Basic Aircon Maintenance Tips for the Lazy Car Owner
June 17, 2014
What are basic aircon maintenance tips for a lazy car owner?
- Deep Clean Periodically or Annually
- Use Your Aircon Properly
- Remove Dust To Prevent Corrosion
- Keep Your Aircon On To Prevent Fog
- Do A 5-Minute Defrost
While we’re getting a bit of relief from the summer heat because of the rainy season, that doesn’t mean that you can start neglecting your car’s air-conditioning system. Sure, it may not be first on your agenda whenever you take your car to the shop for a look into its metal parts, but if you’re serious about keeping cool and calm in the midst of EDSA traffic, you need to start taking care of your car’s aircon system. This will ensure a cool drive, a luxury you would really want when on a road trip or simply traveling from point A to point B in your vehicle.
Want to know the basics of car aircon maintenance? Here are a few tips to help even the laziest of car owners.
Deep Clean Periodically or Annually
When it comes to car aircon maintenance, there are actually two schools of thought. The first requires that you have your car’s aircon system cleaned once a year to avoid build-up of grime, while the second is all about cleaning the internals of your aircon system every couple of months.
We’re not the type to take sides so when in doubt, make sure to consult your trusty warranty booklet to determine what kind of care your car needs. Most late 90s models, for example, require periodic cleaning, so if your car has a specific schedule for aircon cleaning, make sure to follow it to the tee. This way, you’ll be able to avoid costly compressor repairs that may result from long term neglect.
Use Your Aircon Properly
Although car aircon maintenance is best left to the professionals, you can still do your part in making sure that your air conditioning system runs without a hitch.
● Once you enter the car, let the car engine heat up before turning on the aircon.
● Then, open the car windows and put the aircon on high to let the heat exit the vehicle.
● After a few minutes have passed, close the windows and lower the aircon levels.
Remove Dust to Prevent Corrosion
Keep all moving parts of your cooling system free of muck and dust. No one likes a slob. If you start to sense erratic cooling or air flow, have a professional check for clogged tubes or leaks in the system. Do not ignore this symptom since clogged tubes often lead to corrosion.
Keep Your Aircon On to Prevent Fog
Your air conditioning system doesn’t just keep your car cool, but it can also remove humidity from the cabin. Keep your aircon running even when it’s cold outside so that you can keep your windscreen free of fog.
Do A 5-Minute Defrost
Once a week, turn your air conditioner to its coolest setting and its highest fan speed for at least 10 minutes. Then, set on defrost mode for around 5 minutes to clean out any accumulated moisture from the system. This will prevent mildew from forming.
Key Takeaway
Being observant of the status of your air conditioning system is critical to catch any complications. Car aircon maintenance can greatly help reduce the possibility of more catastrophic consequences. Opening up your aircon system is really up to you. But, if you feel like your cooling system has already started to fail, take comfort in the fact that there are ways to bring a dead compressor back to life. It’s just a matter of finding the right specialist to handle the job for you.
Have any useful aircon maintenance tips that you would like to share?
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