These researchers investigated the effects of installing non-polluting, more effective heating (heat pump, wood pellet burner, flued gas) before winter in the homes of 409 children aged 6–12 years with doctor-diagnosed asthma; a control group received a replacement heater at the end of the trial. Although there were no significant improvements in lung function, there were significant reductions in asthma symptoms and time lost from school and reductions in dry cough at night and sleep disturbed by wheeze, among children in the intervention group compared with those in the control group. In addition, the intervention was associated with higher indoor temperatures and lower nitrogen dioxide levels delivered by the heating than measurements taken from the control households.
