How to Block Microwave Radiation

If you’re aware of the dangers of EMF radiation, you might have wondered how to block microwave radiation. It’s a question I get asked a lot, so I decided to do some research to look for the most effective options. Here’s a quick answer:

The best way to block microwave radiation is to install a product in your home that’ll attenuate the radiation. This will often be made of conductive metal or magnetic materials. Alternatively, you can install EMF shields around the worst offending devices in your home.

In this article I’ll look at what exactly we mean by microwave radiation, which are the best materials for blocking it, and ways to reduce your overall exposure.

What do we mean by microwave radiation?

When we speak about microwave radiation in an EMF context, we don’t specifically mean radiation from the microwave in your kitchen. Technically microwave radiation does include this, but it’s more of an umbrella term.

Microwave radiation is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes everything from x-rays to visible light and beyond. The EM spectrum is divided into frequencies, which includes microwaves.

You’ll find microwaves at the shorter end of the spectrum (as the name implies), close to radio frequencies. Their wavelengths can be anywhere from 1mm to 1m, or 300MHz to 300GHz.

Microwaves can be used in communication technology (such as cellphones) but are also used for things like radar, power, and of course heating. The most common source of microwaves in your home will be the microwave, but they also come from things like Wi-Fi routers and baby monitors.

The bottom line is that microwaves form part of the EMF spectrum, and therefore should be treated in the same way as RF frequencies. In short, this means they come with the same potential health impacts.

Is microwave radiation harmful?

Many of us are already aware of the potential health impacts of EMF radiation; otherwise we wouldn’t be here. Long-term exposure to EMF radiation can lead to a number of health complications, including:

• Depression and anxiety
• Fatigue
• Memory loss
• Changes in appetite
• Sleep problems such as insomnia
• Lack of concentration
• Dizziness
• Prickly or itchy skin

Of course, there’s also the known relationship between EMF radiation and cancer. While this issue is still being studied, the current findings are enough to cause concern.

When it comes to microwave radiation, the dangers are just as worrying. For example, microwaves heat food by exciting the water molecules, which vibrate and heat up.

Microwaves of the same intensity as those used in an oven can have the same impact on our bodies because we’re 70% water. This is particularly an issue for body parts such as eyes and testicles, which don’t have enough blood flow to draw away excess heat.

It’s certainly enough to get you thinking of ways to reduce your exposure to microwave radiation. However, along with looking for ways to block it from your home, I’d also recommend changing your lifestyle in order to reduce your overall exposure.

What material can block microwaves?

Although there are several methods you can use to block microwave radiation, many boil down to you using a material that blocks the wavelengths. So what does that include?

The best materials for blocking microwaves are sheet metal, metal foam, or metal mesh. The metal must be conductive or magnetic, which includes copper and aluminum, among others. If using metal mesh, the holes must be smaller than the wavelength.

Many materials designed to block EMF radiation come in the form of fabric or pliable sheeting. The fabrics will generally have metal fibers woven through, but again this must result in gaps smaller than the wavelengths you’re trying to block.

Perhaps the best example is the mesh found on microwave oven doors. Although this has holes in it, they’re smaller than the waves produced by the oven. This means they form an effective barrier and prevent the majority of the radiation from escaping.

Conductive metals will absorb microwave radiation and convert it into heat. Surprisingly salt water is effective at absorbing microwave radiation, but this isn’t very helpful for what we need.

In short, if you’re looking at microwave blocking materials, conductive metal is your best bet. All the products I list below rely on this principle.

How to block microwave radiation

1. Use Faraday fabric

Faraday fabric is an electrically conductive fabric that’s perfect for lining rooms and draping over electrical appliances. It’s made from woven metal fibers that mean it’s easy to work with while still retaining a high conductivity rating.

As the name implies, it works on the same idea as a Faraday cage. This means that it creates a conductive barrier around the source of microwave radiation, absorbs the radiation, and earths it.

What makes it such a great product is that you can treat it like any other kind of fabric, meaning it can be cut and sewn. You could, therefore, consider it for the following applications:

• Lining a bag or laptop case
• Making EMF blocking curtains
• Lining walls
• Making a bed cover

It’s also worth mentioning that Faraday fabric can be made of different metals. Nickel and copper are most common, but some companies use silver too.

Silver is obviously more expensive but is usually softer and more flexible. This makes it a better choice for lining clothes and for use as bedding.

2. Buy a bed canopy

One of the best ways of blocking microwave radiation is to focus on a specific area of your living space, ideally the place where you spend most of your time. For many of us, this will be the bedroom.

If that’s the case, consider buying an EMF bed canopy. Depending on the brand, they can offer up to 60dB of radiation attenuation, which is a lot. However, this does come at a fairly high price.

