If you are among the hundreds of thousands of Houston residents who suffer from cedar fever, you already know that the season is relentless. Mountain cedar trees release enormous quantities of pollen between December and February, and what most people do not realize is that your home’s HVAC system plays a significant role in how much cedar pollen you are actually exposed to indoors.
Understanding how cedar pollen enters your HVAC system, where it accumulates, and what you can do to reduce your family’s exposure during the most challenging months of the year will help you protect your family’s comfort and health.
How Cedar Pollen Enters Your Home
Mountain cedar pollen is exceptionally fine — each grain measures approximately 25 microns in diameter, which is small enough to pass through most standard residential air filters and enter the interior of your ductwork, where it settles on the inner surfaces of your return ducts, on the evaporator coil, and inside the plenum box.
During peak cedar season, the amount of pollen that enters your home through your HVAC system can be substantial. This pollen remains inside your ductwork long after the outdoor season ends, serving as a continuous allergen source every time the system operates.
What You Can Do During Cedar Season
Replace air filters every 20 to 30 days during peak cedar season instead of the standard 30 to 60 day interval. Keep windows and doors closed during the highest pollen count periods, typically on dry, windy days. Run your HVAC fan continuously during peak pollen hours to improve filtration as air passes through your filter more frequently.
Schedule professional duct cleaning in late winter, immediately after the peak of cedar season, to remove the heavy pollen accumulation before it can contribute to mold growth during the cooling season.
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