What to watch in your car's air conditioning for cool rides in the summer!
The summer is approaching and the temperature is slowly rising, with the use of the air conditioning system becoming increasingly necessary.
But because proper use of the air conditioner is not a simple matter, we would like to give you some useful tips for its proper and trouble-free use in the summer.
Start with the basics
The first step to lessen the AC’s work is to park in a shaded spot. We know you won’t find one every time, especially in huge parking lots, but keep in mind to always try and park your car in shade.
It also helps you to know where the shade will fall at a certain hour near a building or tree when you go to work. If the only parking spot left is in full sunlight in the first part of the day, there are high chances it will be shaded in the afternoon. Spot them and park your car there.
Even if your car will heat up during the day, shade will lower its temperature in the afternoon so it won’t be a furnace on wheels when you leave the office.
If you park in a wide open area, you can use windshield shades to cover your car’s windows. This will reduce the greenhouse effect inside.
The classic way
If all of the above have failed and your car’s interior resembles with the deepest region of hell, it’s a lot better if you will try and ventilate the cabin first before turning on the AC.
Before getting into the car, roll down the rear windows and successively open and close the driver’s door for several times. It will force out some hot air within seconds.
Open all the windows and drive a bit
The AC works much better while you are driving because is compressor runs faster with the rotation of the engine. Switching the AC on before driving will just be a wastage of time and fuel.
Start the AC in Low
You already know that the temperature inside a vehicle tends to be higher than the outside. Set the AC at the lowest temperature so that it draws air from outside the car and cools it down.
On the flip side, turning it to the ‘Max’ will force the machine to take air from the passenger’s cabin, which is hotter than the outside air. So, the AC needs to work harder if you set it to the top speed at the beginning.
Always use recirculation mode
How do you want your interior? “Cool!” Well, don’t just let the hot outside air to come in.
Once the AC is blowing cool air in your face turn ON the Recirculation Mode. This means that the AC system won’t suck air from the outside and it will use the one in the cabin.
Since the cabin air is starting to get cooler, the system will work less to further cool that one down instead of continuously cool the one sucked from outside.
Turn off the auto system
The AC in newer vehicles turns off automatically when the engine is not running. It saves fuel but does not help in hot weather when a lengthy traffic light could make you all sweaty.
Switch off the feature so that the inside is cool even when you have to stop the engine for a few minutes.
Its good to know
You should know that the AC will upset your fuel consumption. That compressor needs to be powered someway, and the engine is responsible for that.
Another thing you should know is to not exaggerate with the temperature variation. If it’s very hot outside, don’t turn your cabin into an igloo. The human body was not made for such temperature changes and you might just faint when stepping out in the sun again.
A 24 degrees Celsius (75 F) cabin temperature is enough for you to stay safe and dry.
Maintenance
Don’t forget to follow your car’s periodic maintenance schedule, when the cabin air filter should be replaced and at least once a year your service should spray some anti-bacterial substances into your AC’s ducts and vents.
Keeping a spotless car is an important step in keeping the quality of the air you breathe better, but what is hiding in your ventilation system could pose a serious problem.
Organisms that love cold and damp places, like mold, mildew, bacteria and other allergens can breed in your vehicle's vents. When the fan is turned on, these microorganisms are literally blown into the passenger compartment of your vehicle for you to breathe.
Boston Mechanics LLC
At Boston Mechanics LLC we can check and maintain your vehicle’s Air conditioning system.
At some point the refrigerant in the system will need to be replaced.
While a car’s air conditioning system is sealed, leaks can still occur. When that happens you need an air conditioner recharge, which includes:
- Recharging with additional refrigerant to bring pressure up to specifications
- Introduction of fluorescent dye to visually reveal system leaks
We also offer the In-Car Air Quality Service Package with your cabin filter replacement, a quick service that treats the mold, mildew and bacteria that could be hiding in your vehicle's ventilation system.
Come meet us and/or give us a call at (781) 762-8850 and let us know how we can help you!
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