The UAE is known for hot summers on top of ever increasing temperature due to climate change. Driving with comfort under such hot weather conditions will require effective air conditioning. Apart from timely maintenance, some routine practices should help you get the maximum cooling from car air conditioning.
Tips to Get Maximum Cooling from Car Air Conditioning
With a bit of adjustments to A/C settings, smart parking and some usual maintenance practices, the following tips will allow you to maximize cooling from car air conditioning.
Avoid Pre-Cooling
You will notice your car air conditioning works better when you are driving as compared to idling. This is because the A/C compressor that pumps the refrigerant is driven by the engine belt. Hence, the faster the engine turns, more refrigerant will pump through the system, resulting in better cooling.
When it comes to hybrid and electric cars, practice of pre-cooling can reduce the battery life. Therefore, the next time you start up the engine, turn on the car air conditioning when you are on the road for optimum cooling.
Lower is Better
Although you can adjust the fan speed of the car air conditioning, for best efficiency keep the A/C on the lowest temperature. As the air conditioning cools down the cabin, if the temperature settings are kept higher, the system will try to re-heat the air to maintain the temperature. Keeping on the lowest setting will not only keep your car cool but your ride will be fuel efficient as well.
With the climate control system, adjustment of such settings doesn’t matter as the adjustment to fans and air conditioning are made automatically.
Ventilate Your Cabin
If your car was parked in the heat, the cabin temperature can rise to uncomfortable levels. The heat gets trapped through the glass and gets absorbed by the interior components. Before turning your air conditioning, roll down the windows and run the fan to ventilate the cabin from excess heat.
The goal is to let the hot air escape before switching on the air conditioning. A good practice to avoid such elevated cabin temperature is to open doors and windows before sitting in the car. You can also leave a small portion of windows open to reduce heat build-up for the duration of parking.
Turn Off Start/Stop
Modern vehicles are equipped with start/stop features to reduce engine idling time and improve fuel economy. However, when the engine shuts down, it will prevent the air conditioning compressor from running effectively.
If your car is idling longer during traffic signal stops on a hot day, your air conditioning won’t be able to keep the car cool.
Turn on Recirculation
When recirculation is turned on, the air conditioning will pull air from the cabin to circulate across the interior. This works best during the hot weather conditions as the air from outside has elevated temperature and your A/C will have to work harder to keep the cabin cool.
You may want to avoid recirculation during winters or cold conditions, as it tends to trap humidity, which results in fog on front screens and windows.
Park Smartly
The purpose of car air conditioning is to reduce the cabin temperature. If your vehicle is parked directly under the sun, the air conditioning will have to work harder to cool the cabin. Parking under a shade or a tree will keep the cabin cool. This will help your air conditioner maintain the desired conformable temperature faster.
Use Sun Shades and AC Curtains
Sometimes it is not possible to find parking with shades. To prevent direct sunlight heating up the cabin, you can make use of sun shades on the windows. This will mitigate the heat entrapment in the car. Even on the road, the air conditioning doesn’t have to work hard to maintain a cool temperature.
A/C curtains come in handy when you are driving SUVs without passengers. The curtain can block the rear area, hence reducing the amount of cooling needed for the cabin.
Clean Cabin Air Filters
Like your engine air filter, the cabin air filter removes the contaminants from the outside air. It is normally located behind or below the glove box whereas in some older cars, it is under the dashboard. A clogged cabin filter will restrict the passage for air circulation. This can impact the flow of cold air from the air conditioning. Due to extreme weather conditions in the UAE, you might need to change it more frequently. Hence schedule the replacement accordingly.
You can check out new and used auto accessories & parts for sale in the UAE to find other replacement parts at affordable rates.
Hopefully the above tips should help you maximize the air conditioning potential while driving under hot weather in the UAE. If your A/C is not cooling properly, there might be a leakage. In such a case get your car inspected by a professional to fix the leak and refill the refrigerant.
For vehicles with constant maintenance problems, you can opt for a replacement from our list of affordable used cars for sale in the UAE. Stay tuned to the UAE’s leading auto blog for more information on car parts, market trends and automotive technology.
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