducts that an electrician does not is a radio frequency scan. Strong radiofrequency radiation levels can cause electronics to malfunction and ill-health with prolonged exposure, according to the scientists of the Bio-initiative, Physicians for Safer Technology, and the scientists of The Environmental Health Trust.

Finally, an EMRS is a consultant who can offer their educated and experienced opinion on best practices for EMF/EMR/EMI mitigation. This knowledge and expertise are beyond the training scope that a home inspector or an electrician receives. The electrician or licensed electrical contractor works to mitigate the non-ionic radiation produced by wiring errors, unshielded electrical cables, poorly grounded homes, and installing all electrical equipment, EMR remediation equipment, etc.

So, yes, although all tests that an EMRS conducts are non-invasive, they do require training and certification. Unfortunately, there is no license issued in any country or court for EMF/EMR testing. We certainly wish there were. Requiring a license would ensure that the consumer receives a baseline of competency.

Earthing, Grounding, and Bonding

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Misunderstood and misinterpreted concepts circulate the world of EMF remediation consulting, especially those involving earthing, grounding, and bonding. Hopefully, this article will help you gain an improved working knowledge of these terms.

To begin, let's define the term electrical conductor. An electrical conductor is any metal wire that can provide a guiding path for electricity to flow. Of course, humans are not electrical conductors in this sense, but we are conductors of electricity. Current can travel across the epidermis and through our bodies. When either a ground rod, also termed a grounding electrode, or a human being connects directly to the Earth, we call this Earthing.

Are you connected to the electrical system or the Earth?

Are you connected to the electrical system or the Earth?

The frost line is 30 inches below Earth ground's surface. Everything above this imaginary line becomes wholly frozen during the winter months. This top layer of Earth's skin is also where most stray voltage and current traverse, especially when the soil is moist. This energy comes from nearby electrical power lines, substations, underground cabling, and electrojets formed via solar flares passing through the ionosphere that couple to the secondary windings of transformers to produce odd harmonics to the 13th order.

Ubiquitous modern-day microwave communication signals couple to all lower frequency energies resulting in fast transient harmonics running over the Earth’s surface. These transients need to be compensated for while conducting soil resistivity tests by using low pass filters.

With lower temperatures or high-frequency ground currents, soil resistivity increases, potentially raising a grounding electrode's impedance. The NFPA 70E® required impedance for a grounding electrode to function appropriately is 25 ohms or less, except in particular circumstances when sensitive electronics are involved, where 5 ohms is required. Power stations will require 0.5 ohms (IEEE 1.9.5)

(NEC 250.54 (A) states: "A single electrode consisting of a rod, pipe, or plate that does not have a resistance to ground of 25 ohms or less shall be augmented by one additional electrode of any type specified in section NEC 250.52 (A) (4) - (a)(8).)" To achieve this target of 25 ohms or less, we need to drive an eight-foot ground rod beyond this thirty inches until the rod's top is either level or just below the surface (NEC 250.53 (G.) 

(Depending on the soil resistivity, you may need more than one eight-foot ground rod inserted to a deeper calculated depth than eight feet or apply alternative methods using ground rings, ground plates, or ground trenches. Each of these electrodes must be a minimum depth of 30 inches (NEC 250.53 (F)(G)(H).) Note: Elexana LLC is certified to make these determinations and calculations.

To protect our buildings from high-voltage lightning strikes, line surges, or unintentional contact with high-voltage lines (NEC 250.4 (A)(1)), a low impedance grounding electrode is required to provide an effective ground-fault path to Earth. NEC 250.66 (A) requires either a 6 AWG copper wire or a 4 AWG aluminum wire for the grounding electrode conductor fastened with a copper or galvanized clamp to connect the ground rod with the ground/ neutral busbar inside the Mains electrical panel. (Some panels have separate ground and neutral busbars connected via a bonding screw (often painted green) or a bonding strap.) The neutral return wires (usually gray or white) from every branch circuit in your building and all ground conductors (green wire) from every wall outlet receptacle eventually connect to the Mains neutral busbar. The neutral busbar's return conductor connects through your electrical service entry back out to your power company's transformer. The transformer is the drum on the telephone pole if you have overhead distribution lines or the metal cabinet near your front lawn if you have underground distribution lines.

