Smart Home Devices and EMF Radiation: Complete Guide

Smart home devices have completely changed how we live, making things more convenient, efficient, and aesthetic in our homes.

From voice-activated assistants like Amazon Alexa to smart thermostats and automated lighting, these smart home devices make things much easier for us but could come at a potential health cost.

These smart home devices all emit electromagnetic field radiation (EMF) that could be potentially harmful to our health.

As these smart home devices communicate with the WiFi in your home, they are emitting radio frequency radiation, a form of EMF radiation.

Although the exposures seem small, and sometimes they are, cumulative exposure to high levels of EMF radiation has been shown in studies to be potentially harmful.

So, as we continue to understand more and more about the potential harm of EMF radiation exposure, we need to decide how to strike a balance between convenience and minimizing our exposure.

In this guide, I’ll cover common sources of EMF radiation from your smart home devices, talk about their potential health impacts, and offer simple and effective tips to reduce your exposure.

Let’s get started.

What Smart Home Devices Emit EMF Radiation?

As we talked about above, smart home devices have really made our lives far more convenient, but they’ve also increased our daily exposure to EMF radiation.

The first step in managing your exposure is understanding where this radiation comes from.

Types of Smart Home Devices That Emit EMF Radiation

Here is a list of the most common smart home devices, along with what kind of EMF radiation they emit.

WiFi Routers and Mesh Systems

WiFi routers are sort of the backbone of any smart home since virtually all smart home devices need to be connected either to each other or to the internet, both often requiring a WiFi router connection.

Mesh systems, are WiFi router systems with many devices placed around the home to increase connectivity.

These are often a greater source of Radio Frequency radiation (a type of EMF) because they have more radiation sources and these sources are naturally closer to you as you move around your home.

Smark Speakers (Amazon Echo, Google Nest, Apple Homepod)

These have become insanely popular in the last few years.

Smart speakers are one of the primary ways that a lot of people manage their smart home features (e.g. “Hey Alexa, turn on the bedroom lights).

Since these devices need to be able to hear when you are talking to them, they are in standby mode all the time, listening for a command.

This means that they are emitting at least some RF radiation at all times in order to stay connected to your home router.

However, the amount of radiation these devices emit spikes when they are streaming music, looking up information for you, controlling your smart home, or just about anything else you ask it to do.

Smart Thermostats (Nest, Ecobee, etc.)

Smart thermostats connect wirelessly to your home network to be controlled via smart speakers or your phone.

They emit a small amount of EMF radiation at all times, but will emit even more radiation during updates or when you’re actively using them.

Many smart speakers also connect to your WiFi router because they receive data like weather, outside temperatures, or inside temperatures from sensor units in the home.

Smart Lighting (Phillips Hue)

Smart lightbulbs and other lighting connect wirelessly to your home router to be controlled via your smartphone or smart speakers. To stay connected, they will emit a small amount of RF radiation.

Luckily, light bulbs are not usually in a location that is near your body, so it shouldn’t be as much of an exposure risk.

Video Doorbells and Cameras (Ring, Arlo, Eufy, etc.)

These security cameras and devices are connected to your home WiFi system and have to transmit large amounts of data (video files are quite large).

This means that they emit higher levels of RF radiation, especially when transmitting data.

They are also often positioned near doorways, meaning we are close in proximity to these devices while they are transferring data.

Obviously, this is not a complete list of all the smart home devices that are available on the market, but this gives you a good idea of the types of devices we’re discussing in this article.

Potential Health Impacts of Smart Device EMF Radiation

Smart home devices have changed the way we live our lives, offering unparalleled convenience, and at times, efficiency.

However, there is a tradeoff to this convenience, and in this case, that is via increased exposure to EMF radiation, and the potential health impacts that come along with that.

EMF Radiation and Human Health Overview

In the knowledge section of EMF Academy, you’ll find lots of articles going into detail about the harmful effects of prolonged exposure to EMF radiation, and I encourage you to read more about that.

However, I want to give you a quick rundown of why this should matter to you, and why we’re talking about it with smart home devices.

Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), particularly Radio Frequency (RF) radiation, are emitted by various wireless devices in order to communicate with other devices, as well as our WiFi router.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified RF radiation as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” citing studies that show a link between RF exposure and certain types of cancers, such as glioma.

Beyond just the increased cancer concerns that come with EMF radiation exposure, links have also been made to:

Sleep Disturbances: Exposure to RF radiation, especially from devices kept near the bed, may disrupt melatonin production, leading to sleep issues. Read more about this in my full article.

