It may be the end of summer but the weather in Vancouver is sunny and hot so you definitely want your vehicle to be cool, comfortable and climate-controlled. Here are a few tips to help your AC work better.
Park in a shady spot.
It helps to know where the shade will fall at certain times of the day. 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. Even if your car heats up in the morning, shade will lower its temperature in the afternoon so it won’t be a furnace on wheels when you leave the office.
Use windshield shade
Use windshield shades to cover your car’s windows. This will reduce the greenhouse effect inside.
Ventilate the cabin
Ventilate the cabin first before turning on the AC. Open all the windows and drive a bit. An effective maneuver is to drive at around 10-15 km/h and take 90 degree turns, as the inertia will push out the hot air through one side of the car and suck ‘fresh’ air from outside.
Start the AC in Low
Start the AC in Low. The AC doesn’t want to give 100% when you turn it on. If you have an automatic air conditioning system, it will automatically start in Low mode and will gradually increase its speed.
Always use recirculation mode
Always use recirculation mode. Once the AC is blowing cool air in your face turn ON the Recirculation Mode. This means that the AC system won’t pull air from the outside and it will use the cool air already in the cabin.
Turn OFF the AC before you reach your destination
Turn OFF the AC before you reach your destination. Don’t just turn OFF the engine, because you’ll create a bit of a shock in the AC unit.
If you’re car isn’t keeping it’s cool, the cabin air filter and refrigerant may need to be replaced. Book an appointment with us and we’ll have you cool in no time!