Do I need a license to do EMF Inspections?

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EMFInspector

Member
Location
Houston, Texas
I am considering starting an EMF Inspection/Consulting business in Texas. I am not a licensed electrician, journeyman, or even an apprentice.

I want to do EMF surveys and measure circuits for potential sources of EMF. I will then hand the report to the client and advise them to hire a licensed electrician to complete any remediation work. I don't want to get in trouble with the local inspectors, nor do I want the liability of doing unlicensed work. There are good reasons why Electricians need thousands of hours of training!

I need to know where the line is when it comes to what is considered "electrical work". The state of Texas has this definition:

"Electrical work is defined as any labor or material used in installing, maintaining, or extending an electrical wiring system and the appurtenances, apparatus, or equipment used in connection with the use of electrical energy, in, on, outside, or attached to a building, residence, structure, property, or premises. The term includes service entrance conductors as defined by the National Electrical Code."

Does measuring current on individual circuits cross the line?

Does mapping out the circuits using a tracer cross the line?

I won't be replacing any equipment or rewiring any branch circuits, no matter how simple the repair might be.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcome.
 
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jim dungar

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Wisconsin
Occupation
PE (Retired) - Power Systems
If you carry no tools and do not open or remove closed covers, then you are almost definitely not doing an electrical work.
I imagine it would be difficult to use a clamp-on ammeter without being needing to be a qualified worker.
 
K8MHZ

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Many of us equate EMF paranoia with the 'foil hat' crowd.

Just what criteria is required for a meaningful EMF evaluation?

I am also interested in your target market area.

But, I don't think you need a license to wave some EMF detectors around someone's house and charge them money for you to write down the readings.

Equating the readings, however, to medical, psychological or even electrical maladies may cross the line between an unlicensed procedure and one that does require a license, insurance and bonding.
 
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EMFInspector

Member
Location
Houston, Texas
K8MHZ said:
Many of us equate EMF paranoia with the 'foil hat' crowd.

Just what criteria is required for a meaningful EMF evaluation?

I am also interested in your target market area.

But, I don't think you need a license to wave some EMF detectors around someone's house and charge them money for you to write down the readings.

Equating the readings, however, to medical, psychological or even electrical maladies may cross the line between an unlicensed procedure and one that does require a license, insurance and bonding.
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I also see most of the EMF paranoia as largely the territory of the "foil hat" crowd. The amount of EMF being absorbed by stray wifi signals is so negligible, that it is almost unmeasurable. Fields over 3 mG are a different matter. These do cause headaches, nausea, and can aggravate neurological conditions. Are they going to cause people to have two-headed offspring? Not likely. Nor are they likely to cause any permanent tissue damage.

In my own home, the electrical panel is on the other side of the wall to our bedroom. It is offset by about 6 feet. A couple of bad light and fan dimmer switches were causing some emf on the circuit that ran to the receptacles on either side of our bed. (and across it at pillow height). This was generating a field of 4 mG at our pillow locations. Somewhere in the house, two neutrals are tied together on separate circuits. This is causing a net current of around 1.1 amps. Another bad dimmer switch that was on the same circuit as our DSL router, has been causing it to drop the signal repeatedly. We have had multiple techs out to look at the router, and they kept telling us it is just fine. Turns out they were right. Added together, this was causing a net field around the panel of between 5 and 12 mG (taken 16" out from the wall).

After reading Karl Riley's book, "Tracing EMF's in building wiring and grounding", I was able to drop the readings at our pillows to 0.6 mG and now we both sleep better at night. I have yet to find the tied together neutrals, but that is largely due to the wild thunderstorms in the last few days. My wife has a thing about me not pulling circuits apart when there is lightening in the air. ;) The average readings at the panel have dropped to between 1.5 and 3 mG . Hopefully it will drop further when I track down the final issue.

Rearranging my wifes computer desk caused her headaches to drop dramatically. Some of the block transformers on various electronic items give off ridiculously high EMF fields, and others don't seem to. She had the UPS for the computer with several of these offenders plugged into it, sitting right at her feet. The readings were off the 100 mG scale. Moving the UPS several feet to the right, dropped the readings to around 0.8 at her desk. That was until she turned her little portable TV on and it jumped to 5mG. She said her headache came back in 22 minutes. Now we have a new flat screen there.

So I am not claiming that I am going to "cure" anyone, just point out things that may be making them feel sick. Moving things around and replacing some appliances is probably enough to cause a drop in tin hat sales. :D
 
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jeremysterling

Senior Member
Location
Austin, TX
First, you should understand how TDLR regulates industry. Call them and ask some questions.

If I were you, I would find an insurance agent, get the minimum liability required by TDLR, and get an "Electrical Contractor" license. You don't even have to know an electrician or how to spell electrician to get the "Electrical Contractor" license. Once you have the EC license, your business can perform electrical "work" as defined by TDLR.
 