To further protect your building from a catastrophic lightning strike, NEC 250.104 requires bonding all water and gas pipes. Bonding means connecting all metal piping and structural steel (NEC 250.52 (A)(2)) and linking them back to the grounding electrode. All raceways (NEC 250.96) and metal cabinets such as your refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer, toaster oven, etc., must be grounded/bonded via the ground conductor pins on their plugs to the wall outlet ground socket (NEC 250.114.) (Note: This connection also protects you from a shock hazard in case of a short by initiating the GFCI, Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, or your circuit breaker to flip.) The term "grounding" means connecting your appliances and devices to the Equipment Ground Conductor, EGC, to your Mains panel neutral busbar, then out to the grounding electrode. 

The Earth does not provide ample protection from a lightning strike, so the final protection from a lightning strike is the overload ground conductor connecting your neutral busbar to your water service pipe in your basement near to where it enters your building. The excess voltage will travel from your water pipe, "leap" over your water meter via a jumper and continue onto the municipal water supply, absorbing all extra voltage. 

Many folks have the false notion that the grounding conductor in their home or office is some pristine connection to Earth. This idea could not be further from reality. Even if you powered down your building altogether, you would have a voltage and current on your grounding conductor. Depending on radio frequency interference and the condition of your local transformer, you will have a wide bandwidth of harmonics (dirty electricity) on this conductor and your neutral conductor, as well. 

Some clients who wish to "ground" themselves from their office or home have asked if they could drive a separate independent ground rod into the Earth and not connect it to the Mains panel. We can't endorse this practice because NEC 250.50 requires bonding for all grounding electrodes. Remember, this code is to protect you. Further, without adequately testing your soil resistivity, your temporary ground rod may very well be corrupted by stray voltage and current traveling along the surface of the ground. Additionally, this cable's impedance is too high for anything like a negative ion to travel from Earth ground back to you.

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Earthing can provide real health benefits. Not only will earthing shunt unwanted voltage from your epidermis, but the Earth contains negative ions, which can have a restorative and therapeutic effect. Negative ions are naturally occurring molecules holding a negative charge, extra electrons, correlated with alkalinity. Negative ions exist in ocean water, flowing streams, and clean air, especially after a thunderstorm. Negative ions also flow from sunlight and the Earth. Earth, of course, unless there is human-engineered stray voltage or current traveling along its surface. 

If you live in a city or suburb, then most likely you are not earthing when you walk barefoot in your backyard. You would certainly not be earthing if you walked down the sidewalks of most New York City streets. Because concrete is conductive, walking barefoot in NYC would often have the opposite effect of earthing. With human-engineered electromagnetic radiation leakage from local electrical distribution lines traveling just below the sidewalk’s surface line, you can take on positively charged ions. Also, this activity could pose a potential shock hazard if a nearby utility is shorted.

If you want to know if you are genuinely earthing, verify the soil resistivity. (Note: If you are within a power-dense electromagnetic field, although earthing will bring your relative potential to zero millivolts (skin-body voltage), all energies will still couple to the epidermis. In other words, earthing shunts voltage but does not block electromagnetic energy.)

In summary, earthing occurs when we directly connect to the Earth, grounding, when we join a conductor to the electrical system ground/neutral busbar, and bonding, when we connect metal casings and pipes to the system ground/neutral busbar. 

We all need to experience Nature as often as is possible, get plenty of sunlight, fresh air, and move our bodies throughout the day. Swimming in the ocean and walking on a beach provide earthing benefits. In contrast, grounding to your electrical system is not earthing. I encourage you not to be so naive about every alternative therapy and remedial device, no matter how many positive reviews and endorsements.

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*If the grounding electrode is encased in concrete, then a 4 AWG copper wire is required (NEC 250.66 (B))