Austin's three worst allergen peaks are: cedar pollen (December-February), oak pollen (March-April), and ragweed (September-November). Maintain MERV 11 filters year-round and get ducts cleaned before each peak season for best results.
Month-by-Month Allergen Guide
January: Cedar pollen at its absolute worst. Ashe juniper pollen counts routinely exceed 20,000 grains per cubic meter, with spikes above 30,000 on warm days following cold fronts. Change your HVAC filter at the start of the month. Keep every window and door sealed. Shower and change clothes immediately after going outside. This is the month when cedar fever hits hardest - if you are going to feel it, January is when it peaks.
February: Cedar pollen begins tapering off in the second half of the month, but counts can still spike on warm windy days. Elm pollen starts appearing toward the end of February, overlapping with the tail end of cedar season. Continue monthly filter changes. If you made it through January, do not let your guard down yet.
March: Cedar season ends and oak pollen begins ramping up. This is the best month to schedule duct cleaning - remove all the cedar pollen that accumulated in your ductwork over the past three months before you have to deal with oak. Oak pollen counts in Austin typically run 1,000-5,000 grains per cubic meter, lower than cedar but still enough to cause significant symptoms. Replace your HVAC filter with a fresh MERV 11 after duct cleaning.
April: Oak and ash pollen hit their peak. Some Austin neighborhoods with heavy live oak canopy - like Travis Heights, Zilker, and Tarrytown - see especially heavy pollen loads. You will notice a yellow-green film on cars and outdoor surfaces. Keep running the HVAC with the house sealed and change the filter at month's end.
May-June: Tree pollen drops off and grass pollen takes over. Bermuda grass and Johnson grass are the main offenders in Central Texas. Mowing throws pollen into the air, so if you mow your own lawn, change clothes and shower afterward. HVAC filter changes can move to every 6-8 weeks during this period if pollen counts are moderate.
July-August: Outdoor pollen counts are at their lowest of the year, but Austin's high humidity promotes indoor biological growth. Run your AC consistently to keep indoor humidity below 50%. This is a good time to schedule HVAC maintenance if you did not do it in spring. Check your condensate drain line - the heavy moisture removal during these months can lead to clogs.
September-October: Ragweed season arrives. Ragweed pollen counts in the Austin area typically run 500-2,000 grains per cubic meter. Elm pollen also returns in October. Switch back to monthly filter changes. This is the second-best window for duct cleaning if you did not get it done in spring.
November-December: Fall elm pollen fades out and cedar pollen begins its return in mid-to-late December. Install a fresh MERV 11-13 filter before Thanksgiving to be ready. If you did not get duct cleaning done in spring or fall, schedule it now before cedar season starts in earnest.
HVAC Strategy for Allergy Sufferers
Use MERV 11-13 filters year-round. Change monthly during peak seasons (January-April, September-November) and every 6-8 weeks during lower-pollen months (May-August). Schedule professional duct cleaning in early spring (after cedar) or late fall (before cedar). Consider UV light installation in the air handler to kill biological allergens. Run the fan in AUTO mode (not ON) to avoid recirculating particles when the system is not actively heating or cooling.
If multiple family members have allergies, consider a whole-home air purification system that installs in the air handler and treats all the air passing through the duct system. These systems run $1,500-$3,000 installed but provide year-round filtration beyond what a standard MERV filter can achieve. Combined with regular duct cleaning and monthly filter changes during peak seasons, this gives you the strongest possible indoor air quality defense against Austin's year-round allergen challenges.
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