Although these are temperatures typical of the month of July, this coming weekend in May seems to be preparing for the perfect heat wave, with a good number of provinces where the 40 degrees Of temperature. A challenge for our own vehicles.
The arrival of the heat is also usually synonymous with a weekend getaway or simply a day trip to enjoy the countryside, see some friends or visit a nearby town. Even also the farthest in Europe. And, of course, there is the moment in which, freshly eaten, we reach the car and curse the moment in which we leave it parked in the sun.
How to prevent the temperature from rising inside the car
When we talk about cooling the interior of our car in the most rational way possible, there are a series of tips and tricks that we should not overlook and that, curiously, start when we get out of the car. Or before going on a trip.
If up to now we have carried out adequate maintenance on our vehicle, we assume that we will not encounter mechanical problems that affect our air conditioning system. If, despite everything, you have doubts, it never hurts to go to a trusted workshop and check all its components before starting up.
It’s not a bad idea to do these checkups before a long trip. A visit to the workshop can be money well spent if they detect that the gas recharge of the air conditioning needs to be replaced, that there is a small leak in the system or that it is worth changing the filters to improve the quality of the air it expels. inside.
We must do all this with enough time before going on vacation or travel to avoid unforeseen events. But keep in mind that, in normal situations, it is not necessary to recharge the air conditioning gas every year and that the problems can come from clogged filters, leaks in the ducts or a simple electrical problem. That said, once started, lowering the temperature of the air conditioning is simple, if we know how.
If the car is going to be parked in the sun, try to find a nearby shade where to leave the car. Walking a few more meters can save us a few degrees of temperature inside the car. It is also good to calculate where the shade in the next few hours. Most likely, it is worth leaving the car in the sun when parking it if we know that the shade will end up covering our vehicle in the middle of the day.
In addition, we must not forget the parasol. Make no mistake, it’s not going to work miracles. But it will help keep the interior slightly cooler and, above all, prevent the steering wheel or gear lever from reaching such a temperature that it becomes difficult to hold it with your hands and, therefore, reduce our safety on board.
How to cool the passenger compartment: before and after starting up
As you already know, “patience is the mother of science”. And in the automotive industry it is no less.
Before starting off, it is best to open the doors of the vehicle and let the car lose some of the internal heat for a few minutes. A good way to speed up the process is roll down the window passenger seat and “fan the car” with the driver’s door. This will generate an air current that will cool the cabin more quickly.
Also, to avoid the classic jet of hot air to the face, during the time we are waiting we can put the air conditioning to work gently. In this way we will not demand it excessively and we will reduce the risk of breakdown but we will also ensure that the air it expels cools down.
Once mounted in the car, the first few meters we can circulate with the air still at low revs and with the windows down so that some air enters the interior. As we pick up speed, we will raise these and increase the revolutions of the fan. It should not take long to have the cabin acclimatized to a good temperature.
Remember that, while we are driving, the ideal temperature is around 22 degrees. If we move in this fork, we will avoid unexpected constipation. A risk that we can also reduce if we do not direct the cold air to the face and neck. In addition, cold air weighs more than hot air, so it is a good idea to direct it towards the ceiling to cool down the interior of our car more quickly.
Finally, if the cabin is already cold, we can take advantage of the recirculation of the air to cool it a little more and more quickly. If we activate it, the car will take the Cold air that moves through the interior of the car instead of prioritizing the exterior, which will be hotter, and, therefore, the temperature will drop faster.
Of course, remember that recirculation should not be maintained for more than ten minutes if we do not want the air that moves to be rarefied and increase drowsiness at the wheel. In some cars, this button is programmed to be automatically disabled. If not, use it with caution so that the desire to have a cold passenger compartment is not detrimental to greater comfort at the wheel.
Photos: Motor Verso and Eric Michael
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism