Air conditioning by car: good advice
When it is hot, very hot, a car trip can quickly become a real ordeal. Fortunately, to breathe some fresh air, many vehicles today are equipped with air conditioning. But still it must succeed in using it properly! For it to be effective, and you can circulate without suffering heat, here are some tips.
Do not switch on the air too fast ...
When you enter your vehicle, do not turn on the "air co" button. The first kilometers, it is better to drive them with the windows open, and the ventilation operated thoroughly. Your compressor, which provides you with fresh air, will thank you to spare. Then it's also good for your wallet because the air conditioning makes you consume more fuel.
Once the inside of the cabin has cooled down, close the windows. All, without exception, must be closed when you turn on the cold air.
Also remember to make indoor air recycling work: it recovers fresh air produced by the air conditioning, and therefore limits the consumption of the latter.
... and cut it before your arrival
A few minutes before shutting down your engine, it is necessary to re-fit your body to the outside temperature, which is significantly warmer. Once out of your vehicle, you minimize the risk of heat shock.
Another benefit, if you close it before stopping your engine: the condensation present in the air conditioning system has time to dry before you reach your destination. This brakes the development of mold and bacteria.
An air conditioner set on how many degrees?
When the temperatures are hot, we tend to turn on the cold air as soon as we enter the car, so as to (almost) make an igloo on wheels. However, it is better to avoid.
When it is hot, experts recommend a temperature 5 to 9 degrees lower than the temperature outside. In other words, if the thermometer goes up to 35 degrees outside, the temperature of the cabin should be between 26 (if you really can not handle the heat) and 30 degrees.
Wondering why it is not advisable to lower the temperature further? This is once again to avoid thermal shocks. These can cause loss of consciousness and, in some cases, cardiac arrest.
Direct the blown air to the face?
It's tempting, especially when it's hot! But we avoid if we do not want to get sick, suffer from sore throat or head, or feel tingling in the eyes, because the air conditioning effectively dries the air.
It directs the blower to the windshield. If you're really hot, you can run it to your forearms in moderation.
An air conditioner that works both summer and winter
It is important to engage it throughout the year, at least ten minutes every two weeks. This allows the seals not to dry out and not cause leaks in the circuit.
Proceeding in this way also prevents the compressor from getting dirty, and thus having to change it, which is extremely expensive.
RDV at your garage from the slightest concern
When a bad smell spreads when the air conditioner works, more than two minutes are needed to cool the interior of the cabin, a strange noise is heard when it is engaged, or it blows from the air hot air, we go to a professional so that he can solve the problem. We do the same if we find water in his car, at the feet of the passenger seat.
As a reminder, air conditioner maintenance should be done every two years (or every 25,000 kilometers).
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Two more infos
Be careful if your windshield has a small impact and you turn on the air conditioning: the difference in temperature between the inside and the outside can enlarge it.
On the fuel side, a vehicle will consume more when it travels in the city than on the motorway, about 30%. At slow pace, the outside air cools less a car, air conditioning is therefore even more involved.
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