Most people, when they think about EMF radiation, never consider their light bulbs. If you count how many light bulbs a typical home or business has installed, multiplied by how many hours a day we are using those lights, this should definitely be more of a priority!
However, it may surprise you to know that some light bulbs generate a tremendous amount of EMF radiation. If you want to reduce the levels of EMF in your home or business, be sure to look at the kind of light bulbs you’re currently using.
How Do Light Bulbs Produce EMF
There are several ways in which light bulbs produce EMF – some of them may even surprise you. In addition to those we think of as “just a light bulb”, some light bulb manufacturers have created smart bulbs, which have Wi-Fi capabilities or use Bluetooth to control how the light bulb works. Unfortunately, these newer smart bulbs emit even higher levels of radiation.
Most of the EMF radiation produced by light bulbs is really coming from the creation of dirty electricity. What is dirty electricity? It’s when a bulb (or anything plugged in) sends energy it doesn’t use back into a home’s wiring. Dirty electricity produces a high EMF radiation level, which is hazardous to you and your family’s health. Newer, energy-efficient bulbs set up this scenario, which is something to carefully consider when selecting light bulbs.
How can you know for sure if your home is producing dirty electricity? You’ll need to have an EMF specialist come and test your home or buy an EMF meter. Take readings with the lights on and once more with the lights off. If the readings are higher when the lights are on, the bulbs are generating dirty electricity. Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate the effects of dirty electricity, and is something you should definitely look into, especially if your home has older wiring. However, as with anything else, the best approach is to eliminate or reduce the source!
Choose Incandescent Light Bulbs For Your Home
Incandescent light bulbs are the safest bulbs in terms of EMF protection. Incandescent light bulbs work much better with a home’s wiring and have no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth capability. For those two reasons alone, they produce very little EMF.
Standard incandescent light bulbs were invented by Thomas Edison and pretty much used exclusively for over 150 years. The electricity coming into these bulbs is used to make the wire inside the bulb glow and produce light, but most of the electricity ends up producing heat.
Yes, these types of bulbs don’t last near as long as newer bulbs, and they’re not very energy-efficient. They also produce a lot of heat. They are, however, cheaper. For example, Sunlite offers a 48-pack of t 75-watt incandescent bulbs for a very economical price (although prices will vary based on the bulb wattage). Buy a pack of these, and you won’t need to buy anymore for a while.
Incandescent bulbs also have a secondary benefit that is getting a lot of attention. These bulbs produce a spectrum of visible light that is much more in the orange/yellow range. The light from LED and CFL bulbs is much more in the blue light spectrum and can have significant impacts on sleep and overall health. Using incandescent lighting, especially a few hours before bedtime, can make a significant difference.
What Light Bulbs Should You Steer Clear Of?
If EMF radiation is your concern, you need to avoid buying and using light bulbs with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi capabilities, such as remote control bulbs. These are often sold as part of a strip or system. These bulbs are LED-based, which alone can lead to the production of dirty electricity. However, the wireless signals of these bulbs will also produce additional EMF radiation.
In general, also avoid any bulb – LED and CFL – that can generate dirty electricity, as these bulbs were not designed for how homes are currently wired. These bulbs became popular, and later a government “mandate”, for energy efficiency. Certainly an important goal, but unfortunately, as with many good ideas, we fail to consider the big picture and create another bigger problem.
Another issue to consider is the radiation spectrum of these bulbs. We mentioned earlier that LED and CFL produce light much more in the blue spectrum, and this can impact sleep and overall health. In addition, CFL bulbs, when the mercury inside the bulb is electrified, emit UV radiation and additional EMF. It is well documented that UV radiation affects skin disorders and overall health.
If your goal is to decrease radiation exposure, you need to stick with incandescent bulbs.
Reduce Your Exposure
If your goal is to reduce EMF-related health problems, you need to decrease exposure to the radiation. For light bulbs, it means you need to stick to incandescent bulbs. Simply turn off light bulbs when they aren’t being used to reduce electrical usage.
If you want to use smart bulbs, LED bulbs, or CFL bulbs, use a minimum number of them and only in places where people will have minimal exposure, especially for CFL which also emits UV radiation. And here as well, turning off lights that aren’t being used will certainly help.
It can be challenging to reduce a home’s EMF level, but if you want to decrease the high levels of exposure, stick with incandescent bulbs.