{
  "id": "questions:what-should-i-measure-first",
  "collection": "questions",
  "slug": "what-should-i-measure-first",
  "name": "Where should you start measuring?",
  "summary": "Measure all four quantities at the sleeping position first, then fix the largest measured contributor one change at a time. The best interventions are usually free.",
  "status": "verified",
  "lastVerified": "2026-08-12",
  "data": {
    "question": "I want to reduce EMF at home — what do I do first?",
    "answer": "Measure before buying anything: the most common expensive mistake is shielding a wall while the dominant source is a router in the same room. Survey the sleeping area for all four quantities — RF power density, AC magnetic field, AC electric field and body voltage — grade each against its own band, then fix whichever sits furthest into its band, one change at a time, re-measuring after each. In most homes the largest reductions come from free actions: relocating or scheduling the router, replacing a legacy DECT base, unplugging bedside devices at the socket, and moving a bed away from the service-panel wall.",
    "cluster": "measurement",
    "aliases": [
      "reduce EMF at home",
      "EMF survey where to start"
    ],
    "related": [
      "protocols:sleeping-area-assessment",
      "protocols:rf-room-survey",
      "protocols:elf-magnetic-survey"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "sbm-2024",
      "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)",
      "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)",
      "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf",
      "year": 2024,
      "kind": "ngo",
      "retrieved": "2026-08-12"
    }
  ],
  "links": {
    "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/questions/what-should-i-measure-first",
    "html": "https://emfbase.com/questions/what-should-i-measure-first",
    "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/questions/what-should-i-measure-first.md",
    "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/questions"
  }
}