Car Air Conditioner is strongly a must for a hot city like ours. Air Con is a helpful device but its cost is quite high plus the regular maintenance fee. If we use air-con properly, it’ll last longer and the expense will be reduced. So, we don’t have to waste time waiting for air repair or find another vehicle temporarily.

There’s also another issue that most people may not think about, which is a health concern for the passengers.

Never rush into turning on Air con

It’s not complicated to use air-con but there’re some details to follow to keep its good performance and to be safe for AC systems, people, and other car-related systems.

Let’s start when you want to drive, make sure to turn off the A/C switch to close the air compressor function before starting your car so that the power delivered to the starter will be fully transmitted.

After starting your car, turn on the fan at the highest speed to free the heat in the air system for a while, and then turn on the A/C switch to allow the compressor to work, and then adjust the wind speed.

In case of parking in the sun or hot environment, open all car windows or doors for a while to reduce heat accumulation in the car, and then start the car. This way helps release air-con workload and increases safety as chemicals in several parts of the car may evaporate through the passenger room in the midst of hot weather.

If possible, you may drive while car windows are still on for few minutes to create good ventilation and chasing hot air and chemicals.

Turn off the air compressor before reaching the destination

Every time you’re close to the destination, turn off A/C switch and adjust the fan at highest speed to free cold accumulation in the cold coil. The cold leftover in the car will be cool enough before you park and stop the engine.

Anyway, if you turn off the A/C switch and stop the engine together, the coil still retains the cold. If the fan doesn’t release air, the water drops will accumulate in the system and turn to moisture which causes a musty smell and may later become the source of germs.

If there’s no unpleasant smell in the car, you don’t need an air refresher and this can prolong your air-con lifespan, and reduce long-term expense.

Air refresher that is widely used will stick on-air system and air filter can easily get clogged. Alcohol as part of the air refresher’s ingredients can damage air evaporator. You’d better use an air refresher made of natural botanicals like flowers or leaves.

Another way to minimize clogging of air evaporators is trying not to open car windows often although the weather is pleasant as dust and particles will clog and build dirt in the evaporator. If you want to release heat from the car, just open car windows occasionally unless the air in that area is really clean.

Balance air flows

During the end of the year in some cold areas, most drivers find that frosted windows obscure their visibility. As the indoor and outdoor temperature is unbalanced and highly different, the vapor becomes solid and builds up inside the windows.

The main problem is drivers tend to lower the air con temperature when it’s cold outside as they feel it’s too cold.

The solution is to increase the aircon temperature as close as outside temperature because the vapor occurs when the temperature of inside and outside is sharply different. If the inside is cooler than outside, vapor will cling to outside windows as seen when air is blown over windshields or windows. A solution for the windshield is spraying water or turning on the wiper to wipe the vapor out of the windshield.

If outside is much cooler than inside, frost will stick inside. Reducing the temperature inside the passenger room or adjust the air directly to the windows will help. However, areas that air doesn’t pass through like rear windows, will become frosted.

Cars that have a defroster system won’t face any problem. Anyway, most cars install this system at rear windows only as windshield installation is costly.

Another example of temperature difference is when traveling by BTS. When stepping out of the cold to face warmer temperatures, frost will build up on eyeglasses, which is similar to when you leave an air-con room outdoor.

Turn off air con while driving through a flooded area

Much has been said that we should turn off air-con while driving through a flood to protect air systems and engines from damage.

Normally, the air system has a heat transfer system from the compressor which is called the condenser, located in front of a car engine with a fan to cool down the heat from the condenser. This fan won’t work if there’s no heat in the condenser.

While driving through a flood as high as the fan level and air con is turned on, the heat from the compressor will transfer to the condenser, and the fan will promptly work to cool down the heat from the condenser. As a result, the fan may rotate in water or floating debris and its blade may be broken. Water splashes throughout the engine room will create moisture and the engine may suddenly stop working while you’re driving.

You should not be careless even if the flood level is not as high as the fan. It’s good to turn off the air-con. Remember that your car and other cars may create waves to the fan level.

Air con maintenance

This article doesn’t include maintenance because most drivers tend to seek help from experts. However, all drivers should follow proper usage and notice irregular symptoms like heat, smell, or noise. If problems are found, see the expert promptly to protect the air con from disseminated damage.

If air-con produces wind but not coldness, you should turn it off and bring it to the expert. If it’s still on, some parts may be defective.

Many people are curious whether the airing cabinet should be cleaned. In fact, if the air con works well and has no unpleasant smell, cleanup is not needed.

However, the regular cleaning is about once or twice a year.

Using air con properly and understand its function to prolong its lifespan.