Air Conditioning

As the temperature climbs, we all fix our air conditioning knobs accordingly to cool off. But what do you do if it doesn’t kick in like it’s supposed to? Car air-conditioners are great when they work and extremely frustrating when they don’t. You might not think about doing maintenance on your car’s air-conditioner, but it can actually be fairly important. If you don’t perform regular maintenance on the A/C unit, you’re going to have to replace important components or even the whole unit; you might as well empty out your wallet.

Regular Maintenance
Most people don’t pay attention to their vehicle’s air-conditioner until it is too late. Just by taking some time and paying attention to your air-conditioning unit and get it serviced whenever you notice a difference in performance, you will increase the life of your unit and save money in the long run. If you notice a difference, take it into your automotive technician and tell them what is going on. They will be able to inspect the system and tell you what’s going on.

What Goes Wrong?
Most problems with air-conditioners stem from small leaks in the system that the unit’s refrigerant escapes through. When refrigerant leaks out of the system, it won’t give you the cool air you need. If you pop the hood and can see signs of refrigerant oil stains on or around the compressor, hoses, pipes or fittings of the unit, then you probably have a leak somewhere. These leaks can, however, be tiny and you may not see any signs that there is a problem. Automotive technicians will be able to test the system to find out what the problem is.

Tips and Information about Your Air-Conditioner

Run your air-conditioner for at least 10 min once a week (even in the winter) in order to maintain gas pressure.
Keep track of the last time your air-conditioner was serviced, and have it looked at every 2 years.
Some mechanics will tell you that the EPA requires you to have your system checked for leaks when you go to get your system recharged. This is not true. While it is a good idea to have it checked for leaks and have any leaks repaired, it is not required.
Many of the refrigerants used in air-conditioners hurt the environment. Talk to your mechanic or service provider about using a refrigerant that is not so environmentally harmful.

Air conditioners often go overlooked when it comes to regular vehicle upkeep, but if they aren’t given enough attention, they might be more of a hassle to fix later on. If you’re noticing a difference in you’re A/C unit or just haven’t had it checked in a while, bring it on in to one of our service centers and we’ll take a look at it!

Posted in Maintenance.