Warmer drier homes are important for everyone, especially for people who have respiratory conditions. Asthma & Respiratory Services (Waikato) examined the impact of Warmup underfloor heating on a client family to see how it might benefit them. The family was excited about trialling the product, and their experience was featured in the AsthmaLink September 2009 newsletter.

The subjects, with three young children, live in an older home in Hamilton. The middle child, aged two years, has moderate to severe asthma that resulted in a hospital admission in late 2008. Last winter, he was persistently unwell, although a column heater was constantly used in his bedroom.

Since the installation of Warmup underfloor heating, the children have been well, with no doctor or hospital visits for asthma or bronchiolitis. Even though the eldest child is in her first year of school and has brought home many colds, reliever medication was only needed in the coldest part of winter when the night temperature dropped dramatically. The children then improved rapidly as the temperature warmed again.

As the family had a heat pump installed at the same time as the underfloor heating, they have found it interesting to compare the two. In the bedroom with the underfloor heating, the air is drier. “It doesn’t feel overly warm but doesn’t feel cold”. Their feet feel warm and they also tend to sit on the floor to read evening stories before the children go to bed as it is cosy. The children still wear winter pyjamas and have the same winter bedding, but don‘t wake feeling the cold on frosty nights.

Although power prices have increased, the power bill has been approximately the same. However, the heating has been on for longer periods, making the house warmer and drier than it was with a combination of smaller heaters last year.

The family is satisfied. With Warmup underfloor heating in the children’s bedroom, they have enjoyed a much healthier winter, with no asthma episodes, no chest infections needing antibiotics and fewer disturbed nights when the children are cold and unwell. Keeping the children healthy has been very affordable.

Source: Asthmalink - Newsletter of Asthma & Respiratory Services (Waikato) Inc Te Ha Ora Huango (2009)

Warmup is committed to reducing asthma and allergy triggers and improving the quality of the air you breathe. Warmup is the only New Zealand undertile and undercarpet heating supplier to hold the “Sensitive Choice” seal of approval; which recognises underfloor heating as a viable option for reducing the circulation of airborne allergens.