Switching out industrial boilers with heat pumps in factories across the U.S. could save $1.1 trillion in public health costs and 77,200 lives, according to a new report.

What's happening?

The American Lung Association-led study evaluated the health benefits of transitioning away from combustion boilers, which are used to produce the heat required to make a variety of products, such as beer and paper. The researchers focused on 33,500 boilers across the nation that operate at low to medium temperatures, a factor that makes them good candidates for heat pumps.

The team found that a gradual transition to heat pumps over 15 years would not only save tens of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars, but it would also prevent 13 million lost school days, 33 million asthma attacks, 204,000 asthma cases, and 3.4 million lost workdays. Such a transition would also reduce carbon pollution by 1.6 billion metric tons through 2050.

It's "going to save lives, reduce health emergencies, cut asthma attacks, [and] keep kids healthy enough to be in school rather than missing school days," Will Barrett, an assistant vice president at the American Lung Association, told Canary Media, which summarized the study.

Why is this study important?

One in 12 people in the U.S. suffers from asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The organization adds that, on average, nine to 11 people in the U.S. die from the condition every day.

Meanwhile, the carbon reductions that will result from transitioning industrial boilers to heat pumps can help slow the overheating of our planet, which threatens communities and public health in a number of ways. For instance, the United Nations warned that warming global temperatures will lead to increased droughts in the coming years, threatening drinking water supplies and agriculture.

How you can reap the benefits of heat pumps

Heat pumps aren't just for industrial settings — they're a great way to save money on your utility bills at home while protecting yourself from rising energy costs. Heat pumps are also convenient because the same system can provide both heating and cooling. 

With TCD's HVAC Explorer, you can explore heat pump options as well as other efficient HVAC systems that could save you a ton of money on your energy bills. 

For instance, one HVAC Explorer partner, Palmetto, has a $0-down HVAC leasing program that can lower your energy costs by up to 50%. Palmetto's HVAC leases start as low as $99 per month and include 12 years of free maintenance.

Meanwhile, the free Palmetto Home app can help you unlock up to $5,000 in rewards to spend on home upgrades by completing challenges such as cutting down on your home energy use.

What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment? $200 or more 💰 $100 💸 $30 💵 I'd only do it if someone else paid for it 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.