Cognitive Function: Studies have also shown a link between EMF exposure and memory problems, increased risk of ADD and ADHD, as well as other cognitive issues. These concerns are greatest in children.

Oxidative Stress: Prolonged EMF exposure has been linked with increased oxidative stress in cells, potentially leading to inflammation and DNA damage over time.

Who Is The Most Vulnerable?

Certain groups of people are far more susceptible to the harmful effects of EMF radiation, particularly:

Children and Adolescents: Their developing nervous systems and thinner skulls may make it so they absorb more radiation than adults. Read more here.

Pregnant Women: Some studies suggest that prolonged RF exposure during pregnancy could affect fetal development.

Electrosensitive Individuals: An increasing number of individuals are realizing they have what is called Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS). These individuals will often report symptoms like headaches, fatigue, or dizziness when exposed to EMF radiation.

Scientific Perspective

Over the last few years, the public’s growing concern about the potential dangers of EMF radiation has resulted in more studies being conducted to analyze the reality of these fears.

However, we already have a fairly large body of evidence (see the Bioinitiviate Report) showing that there certainly are biological impacts of prolonged exposure to EMF radiation.

Research from Environmental Health Perspectives found that high RF (radio frequency, like from smart home devices) exposure can result in increased oxidative stress, which could result in long-term health effects.

Another study by the Journal of Microscopy and Ultrastructure showed that this same exposure can damage our DNA and disrupt our cell’s ability to properly function.

Although definitive, scientific conclusions are likely still coming, this is certainly something that are right to be concerned with.

Reducing Your Exposure From Smart Home Devices

Since these smart home devices offer such convenience, it is understandable why, even given the potential health impacts, we might still utilize them.

Luckily, there are some practical steps that you can take to reduce your exposure.

1. Optimize Device Placement

• Distance: I talk often on EMF Academy about how important distance is when it comes to EMF radiation exposure, and how this exposure falls off exponentially over distance. So, whenever possible, place your WiFi router, as well as your other smart home devices, in locations where you won’t spend very much time being in close proximity.
  
  For example, instead of placing your Amazon Alexa device on your nightstand, next to your head while you’re sleeping, place it on a dresser across the room (check out this article for more ways to make your bedroom EMF safe).
  
  Instead of having your WiFi router in your living room, try placing it in a closet so that you don’t spend as much room (assuming the location will still give you coverage).

2. Manage Wireless Connections

• Disable Bluetooth/WiFi when possible: For the same reason that I suggest you turn off your WiFi at night, disabling WiFi and Bluetooth on devices that you aren’t using will reduce the RF radiation emitted during data transmissions and lower your overall exposure.
  
• Turn Your Wifi Off at Night: As I hinted at in the link above, turning your WiFi off at night can reduce your exposure to EMF radiation when your body most needs rest and a chance to repair.

3. Use Wired Options When Possible

• Ethernet and Wired Options: Whenever possible, opt for smart home devices that transmit data either via an ethernet cable or have a wired option. Some smart home devices have an ethernet port and the ability to disable WiFi, this will help reduce your overall exposure.
  
• Use Wired Accessories: This isn’t specific to smart home devices, but whenever you can use wired alternatives instead of Bluetooth, it’s probably a good idea. Examples would be using a wired mouse or keyboard instead of Bluetooth options.

4. Consider EMF Shielding Products

If reducing EMF sources isn’t always possible, shielding products can help:

• EMF Shielding Paint and Fabrics: Shielding materials can block or attenuate EMF radiation in specific areas of your home. These are particularly useful if your bedroom is near a neighbor’s WiFi or other unavoidable sources. Learn more in my guide to EMF protection for your home.
  
• Router and Device Shields: Protective covers for routers, smartphones, and laptops can help reduce direct exposure. See my full article on WiFi router guards here.

5. Monitor Your Exposure

Investing in a quality EMF meter will help you to better understand the EMF exposures in your house, as well as allow you to test strategies to reduce this exposure.

I’ve written a full guide on the best EMF meters that I’d encourage you to check out, however, I’ll just tell you that my current favorite is the Trifield TF2 by Alphalabs.

If you do end up getting an EMF meter, be sure to check out my article on Measuring EMF radiation for a step-by-step guide to evaluating the exposures in your home.

Finding Balance

Now that we’ve talked about some practical ways that you can reduce your overall exposure to EMF radiation from smart homes, let’s talk about some of the ways we can find a nice balance between convenience and protection.

