Your home's HVAC system can be used to turn your home into a controlled, contained environment. With proper care and maintenance, the air in your home can be cleaned of allergens and dust, which can help improve your seasonal allergies. The following tips will help you reduce your allergy symptoms by making adjustments to your HVAC system.

Replace the Air Filter Regularly

The air filter in your HVAC system helps sift dust from the air that flows through your home's ducts. In turn, this can help clean the air in your entire home. The United States Department of Energy recommends changing the air filter in your home's HVAC system at least every 3 months. To help ensure that the air in your home is clean, you may need to change the filter more frequently. Check the filter on a monthly basis and change it as soon as it starts to show signs of dirt.

Keep Ducts Clean

As dirt builds up in the ducts in your walls, dust can circulate through the rooms of your home. For people with allergies, this dust can lead to sneezing, post nasal drip and more. Cleaning the ducts as they become dirty can prevent the air in your home from becoming dirty, which can reduce your allergy symptoms. Some people have a hard time telling when it's time to clean the ducts. You'll know it's time when the following problems begin to occur:

• Your furniture becomes more dusty when the air conditioner or heater is turned on.
• The air filter in your HVAC system gets dirty more quickly than in years past.
• Your allergy symptoms worsen when the heater or air conditioner is running.

Use a HEPA Filter

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air. HEPA filters can clean out more and smaller particles than standard air filters. When replacing your home's air filter, look for a filter that matches the size of your normal air filter and which has the designation "HEPA" on it. This can help keep smaller dust and allergen particles out of the air that flows through your home's HVAC system.

For more information about how your home's heating and cooling system can help prevent seasonal allergies, go to this web-site. He or she can give suggestions about how to clean your home's HVAC system, and can answer any questions you might have about keeping the air in your HVAC system dust-free.