Car Air Conditioner, Best tips to care car A/C | CAR CARE | As the servicing of modern car A/C systems is best left to professionals, you can get the most enjoyment from your air con system if you know a bit aboutHow it works and what malfunctions you should be on thelookout for. As air con ditioning becomes more common on every cars, you have yet another fluid level to check. You should run your A/C at least once a week, and not just when the weather is hot, to help maintain it.
Car manufacturers recommend servicing A/C systems every two years. A fully functional system brings you several major benefits:
- Ensures that correct temperatures are being reached.
- Reduces pollen and pollution entering your car.
- Saves you money.
- Reduces the amount of chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) in the atmosphere.
- Increases the life of your vehicle's air conditioning system.
- A useful tip in winter is to run the air conditioning to prevent your windscreen misting up.
Best tips to care car Air Conditioner:
1. Odd smells coming from the air conditioning may be caused by bacterial build-ups in the air conditioning system.
As your car becomes older, or when the air conditioning system is used infrequently, bacteria, micro-organisms, mold and fungi may start growing, just behind the dash panel on the evaporator causing some very unpleasant odors. Some even claim this can result in headaches and flu like symptom sometimes referred to as “sick car syndrome.”
This problem can be solved by using an anti-bacterial treatment that destroys the bacteria growth and leaves your car smelling fresh again.
2. If your automobile does NOT feel cold enough, then you may need to recharge your system.
If you feel that your car doesn’t feel as cold as your friend’s car, then your system may need servicing. The air conditioning system in your vehicle is not usually covered by most manufacturers servicing schedules and the refrigerant gas that is used to operate the system depletes over time. This leakage can be caused when the system is not used during the winter months. Thus allowing the small “O” ring seals to dry out resulting in a gradual deterioration in system performance. If this continues, eventually the system will not be able to operate at all.
Most problems of this type can be put right fairly easily by a leak check of your system followed by a complete refill of your air conditioning refrigerant, this is sometimes referred to as a re-gas.
3. Running your air conditioning year round will help maintain the automobile air conditioning system.
If you run the air conditioning in the winter it will help to keep the system well lubricated and leak tight. This is because the refrigerant actually carries the oil that lubricates the system and most importantly the compressor. It also keeps the seals and hoses moist, thus preventing them from drying out and cracking which can lead to leaks. Note: A/C usually is on when the defroster is activated.
4. Strange noises coming from the air conditioning should be attended to immediately.
If your air-conditioning system suddenly starts making noises you have not heard before it is very advisable to have a qualified vehicle air conditioning specialist to have a look at it. Some noises could be early symptoms of a compressor failure (the compressor is the air conditioning pump). The compressor is usually the most expensive part on the system and if the bearings in your compressor break down or if the compressor seizes up it also means that other components can become contaminated with metal particles A flush of the system would then be needed as well as replacement of the compressor, the receiver/drier and the expansion valve - quite a hefty bill.
5. Don’t worry too much about a pool of water forming under your automobile after using the air conditioning.
If you see a puddle of water on the ground, usually under the passenger area don’t be alarmed. This is a normal feature of the system as it is only water dripping from the air conditioning evaporator. The evaporator has a drain tube fitted to allow the condensation from the evaporator to drain away from the vehicle.
6. Excessive moisture inside the car can be fixed easily.
Sometimes the drain tube from the evaporator may become blocked or detached allowing the condensation to build up inside your evaporator. If this occurs water will just build up inside your car to a point where there are damp carpets or misting / high humidity type problems. These problems can be solved with low-cost servicing.
7. Have your A/C serviced regularly, even if there are no visible problems.
Just as the other systems of your car need servicing on a regular basis, the same is true for the A/C system. The compressor needs oil, or else it will seize up. The filter collects debris and moisture. If the filter becomes blocked, then the performance of the system will deteriorate and it can even quit working entirely (probably when you need it most!)
Normally the refrigerant gas in a car A/C system to be recharged completely within four years from the date of manufacture and then every 2 - 3 years.
The annual maintenance of your car A/C system to avoid malfunctions of the compressor and other vital parts of the system. Regular maintenance saves money in the long term and ensure maximum comfort during the hot seasons. - CAR CARE
Car Air Conditioner, Best tips to care car A/C
