Car Air Conditioning Preventative Maintenance Tips

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Easy Air Conditioner Usage Tips

Most of us don’t think about our air conditioner until it doesn’t work. No one likes to arrive at their destination looking like a sweaty mess, so take a couple minutes and get A/C savvy! Here are a few tips that anyone can use to extend the life of the air conditioner in their vehicle.

• When possible try to park in the shade to prevent the car from extreme heat. If you’re really cool maybe you even have some sun shades for your car. These really do help!
• When you first get in your car and it’s hot out, turn off the recirculation. If you are patient enough roll down the windows for a bit to let the hot air escape before cranking the air.
• If you think it’s safe, keep the windows cracked when you’re parked in the sun. Remember a little bit goes a long way when it comes to preventative maintenance.

Not So Obvious Symptoms

Here are some not so obvious things to look for that may indicate you have some upcoming A/C issues in your vehicle that you should have looked at.

• Wet Carpeting – On a hot, humid day you may notice wet carpets. This may indicate you have a clogged air conditioner drain. If it’s not clogged you should notice a decent amount of water dripping on the ground below your vehicle when parked.
• Vibration/Abnormal Noise – If you hear something abnormal when you turn on the air conditioner you should double check that your blower fan isn’t blocked with debris.
• Musty/Mildew Odor – Don’t just buy more air freshener! Ask if you need an evaporator cleaning service to get rid of that smell.

What Causes AC Problems?

There are pretty much only two types of A/C problems, either you have no cool air or you just don’t have enough cool air. Here is a brief rundown of the possible culprits for both situations.

No cool air

• Loose or broken drive belt
• Inoperative compressor or slipping compressor clutch
• Defective expansion valve
• Clogged expansion valve, receiver-drier or liquid refrigerant line
• Blown fuse
• Leaking component: any of the parts listed above or one of the A/C lines, hoses or seals

Not enough cool air

• Low refrigerant charge
• Loose drive belt
• Slipping compressor clutch
• Clogged condenser
• Clogged evaporator
• Slow leak in system
• Partially clogged filter or expansion valve