Heat pumps are constantly being promoted as being better for the planet and better for your budget, but did you know that they could also have a positive impact on your health?
New research from a nonprofit called Rewiring America, which is a home electrification advocate, claims that air pumps can improve health by cleaning breathable air. The research suggests that ground, water and air source heat pumps Cheltenham and elsewhere will help to get rid of fossil-fuel combustion at home, preventing the release of pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and ammonia.
The facts in figures
The Rewiring America research states that moving away from traditional fossil fuel energy could reduce the amount of fine particulate pollution by as much as 300,000 tonnes a year. This is the equivalent of removing 40 million cars from the roads.
Wael Karj, a senior research associate and lead author of the report, said that heat pumps, such as those from gsmlimited.com/services/air-source-heat-pumps/cheltenham, and other moves away from fossil fuels could offer an often-unknown benefit – improved health. Kanj believes that many people are unaware of how much home appliances can have an impact on air quality.
Extensive data
Kanj’s research used data from the US Census Bureau, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. It found that public health benefits could include 3,400 less premature deaths, 220,000 less asthma attacks, 670,000 less days of activities missed and days off from work, and 1,300 less hospital visits. These figures could mean as much as $40 billion in savings on health-related issues – and similar figures could apply in other countries, not just in the US.
Dangers of gas-powered appliances
This study is not the first to link gas-powered appliances with potential health hazards. Stanford researchers recently found that gas stoves give off nitrogen dioxide that can drift and linger for long periods, while a 2022 study said 12.7% of childhood asthma could be linked to the use of gas stoves.