What Happened When We Got Rid Of Our Smart Meter? The Results Are Amazing--You Can Do It Too!
- anthonyforonjy320
- Nov 6, 2025
- 6 min read
UPDATED DECEMBER 2023: We recently had another smart meter removed. This one was in Texas, the last one was in California. I'm happy to report that it wasn't that hard--it did take a little effort and I'll be paying a small fee for meter reading every month. However, if you care about EMF Protection, switching to an analog meter is one of the top things you can do. Especially when you see the reduction in EMFs. And guess what? It took the technician less than 3 minutes to do the whole job!. Check out this short video and then check out our definitive guide on Smart Meters below. How they work, the symptoms they can cause you and your family and most importantly, how to get your electric company to come over and take it out!
Utilities around the country are installing smart meters as fast as they possibly can.
Usually, you won't even know that your safe analog meter has been switched out to an EMF Radiation powered smart meter. But you should know.
Not only are you going to be saying farewell to your meter reader guy, you'll also probably be paying more for power every month—some people say it's a LOT more because the utility can closely monitor your usage many times during the day, and charge you accordingly.
But here at Tech Wellness, we're also concerned about the potential health and privacy effects of technology. Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) levels are continual and high.
It's a connected smart device. If you've been reading about The Internet of Things, this is one of those things. It's a small computer with enough power to monitor and control your home's power and then send messages bac
k to the utility. Our friendly utility company describes their smart meter program this way . . . From Southern California Edison (a California electric company)
“The SmartConnect digital meters and two-way communications system enable customers to better understand their energy consumption and more effectively manage their electricity use, thus helping them save energy and better manage their overall energy bill. SmartConnect meters are also equipped to support a home area network (HAN) on the customer’s premises. The HAN enables the meter to provide information into the home and to communicate with HAN-enabled devices (such as smart thermostats and in-home displays).”
Isn't that sweet? They want you to understand your energy consumption!
How Does a Smart Meter Work?
Smart meters can use a variety of Radio Frequency (RF) systems, the most popular being what they call a mesh network—one meter sends information to the next, to the next, etc., and then is collected in a centralized hub. That’s a lot of wireless energy going on.
You can also cover your Smart Meter!
It works to reduce home exposure
Whoa—this energy is sent 288 times a day!
This smart meter is either sending or receiving information about every 5 minutes and operates on two bands: the 900 megahertz (MHz) band, slightly above those used by some of the cellular telephone carriers, and 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) band, the same range where WiFi operates. Compare that to our test for the highest level on our home WiFi router, which was 25.02 μW/cm2. This is a super HIGH number by the way.
Q: Aren’t smart meters as safe as cell phones and WiFi routers? SEE Which States Let You OPT OUT Below!
...Ah, that's a good question. Smart meters use radio frequency microwave radiation similar to WiFi and cell phones. At Tech Wellness, we think exposure to this type of RF energy should be managed and limited. I've got a quick WiFi Video Demo and the BEST switch to turn it off quick and easy while keeping a healthy distance.
The safety of all wireless devices is really questionable. In 2011, the World Health Organization placed this frequency range in the “possible human carcinogen” category. We believe there is a cumulative effect of exposure so be aware, unlike your cell phone or WiFi router, you are not able to turn off a smart meter, or your neighbor's meter, or the related neighborhood utility wireless antennas that communicate in the smart network. Moreover, the RF radiation from some wireless smart meters is a concern because the radiation is so persistent and powerful. California court documents indicate that each of these meters issues RF radiation pulses averaging about 10,000 times per day, and up to a maximum of 190,000 times per day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! That power level places wireless smart meters among the most powerful RF emitters likely to be present in a residential home.
Turns out, Some People Found Out Smart Meters Don't Make Them Feel So Good
We came across this research report by Ronald Powell, Ph.D. I reached out to Mr. Powell and he was kind enough to share his up to date research, “Symptoms After Exposure to Smart Meter Radiation.” Dr. Powell is a retired career U.S. Government scientist. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Harvard. During the government career, he worked for the President, the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. When it comes to meters, he’s an incredible wealth of information, as well as someone we fervently trust and honor.
Now, many do not have any noticeable symptoms when exposed to RF radiation from wireless smart meters. The full health disclosure that everyone should be aware of is that there is growing evidence about the biological effects of being exposed to RF radiation.
Covering Your Smart Meter Blocks All Radiation - Try It IF You Can't Opt Out.
It makes sense that organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics have expressed concern regarding radiation standards relating to wireless devices. Many in the medical field believe that pregnant women and their unborn children, very young children, teenagers, men of a reproductive age, seniors, and anyone with a chronic health condition are those who are an especially high risk of harm from exposure. Electric fields can affect the electrical communication in your body, such as your brainwaves, or the ability of your neurons to fire and communicate. It can also impede intercell communication anywhere in your body. Health problems that can manifest as a result of this type of exposure include...
Neurological and behavioral changes
Altered cell growth
Cell mutations
Fibromyalgia
Chronic fatigue
Cancer
Hey, aren't we protected by the FCC?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for the regulations that set the Maximum Permitted Exposure (MPE) limits for RF radiation. Unfortunately, the current regulations are based primarily on outdated 1980s thinking, when only the heating effects of RF radiation on the body were considered. Since then, the biomedical research community has demonstrated, in hundreds of published studies, that there is an enormous number of biological effects of concern, entirely aside from heating, and the number of discovered effects continues to grow. So, the concern is that the current FCC regulations are out of date and are too permissive. There has been legislation proposed in the US House of Representatives to address this issue (H.R. 6358). But even if that legislation becomes law, it will be years before more protective regulations are developed and issued. In the meantime, each of the states in the US is on its own to protect its residents.
What can I do about my smart meter?
Common sense may dictate that you keep away from smart meters. Like WiFi, the energy is strongest at the source and then dissipates as you get further away. So, since we really can’t be absolutely sure how this energy affects our minds and our bodies, I think it's a good idea to relocate furniture, especially beds and cribs, away from the smart meter if you’re worried about being exposed to non-ionizing radiation. If you want to give it a go, we offer some amazing EMF meters. They'll give you accurate readings, as well as a sense of what you're working with/if there's any need for improvement.
We also recommend you employ the services of a good EMF consultant or Building Biologist as another Smart Meter concern is the dirty electricity they create in the wiring of your home. A certified EMF Expert will come to your home and review and mitigate your home of all types of EMF.
STATES THAT ARE KIND AND SMART ENOUGH TO LET YOU OPT OUT OF INSTALLING A SMART METER:
The following opt-out information was published by the National Conference Of State Legislatures as a guide to the policies in many states regarding whether or not you can opt-in to having a non-smartmeter or analog meter installed on your wall:
New Jersey
The Board of Public Utilities approved an opt-out program offered by Rockland Electric Co., which includes a $45 one-time smart meter removal fee and a $15 monthly charge.
New York
The New York Public Service Commission allows utilities to decide whether to implement opt-out programs with any associated fees, subject to Commission approval. The Commission approved an opt-out program for Commonwealth Edison customers, consisting of a one-time fee around $105 and a $9.50 monthly charge.
Pennsylvania
Act 129 of 2008 requires the largest utility companies in the state to deploy smart meters across their entire service territories and does not permit customers from opting out of installation.
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