Make Your A/C Colder in the Summer Months
As spring and summer approach and the temperatures rise, you rely on your A/C to keep you comfortable. What should you do if your vehicle’s AC is not keeping up with the soaring outdoor temperatures? Your vehicle’s air conditioning consists of a condenser unit, an evaporator, and a compressor. When you turn on the A/C, a blower fan sends the hot air through the evaporator, which cools the air. The compressor circulates the cold air and sends it back to the condenser for cooling. Your thermostat regulates how much cold air it will take to maintain your desired cabin temperature. If one or more of these elements fails, the A/C will not blow cold.
Here are a few solutions to beat the heat with your vehicle’s freezing cold A/C.
Prep Your Vehicle for AC
When it is extremely hot outside, recirculating the hot air doesn’t work. Open your windows to let the hot air escape and turn the fan on to the high setting. After a few minutes, close the windows and turn on the recirculation system. Now your A/C can work at the optimal efficiency to cool your vehicle quickly.
Replace the Cabin Air Filter
Cabin air filters collect debris particles found in the air. Once the filter becomes clogged, it obstructs the air being brought into the vehicle cabin. The restricted airflow reduces the amount of cold air you feel coming from your vents.
Use Arctic Blast
Arctic Blast is an air conditioning supplement that is designed to provide colder air, faster cooling, lower system load, and lower fuel consumption based on a more efficient A/C system.
Disable the Start-Stop Feature
Although the start-stop feature can reduce fuel usage by 8% by shutting down and restarting the internal combustion engine to reduce idling, it can limit the cold air blowing from your vents. Newer vehicles with the start-stop feature allow the accessory panel, including the A/C to continue blowing; however, it may blow as strong or as cold as when the engine is running.
Tint Your Windows
Auto glass can magnify the sun’s rays, making your vehicle’s A/C work too hard. Check local laws for the percentage of tint that can be legally added and consider tinting. Window tint can block 90% of UV light, allowing your vehicle’s A/C to work more efficiently.
Before temperatures get too hot, test out your vehicle’s A/C to make sure it is working properly. It may also be necessary to treat the A/C for odors if it hasn’t been used for a while. We suggest treating your vehicle A/C with A/C Odor Treatment, which neutralizes odors by eliminating organisms that grow in your A/C housing components.
Sun Shade
Use a reflective sunshade on the inside of your windshield to reduce UV light as well as reduce cabin temperatures.
