Tips To Care For Your Car Air Con In Winter

With winter fast approaching, Melbourne drivers will be starting to notice a big drop in temperature.

In fact, it’s probably been some time since you last felt the need to turn on your car’s air conditioning. While this can be a welcome change from the summer heat, it’s worth considering how it affects your vehicle’s climate control system. 

The aircon system can be used on heat as well as cool, so by turning your vehicles heating up and using the aircon system the cabin temperature will increase to a comfortable level more quickly.

Many drivers don’t realise that auto air conditioning requires ongoing maintenance to stay functioning at its best, and this applies even when the system is not regularly in use. On top of that, it’s essential for demisting your windscreen come the inevitable cold snap, so it pays to make sure your AC is ready to perform when you need it to.

So, what can you do to take care of your car’s aircon system over winter? Read on for our top tips. 

Let your the AC run regularly

A key way to care for your car’s air conditioning over winter is to keep it in use. Air conditioners are complex systems involving refrigerant and fluids, and these need to be kept moving in order to keep the whole system working the way it should. Kept in a static condition for too long, the system’s functionality may begin to degrade.

For this reason, running your aircon on a regular basis will go a long way in maintaining optimal performance and efficiency. This doesn’t mean you need to constantly blast the cabin with cool air; ten minutes a week should be plenty, and you can use the function on heat instead of cool.

Check the defroster

By running your AC on the defroster setting, you can put it to work unfogging your windscreen while giving it a regular workout. In fact, the demisting action of your aircon is essential for your safety on the roads over winter, with plummeting temperatures and the associated misting of your windscreen creating a dangerous impairment to driver vision. 

Of course, you can’t easily leave your driveway with a fogged windscreen, but if it happens mid-journey, you’ll want to be sure your demister is working properly at a moment’s notice. 

Get a regas

While it might be the furthest thing from your mind, now may actually be the best time for a car aircon regas. It’s recommended that this be done every 2 years, so if you can’t remember the last time you had a regas (or a full car aircon service) you’re more than likely overdue. Keeping on top of this, even when the system is not getting much use, will help ensure it’s ready to perform effectively and efficiently when you really need it.

Need advice?

If you’ve got any questions about your vehicle’s climate control system, it’s best to speak to an accredited air conditioning qualified mechanic about getting a car air conditioning service. The team at Bentleigh Automotive Services are ready to help – just give us a call on (03) 9570 2844 or use our simple online form to make a booking. 

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