Spring is on the horizon, which means allergy season is here.

Its bad enough to experience hay fever when you leave your house, but its downright miserable to have allergies even when youre indoors.

If youre suffering from allergies even on the days you stay home and keep the house shut, there are steps you can take to limit your allergic reactions. Check out the following ideas:

Changing your filter for your central air conditioner can greatly reduce the allergy symptoms you experience.

Switching out your filter every three months should help limit allergies as much as possible. Irritants will gather in your filter, and if you dont change it regularly, you are blowing those irritants back into the air. A clean filter will catch some of the pollen and other allergens that get blown in from outside.

Get draft protectors for all doors that lead outside.

Foam draft protectors are affordable and will help prevent wind from blowing in at the bottom of your door. If you dont like the look of foam draft protection, consider getting new weather stripping. Worn out weather stripping is responsible for air finding its way inside your house. Seal up doorways to reduce the amount of pollen that can enter your home.

Buying new windows is a costly project, but it will severely limit the allergens that enter your home.

Old, single-pane windows do not stop air from entering your home. Especially on a windy day, pollen will get in through the cracks of your window. Upgrading your windows will seal out air that you dont want inside. If you cant afford to do all the windows in your house, consider changing out windows in the rooms you spend the most time in, like the bedroom or living room.

Its important to clean the vents that blow air through your home. Dust accumulates very easily on vents, and if you dont deep clean your vents regularly, irritants will be blown into your home every time you use the air conditioner.

Dust your vents thoroughly several times a year, especially when its time to do some spring cleaning.

One of the best ways you can limit allergens in your home is to vacuum often. Pet dander and irritants tracked in from outside will settle into your carpet and cause you a lot of discomfort. If you have severe allergies, vacuum multiple times a week to keep your hay fever under control.

If you dont have the time to vacuum regularly due to a busy schedule, consider purchasing a smart vacuum that will clean your floors when youre not home.

If youve done everything you can to limit your hay fever at home, talk to your doctor. There are many different types of allergy medications that you can take to lessen your allergy symptoms this spring.

Need a doctor? Dr. Saju Eapen is a practicing allergist in the Roanoke and Lynchburg area. He has been in practice for almost 20 years. He is board-certified in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, as well as Internal Medicine. Before coming to the area, he trained with some of the leading researchers in the field of Allergy and Immunology.

The Asthma and Allergy Center is celebrating 70 years in practice. Interested in becoming a patient? Click or tap here.

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5 ways to make your home allergen resistant this spring - WSLS 10