A/C Tips & Tricks
The dog days of summer are here, which means you are probably using the air conditioner in your vehicle more. We want you to keep your vehicle’s A/C system working as efficiently as possible this summer.
Here are some tips and tricks to keep in mind when out and about this summer:
- Park in the shade, if you can
- Parking in the shade will help keep your vehicle cooler and reduce your A/C system’s workload when getting it going. If there is no shade available, consider getting a windshield cover to help.
- Vent your vehicle out before turning on the A/C
- Before turning on the A/C, open the windows for a little bit to let as much of the hot air as possible. Ultimately this will cool your vehicle down quicker and not put as much strain on your A/C.
- Start the A/C at a low speed
- Max A/C recirculates the air in your vehicle, cooling down the air already in your car. If you max A/C right away, you are trying to cool down the extremely hot air in your vehicle. Use standard A/C first to pull in outside air that is relatively cooler, then switch to max A/C for a real cool down.
- Always use air recirculation
- Just like using max A/C, this will keep cooling the air already in your vehicle, instead of drawing outside air.
- Don’t have your windows open
- You will get better mileage out of your vehicle if you use A/C instead of having your windows open.
- Have moisture on your windows? Run the A/C!
- Your A/C cools the air down, but it also takes moisture out of the air, pulling it off of your windows and helping with visibility.
- When you reach your destination, don’t just stop you’re A/C system.
- Before shutting the engine off, turn off the A/C and run only the fan for a short time. This will help dry the system and help prevent bacteria and mold from building up in the system.
If your vehicle’s A/C system is just not cooling down, then it might be time to add refrigerant. We carry a full line of refrigerant, and with a little know-how, you can do it yourself!
If adding refrigerant doesn’t work or are not comfortable doing it yourself, take your vehicle to a mechanic, and let the professionals fix it.
If you are worried that the refrigerant will be harmful to the environment, don’t be! Here is a video from The Counterman explaining how refrigerant has evolved over the years:
If you have any questions, stop by your local Smyth Auto Parts and talk to one of our knowledgeable countermen. They will be happy to assist you!