A common complaint you hear from migrants is that many of New Zealand’s houses - particularly older ones - are insufficiently heated and poorly insulated.

Otago University researchers have now found the health of asthmatic children improves significantly when ineffective heaters are replaced with cleaner, more cost-effective heating sources.

Over 400 households in the Hutt Valley, Porirua, Christchurch, Dunedin and Bluff were studied during the 2005 and 2006 winters. Each household had asthmatic children aged six to 12 years and the existing main form of heating was a plug-in electric heater or an unflued gas heater.

In the first winter, houses had insulation installed. In the second, the heating was improved. Households had the choice of installing a heat pump, wood-pellet burner or a flued gas heater

Otago University’s Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman says the latest results are significant.

“We found that the positive changes recorded in the health of these children were equivalent to a significant pharmaceutical intervention. These children experienced health benefits, which had a major impact on their lives and the lives of their families.

“Coughing and wheezing was reduced and they experienced fewer colds and flu during the winter. This resulted in fewer GP visits and less days off school.”

Professor Howden-Chapman says more than 40 percent of the participants never felt cold during the winter months. Previously 95 percent had felt cold.

“Condensation was reduced and, as you would expect, there was also less mould and unpleasant damp smells in the homes. We also saw levels of nitrogen dioxide halved.”

Dr. Gay Keating from New Zealand’s Public Health Association commented, “The reality is people who live in cold, damp houses get sick… we spend about 75 percent of our time in our homes, so it’s no surprise there is mounting evidence of the link between poor housing and poor health - physical and mental.”