Jul 11, 2018
Those few sunny weeks that grace us with their presence every year are great, however, as a nation, we are typically rather unprepared for the hot weather. That includes our car air conditioning. It’s one of those things we can not live without when the temperatures start to soar. Jumping into your car it can feel like an oven with all the trapped hot air, so naturally, you blast the car air conditioning. Sound familiar? It is, in fact, one of the worst things you can do and here is why.
When it’s warm outside you can expect the inside of your car to be at least 3 times the temperature. It has been said by various sources, including the RSPCA, when the car is 22 degrees it can reach up to 47 degrees within 60 minutes. When you get into the car the heat has been trapped inside, the seat is hot and the steering wheel is also extremely hot. The first thing people do is turn on the air con, but in fact, the quickest way to cool down your car is by opening the windows and doors and release all the trapped heat and let the car cool down naturally. Then once it has cooled slightly switch the air conditioning on low and build it up should you need it. By blasting the air con it negatively impacts the effectiveness of the gas.
Are your vents just pointing at you? Try directing them all around the car to help the air circulate the cabin. This will cool the temperature overall and should make the car cooler, quicker. If you have passengers travelling this will also make their journey a little more pleasant.
Does your usual driving routes mean you are stuck in traffic or perhaps you don’t move above 30 mph? Did you know it’s more fuel efficient to just put your windows down instead of blasting your air conditioning? That’s right, save yourself some fuel by switching your air con off in these conditions.
It’s the opposite of city driving. Follow the tips above regarding putting down the windows first to naturally cool down the car and let out trapped heat, then use your car air conditioning to control the temperature of the cabin. Never have your windows down on the motorway if you can prevent it, it’s better fuel economy to use the air conditioning system in this case.
Most people ignore or take for granted their car air conditioning system. Like any other car part such as brakes or oil and filters your car air conditioning system requires a service roughly every two years. Over time the system will begin to blow out warm air instead of icy cold air. Car owners often make the mistake of neglecting this area of maintenance. Getting it serviced will improve fuel efficiency, take the strain off your engine and improve the overall condition of the car.
Have you been making these mistakes? It turns out they are quite common with most car owners. You can compare the market for air conditioning regas or service quotes through MyCarNeedsA.com. It’s easy! All you need to do is enter your reg, a few details and MyCarNeedsA.com will get quotes from garages in your area.