Many EMF bed canopies use silver thread because it’s highly conductive and non-reactive, which makes it a safe option for using around your bed.

It’s important to find a bed canopy that’s breathable, and so many are made from mesh rather than opaque fabric. However, as mentioned earlier, it’s important that the mesh has holes small enough to block the right wavelengths.

What’s more important, however, is that your bed canopy completely covers the bed and reaches the floor. It should also be earthed, but most will come with their own earthing wire.

3. Use EMF blocking paint

While it’s one thing to tackle microwave radiation coming from within your home, what can you do about radiation coming from outside? One of the few options available is EMF blocking paint.

EMF blocking paint contains metal particles that create a conductive layer, which attenuates some of the microwave radiation entering your home from outside. While this paint does do a fairly good job, don’t rely on it as your only solution.

I’d recommend using this paint in at least your bedroom, and then in any other rooms where you spend a large amount of time. You should only need one coat per wall but set aside a fairly high budget because it can become expensive.

It’s designed as an undercoat, so you’ll need a proper color to go over the top. Also, shielding paint needs to be earthed, so you will need a grounding plate and strap for it to be effective.

4. Shield your devices

Along with looking for ways to block microwave radiation in certain rooms, it’s also worth trying to block it at the source. Luckily there’s a fairly big market for products that’ll help you achieve this.

I’d recommend starting with the worst devices in your home, which will be smart meters, Wi-Fi routers, cellphones, and microwaves. For example, you can get smart meter shields and router covers (my recommendations) fairly easily online.

The easiest way to find the problem devices in your home is to buy an EMF meter. Using one of these will allow you to test all your appliances so you can then shield the ones that produce the most radiation.

Most shielding devices will still allow you to use the appliance. For example, Wi-Fi shields will still allow wireless internet signals to pass through while blocking other EMF radiation.

However, if you want 100% blocking, then bear this in mind when choosing the most suitable product.

However, another option is to build your own out of Faraday fabric. It really won’t be difficult to build a microwave shield, as this will just be a box with conductive fabric stretched over. Just remember to ground it.

This of course doesn’t take into account microwave radiation coming from outside your home, which is why it’s best to use something like EMF paint or Faraday fabric too.

5. Install window film

Windows are one of the more problematic areas for dealing with external microwave radiation. While walls will attenuate a small amount of radiation, the same isn’t true for windows.

Therefore I’d recommend installing some EMF protection window film. This product is designed to stop EMF radiation coming in through your windows while still allowing you to see out of them.

What’s more, it’s really easy to install this kind of film, as this video shows. You’ll obviously need to cut the film to size, but this is definitely one of the easier DIY jobs.

6. Make changes to your lifestyle

Along with installing microwave radiation blocking solutions in your home, it’s worth trying to make changes to your lifestyle that reduce your overall exposure levels.

After all, there’s not much point in having a low EMF home if you then spend 8 hours a day sat in front of a computer, or spend 2 hours talking on your cellphone.

So I’d recommend considering some of the following tips for reducing your overall exposure to microwave radiation, and EMF radiation more generally.

Keep your bedroom radiation-free

As I mentioned earlier, most of us spend the largest part of our stationary time in bed. Therefore if you can find ways to reduce radiation levels in your bedroom, you’re already off to a good start.

For example, try to remove all electronic devices from your bedroom, and keep your bed away from plug sockets. Also, don’t take your cellphone to bed and switch to an analog alarm clock if necessary.

Turn the Wi-Fi off

Rather than blocking microwave radiation, simply turn off the offending device when not in use. By this I mean unplug it from the wall so you can be sure it’s not giving off any background radiation.

For example, turn your Wi-Fi router off before bed, or set it to a timer. Completely turn off laptops, computers, and TVs when not in use, and turn your phone off overnight.

You’d be amazed at the difference this’ll make to overall radiation levels in your home. Obviously you can’t ask neighbors to do the same, but it’s a good place to start.

Look after your body

A healthy body is able to better fight the impacts of radiation exposure. Radiation leads to the presence of free radicals in your body, which cause oxidative stress. This in turn can damage DNA replication, which is effectively what leads to cancer.

Along with regular exercise (ideally outdoors rather than in a gym), you should also consider an EMF detox diet. This is a diet high in antioxidants to help fight the impact of free radicals. Pay attention to the following foods:

• Eggs
• Seeds and nuts
• Oranges and limes
• Strawberries and cherries
• Blueberries
• Broccoli and kale

Although it’s not a way of directly blocking microwave radiation, a certain level of it is unavoidable. Therefore eating a good diet and looking after your body is the best way to combat this.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article has shown you how to block microwave radiation. The best advice I can give is to try several solutions together, as you have to fight radiation both inside and outside your home. Doing so will help you to overcome the health impacts of microwave radiation exposure.