KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- If Old Man Winter has you closing your windows and begging for instant heat, you're not alone- but you're also putting yourself in a danger zone.

Ty Prince is an allergist at the Allergy, Asthma, Sinus Center, in Farragut. He says indoor allergens and irritants go up dramatically when it turns cold.

As Prince's patients are closing their doors and windows to keep warm this winter, they're also suffering.

Prince says, "With allergens, you're going to see a lot more itchy, allergy symptoms, especially stuffiness. With the irritants, you'll see more sneezing, burning, headaches."

If you like the sights and smells of burning candles, listen up- Prince says, "People with allergies and sinus problems, it will cause more of those symptoms, people with breathing problems, like asthma, actually might trigger off an attack."

Prince says be careful cleaning with bleach or ammonia. "It going to be a major irritant for your respiratory track could actually cause toxic problems, lungs are very fragile and if those chemicals get into the lungs, especially with any type of lung disease, you can get into major trouble."

Prince recommends using natural cleaning solutions. As for your allergies, he says, "You can get an air cleaner. Your particulate air cleaners will remove the allergens and remove the dust and things like that, if you want to remove odors you have to have a charcoal filter."

Prince says smoking in an unventilated room will create bigger respiratory problems, especially if you already have conditions like asthma.