1. Prioritize

Make a list of all the smart home devices you currently are using in your home. Evaluate which ones actually improve your life over a “less smart” alternative that would emit less radiation.

For example, your smart thermostat might really make your life easier, as you can control the temperature of your home even when you aren’t there, but perhaps you don’t need a smart, WiFi-connected toaster or coffee maker.

2. Choose Low-EMF Options When Possible

Some manufacturers actually develop products with EMF emissions in mind. When possible, try to opt for smart home products that emit less radiation than their competitors.

I’ve written many articles on this website that help you select the best low-EMF alternatives to products, such as:

• 7 Best Low EMF Baby Monitors
• 7 Best Low EMF Portable Infrared Saunas
• 5 Best Low-EMF Electric Blankets
• Low-EMF Routers

In addition, here is a helpful table to give you an idea of lower EMF alternatives that you could consider:

Device Type	High-EMF Example	Low-EMF Alternative
WiFi Routers	Standard Mesh Router	Low-EMF Router with Power Settings
Smart Speakers	Amazon Echo, Google Nest	Low-Radiation Speakers (Eco-friendly brands)
Smart Thermostats	Standard WiFi Thermostat	Thermostats with Wired Connectivity
Smart Lighting Systems	Zigbee/WiFi-Connected Bulbs	Wired Smart Lighting Systems
Wearables and Trackers	Bluetooth-Connected Fitness Devices	Low-EMF Wearables or Wired Pedometers

3. Talk With Your Family

Having an open dialogue with the people you are living with about the importance of reducing your overall exposure to EMF radiation can help get everyone on the same page. Suggesting things like turning off devices when you aren’t using them and maintaining distance from radiation sources can help everyone live in a healthier environment.

4. Stay Informed

Staying updated on the latest findings and information on the dangers of EMF radiation can help you to continue and make good decisions.

There are many good resources for this, including:

1. WHO EMF Project – Global resource on EMF health effects and safety.
2. ICNIRP – Sets international guidelines for radiation exposure.
3. FCC RF Safety – U.S. regulations and resources on RF safety.
4. NIEHS EMF Research – U.S. research on health impacts of EMF exposure.
5. BioInitiative Report – Independent scientific review of EMF health studies.
6. Environmental Health Trust – Advocacy group for safer technology and EMF awareness.
7. Building Biology Institute – Resources on creating low-EMF living environments.

Evaluating EMF Levels in Your Home

Assessing and understanding the EMF exposures in your home is the first step in reducing it. Armed with information and a solid EMF meter, you can make a difference in reducing your overall exposure.

1. Measure EMF Levels

Invest in a quality EMF meter, like the TriField TF2, to detect magnetic fields, electric fields, and RF radiation from the various smart devices (and even non-smart devices) in your home.

• Smart Devices: Test WiFi routers, smart speakers, thermostats, and other connected devices at both close range and typical use distances.
• High-Usage Areas: Bedrooms, offices, and living rooms are the most important areas to evaluate since you’ll be spending the most time in these places.

For a step-by-step guide, check out my article on how to measure EMFs.

2. Identify EMF Hotspots

Smart devices, particularly WiFi routers, hubs, and mesh systems, often create high EMF areas.

Use your EMF meter to identify these hotspots so that you can consider:

• Repositioning Devices: Move routers and hubs away from sleeping or resting areas.
• Shielding Solutions: Use EMF shielding products or solutions to reduce your exposure.

Learn more about reducing WiFi radiation.

4. Document and Adjust

Keep track of your readings as you’re evaluating your home. That way, when you implement some of the solutions we talked about, like using wired connections or disabling unused wireless features, you can compare the measurements to ensure the changes you are making are reducing your exposure.

By focusing on the highest exposure areas and making small adjustments, you can significantly reduce EMF radiation in your home without sacrificing its convenience.

5. Safe Smart Home Checklist

Here is a helpful checklist that you can use as you implement some of the solutions we’ve talked about in this article:

Conclusion

As we’ve been talking about, smart home devices offer unparalleled convenience to our lives but come at a potential health cost.

Gaining a better understanding of the exposure risks in your home will allow you to make informed decisions as to what is best for you and your family.

Luckily, you don’t have to eliminate your use of these smart features.

Instead, you can implement small. changes, like managing placement, disconnected connectivity when you’re not using something, or opting for lower-EMF alternatives when possible.

If you’re just starting your journey to understand the potential dangers of EMF radiation, I’d encourage you to start with articles in the knowledge section of this website.

Have a question or comment? Drop it below, I’d love to hear from you!