With the arrival of spring and fall comes the arrival of pollen. And if you're a person with allergies that could only mean one thing, miserable days and weeks lie ahead. Yet, what most of us don't realize is that the inconvenient environment at home may also pose as serious a risk as pollen.

A lung and chest diseases specialist, Dr. Füsun Soysal, said about allergens that, "No matter how badly allergic people are affected, especially by pollen seen in spring and fall, an improper house environment containing house dust mites, humidity and fungal spores also trigger allergic diseases."

"House dust mites are the actual reason for the allergic diseases that are seen all year long. Invisible dusts proliferate on carpets, curtains, beds, bed sets, sofas and plush toys. Such dusts cause allergic rhinitis and asthma problems," Soysal said.

To protect yourself against house dust mites, you should vacuum your house for a minimum of 30-40 minutes at least three times a week. Using water and HEAP-filtered vacuums will be healthier and letting some fresh air into the rooms is very important.

You should also change your bed sheets quite often and wash them in water at high temperatures. The maximum room temperature should be around 18-19 degrees Celsius and the humidity rate should be less than 45 percent.

Stating that a damp and humid environment also causes allergic diseases, the allergy specialist added, "As they are the cause for other allergy types, a mold allergy also gives signs via symptoms such as sneezing, coughs, eye irritation, shortness of breath and nasal flow."

"In addition to genetic factors and jobs like farming, dairy farming, lumbering and bakery, living at a house or working at an office with high humidity also increase the risk," he added.

"To be able to protect yourself against the risks of house mold, humidity sources like ground water leakage should be reduced. In addition to this, you can use a dehumidifier and you should let fresh air into your rooms quite often. The surfaces of the bathroom and basement walls must also be cleaned regularly," he said.