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EMFInspector

Member
Location
Houston, Texas
jeremysterling said:
First, you should understand how TDLR regulates industry. Call them and ask some questions.

If I were you, I would find an insurance agent, get the minimum liability required by TDLR, and get an "Electrical Contractor" license. You don't even have to know an electrician or how to spell electrician to get the "Electrical Contractor" license. Once you have the EC license, your business can perform electrical "work" as defined by TDLR.
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According to the Electrical Contractor Application form, you need the name and license number of a master electrician to be assigned to the contractor's license.

Am I missing something?
 
Sierrasparky

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
I did some work for a company like what you wish to do. They always hired a EC to turn the screws and open things up. What they usualy did was a basic test of the area and if there was excessive EMF we would get called in. They never performed the fix and we would find the fault.
 
growler

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
EMFInspector said:
So would a SureTest circuit analyzer like this one count as "tools"?
Neil
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Home inspectors use the sure test and don't get into trouble. They also open panel covers and remove receptacle cover plates.

The idea is not to call yourself an electrical contractor or even an electrician.

If you sell a service to the public you would need a business license and they will want to know the nature of your business. If they require a license or certification they will let you know when you apply for a business license.

To market a service you may need some sort of official certification. I know of a guy that is certified in more things than you can imagine and he does make some money this way.
 
jxofaltrds

jxofaltrds

Inspector Mike®
Location
Mike P. Columbus Ohio
Occupation
ESI, PI, RBO
growler said:
Home inspectors use the sure test and don't get into trouble. They also open panel covers and remove receptacle cover plates.

The idea is not to call yourself an electrical contractor or even an electrician.

If you sell a service to the public you would need a business license and they will want to know the nature of your business. If they require a license or certification they will let you know when you apply for a business license.

To market a service you may need some sort of official certification. I know of a guy that is certified in more things than you can imagine and he does make some money this way.
Click to expand...

Like this:

3783.06 Certificate required.

No person shall engage in the practice of electrical inspection in this state unless he is the holder of a certificate of competency as an electrical safety inspector issued under Chapter 3783. of the Revised Code. Any person practicing or offering to practice electrical inspection shall show proof of his certification upon request as provided by rules of the board of building standards.

Effective Date: 03-22-1973

3783.01 Building standards - electrical safety standards definitions.

(B) The ?practice of electrical inspection? includes any ascertainment of compliance with the Ohio building code, or the electrical code of a political subdivision of this state by a person, who, for compensation, inspects the construction and installation of electrical conductors, fittings, devices, and fixtures for light, heat or power services equipment, or the installation, alteration, replacement, maintenance, or repair of any electrical wiring and equipment that is subject to any of the aforementioned codes.

Effective Date: 09-04-1970

Full code: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3783
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I see no problem with what your doing until you start correcting the issues. If all you are doing is inspecting for EMF that is one thing-- Buy a gaussmeter and go at it.
 
Fulthrotl

Fulthrotl

~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
Location
HB, CA (19 Hrs. 22 Min. from Winged Horses)
Occupation
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jxofaltrds said:
Was just killing time. I think that it was under 2 before I entered the room and that was about 8' away.

Like when you get close to a meter or house panel and it reads around 130's.
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well, it doesn't matter what the frequency of the energy, from DC to white light,
if you double the distance, you quarter the energy level. all forms of radiant
energy adhere to this, with the exception of some sub atomic particles that don't
fit into our concept of particle physics very well. but electromagnetic energy
has no exemptions.

that's the point, and why he asked you twice. if the value is 1,600 at one foot,
at two feet, it's 400, and at four feet, it's 100.

you don't need as many layers of foil on the hat.
 
Fulthrotl

Fulthrotl

~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
Location
HB, CA (19 Hrs. 22 Min. from Winged Horses)
Occupation
E
Dennis Alwon said:
I see no problem with what your doing until you start correcting the issues. If all you are doing is inspecting for EMF that is one thing-- Buy a gaussmeter and go at it.
Click to expand...

yeah, it's like feng shui'ing your house... don't need a license for that,
until you decide to drop that load bearing wall, 'cause it's screwing
with your chi.

we have lots of those on the left coast.
santa monica is a sanctuary city for them, i'm told.

"Nobody likes to live with the energy of a negative event in a home or office.
Using her Feng Shui expertise, Jessie can provide space clearing services to
help empty a home or office of this negative Chi to provide for a fresh start.
Often, this is done after a tragedy like a death or severe illness. It also
makes sense to do a space clearing after a disaster such as a fire, flood,
etc. But, it should also be performed when someone is purchasing a
previously foreclosed property or one purchased through short sale.
A negative energy affecting those that previously lived in the home may
still linger, potentially causing similar struggles to the new homeowners"......

pass the tinfoil, will ya? the sub space field harmonics are screwing
with my chi.
 
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