Air Conditioning Tips To Beat The Heat

Air Conditioning Tips To Beat The Heat

Despite the fact that we're leaving the summer weather behind, many of us in the US need to use air conditioning year-round. In several states we experience heat waves well into December, and in those times even a short drive can become miserable if your AC isn't up to par. Luckily our friends at Steet Toyota Of Johnstown-Gloversville Auto Repair Service in Johnstown, NY have a few tips to get the most out of your air conditioning system, no matter what time of year it is.

1) Don't start your AC while idling. It's really a waste of time and energy, as the system s designed to be used while in motion. The faster you're going, the better your compressor runs. It's was more efficient to start driving with the rear windows down and the fan on to pull the hot air out for a minute or so. When you pull out onto a main road, turn on the air conditioning and roll up the back windows.

2) Always select the lowest possible temperature when running your air conditioning. The overall system is optimized to run this way with most set to around 38 degrees. If you turn up the temp, your engine has to burn more gas to heat up the air it just cooled. Balance the fan speed instead of the temperature to find your comfort zone.

3) Turn off the cabin air circulation. Opt for fresh air coming from outside of the vehicle. By taking air from the front of the cabin and cooling it over and over, the back seat often continues to heat up with the air getting increasingly stale. Your passengers in the rear of the vehicle will appreciate the cool, fresh air as well.

4) Be sure to replace your cabin air filter routinely. As it becomes more clogged, it strangles the amount of air flowing though it. It becomes increasingly less efficient over time. Sucking air through a dirty filter also places a lot of stress on the system, drastically shortening its life. 

Following these simple tips, we can get the most out of one of the systems that can make traffic a little more tolerable. We can get cool a little faster, save a little gas, and minimize the possibility of needing repairs during times of the year when we rely on our air conditioning the most. 

Written By: Todd Hendrickson
Source: Consumer Reports