Keeping Your Car Cool This Summer

Vehicle air conditioning is a wonderful invention. No longer do you have to swelter when driving long distances in the car. Of course, during the hot days of summer, your air conditioning takes a bit of time to kick in, even if nothing is wrong with the unit. This delay means your first few minutes in your vehicle can be miserable. Not only that, but cooling your car is important to car maintenance, as a car that gets too heated endures unnecessary wear and tear. You can reduce the amount of time you sweat if you take a few preventative steps.

Sun Protection

You would undoubtedly park in the shade all day if you could, but a cool morning place may take the full sun by midday. If you cannot keep your car out of hot sun, you should consider keeping your vehicle windows cracked just a bit. If you do this correctly, thieves won't be able to use the slight openings to gain access. Also, an unexpected rain storm won't flood your car. You should also invest in sun screens. These screens go on the inside of your car windows and keep it cooler by blocking the sunshine. You can also place blankets on the seats to absorb the sunlight. When you are ready to drive your car again, just place the blankets on the floor or in the back. If the seat of the car is cool, the first few minutes of driving won't feel so bad.

Vent Adjustment

Something as simple as adjusting your vents can help your car get cool faster. You need to get the built-up hot air out of your vehicle as quickly as possible, so only open the foot vents at first. Then, as you prepare to drive, open your windows. The vents will blow out the foot air, which will rise and exit via your windows or sunroof. Nothing feels worse than having super-hot air blown into your face during a 98-degree day. In fact, you can get overheated and possibly physically ill if that goes on for too long.

Even if your AC is in tip-top condition, you will have to suffer for a few minutes before you get cold air blowing out of your vents. You can make those minutes more comfortable if you plan ahead and use strategies to reduce the temperature. If you are unable to park in the shade during the day, you need to block the sunshine using screens for that purpose. Crack the windows, close the upper vents, and bring along an ice-cold drink. You should be enjoying cool air in a matter of minutes.