Tips to Maintain Your Car’s AC This Summer | Royal Moore Mazda

Tips to Maintain Your Car’s AC This Summer | Royal Moore Mazda

The temperatures are increasing outside, which means it is time to crank up the air conditioning system in your vehicle. If your AC isn’t performing as it should, schedule an appointment with a service professional at Royal Moore Mazda for a check-up. Otherwise, if you want to be proactive and ensure your AC keeps you cool and comfortable all summer, here are a few tips to maintain your car’s AC.

Don’t Pre-Cool Your Vehicle

No one enjoys stepping into a steaming hot car, but to protect your air conditioner, you should do. Don’t turn your air conditioner on until you’ve started driving. This is a very simple yet difficult and inconvenient tip. However, if you turn the AC on before you get on the road, it causes additional strain on your AC system and may damage it.

Why? Your vehicle’s air conditioner is operated by parts of the engine that only work once the car is in motion. So, roll the windows down and wait just a few minutes before cranking up that air conditioner.

Use the Recirculation Option

There are two ways you can cool down the cabin of your car. The first is direct cooling. This method will require your air conditioning system to pull air from outside into the unit where it will cool it down and then send fresh, cool air into the vehicle.

The other method is recirculation. With this method of cooling, your car will take already cooled air from inside the cabin and reuse it. This can reduce the amount of time it takes for hot, humid air to be cooled down.

Recirculation is best for the longevity of your AC system, as it doesn’t put as much stress on it. This cooling method will also save energy (gas) because the AC system isn’t working as hard to provide you with cool air.

Change the Air Filter

Air filters are designed to remove a wide array of pollutants from the air before it is sent into the cabin of your vehicle. Once the air filter gets old and clogged, it will lose its efficiency, affecting the air quality inside the vehicle as well as other car parts.

A clean air filter will reduce the strain on the air conditioning system while also improving your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Ideally, your air filter should be changed every 15,000 miles, although depending on your road conditions, it may need to be changed more frequently. For instance, if you travel down a dirt or gravel road frequently, your air filter will clog faster, requiring more frequent changes.

Check your owner’s manual for the recommended timeframe set by your manufacturer for your air filter.

Park in the Shade

Another way you can reduce the stress on your air conditioning system is by parking your vehicle in the shade during the day, especially when the temperatures peak.

So, how does parking in the shade help? When you turn your vehicle on, the air conditioner will work overtime to bring down the internal temperature of the vehicle. By keeping the cabin of your vehicle cooler by parking in the shade during the day, the AC won’t take as long or need to work as hard to cool down the inside of the car. This will help extend the life of your car’s AC system.

Invest in Routine AC Maintenance at Royal Moore Mazda

The most effective way to maintain your AC and ensure it is able to keep up during the summer is to invest in routine AC maintenance. If you are uncertain as to the schedule for your vehicle’s routine maintenance, it is generally found in your vehicle’s owner manual. You can also give us a call at Royal Moore Mazda and we’ll provide you with the necessary information.

During routine AC maintenance, a skilled technician will inspect your entire AC system, looking for any potential issues. In many cases, potential issues that you didn’t realize were present can be identified by a technician, allowing early repairs before the problem gets too big and costly.

Contact us today at Royal Moore Mazda to schedule your routine AC maintenance or repair.

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