So the hot days in England are few and far between but when they are here they are often scorchers! The last thing any of us want to be getting in a car that doesn’t have air conditioning during these days. Luckily for us this is now a common feature in most vehicles but among many motorists the general consensus is that if the air conditioning is on then more fuel is being used. Of course this is true, if the air conditioning is on, it uses more fuel than having the windows open. However, this is only true up to about 40 miles per hour. When this speed is reached, the drag from the open windows actually uses more fuel.
In a vehicle, if you don’t use the air conditioning unit then it can actually cause a leak and fail. This is because the contents settles and separates. If this is the case then the entire system needs to be recharged and at a cost too because this isn’t covered by warranty. To keep the system working efficiently it should be used for at least 10 minutes a week all year round.
Obviously the actual servicing of the system should be left to the professionals but here are a few things you could look out for to make sure it is in full working order ready for those hot summer days.
A build up of bacteria could be the result of a smell coming from the air conditioning system. This is because as the vehicle becomes older or the system is used infrequently the bacteria start to develop just behind the dash board. Some claim that this is what gives them “sick car syndrome” but the simple solution of an antibacterial clean should be good enough to kill any bacteria.
Overtime the cold air being circulated will feel less cold. If this is the case it will need a professional service as the refrigerant level is becoming lower. As previously mentioned, this isn’t usually covered by most manufacturers servicing schedules so you will need to judge this.
Occasionally you may notice a puddle of water, usually underneath the passenger side. This is normal as it is just the condensation from the evaporator. The system is fitted with a drain tube so the condensation is filtered away from the rest of the vehicle.
If you don’t have the system serviced frequently, then you may not notice the drain tube become blocked. If this happens the water, instead of draining away, builds up within the vehicle and can lead to damp carpets which could be a costly repair.
So the hot days in England are few and far between but when they are here they are often scorchers! The last thing any of us want to be getting in a car that doesn’t have air conditioning during these days. Luckily for us this is now a common feature in most vehicles but among many motorists the general consensus is that if the air conditioning is on then more fuel is being used. Of course this is true, if the air conditioning is on, it uses more fuel than having the windows open. However, this is only true up to about 40 miles per hour. When this speed is reached, the drag from the open windows actually uses more fuel.
In a vehicle, if you don’t use the air conditioning unit then it can actually cause a leak and fail. This is because the contents settles and separates. If this is the case then the entire system needs to be recharged and at a cost too because this isn’t covered by warranty. To keep the system working efficiently it should be used for at least 10 minutes a week all year round.
Obviously the actual servicing of the system should be left to the professionals but here are a few things you could look out for to make sure it is in full working order ready for those hot summer days.
A build up of bacteria could be the result of a smell coming from the air conditioning system. This is because as the vehicle becomes older or the system is used infrequently the bacteria start to develop just behind the dash board. Some claim that this is what gives them “sick car syndrome” but the simple solution of an antibacterial clean should be good enough to kill any bacteria.
Overtime the cold air being circulated will feel less cold. If this is the case it will need a professional service as the refrigerant level is becoming lower. As previously mentioned, this isn’t usually covered by most manufacturers servicing schedules so you will need to judge this.
Occasionally you may notice a puddle of water, usually underneath the passenger side. This is normal as it is just the condensation from the evaporator. The system is fitted with a drain tube so the condensation is filtered away from the rest of the vehicle.
If you don’t have the system serviced frequently, then you may not notice the drain tube become blocked. If this happens the water, instead of draining away, builds up within the vehicle and can lead to damp carpets which could be a costly repair.