Winter is here, and for your comfort and safety, it is important to make sure your vehicle’s heating system is in good working order.
There are a variety of steps you can take to make sure you’re getting the best results out of your heating system while maximizing its efficiency. If you ever run into a problem with a car blowing cold air instead of heat, you can attempt to perform some of these tasks before going to a professional for maintenance and repairs:
- Move the vehicle: For some vehicles, it can take longer for the car to warm up if it’s not moving. By moving the vehicle, you also get the engine working, and that will help crank some heat into the cabin. In other words, rather than idling your car in the driveway or garage waiting for it to get warm, just get your car out on the road.
- Avoid turning the heat too high: Most modern vehicles have automatic climate control, which means you’ll be able to set your system to your desired temperature and the car will warm up at the appropriate rate. Don’t crank up the heat—the air will be cold to start, so you’ll just be blasting a lot of cold air at the passengers in your vehicle. It can also be a bit of a shock to the vehicle’s system to go from freezing cold to suddenly being asked to provide a lot of heat immediately.
- Avoid recirculation: Rather than pressing the “recirculate” button on your climate control system to keep warm air in the vehicle, let fresh air continually flow through the system. Excessive recirculation during the winter is likely to fog up the windows, which can quickly become a safety issue.
- Run the air conditioning: Air conditioning doesn’t necessarily mean cold air. The compressor will dehumidify the air, so if you run the AC while you’re also running the heat, it will create a dry heat that will avoid fogging up the windows. The AC will cool down incoming air to just above freezing, but that air still gets reheated before it enters the cabin. This entire process removes moisture from the air so it will not cause issues with humidity.
- Keep air flowing in the back: Make sure you’re giving the people in the back seat some attention. Turn on the fans to get the air blowing all the way to the back. If you have climate controls for the rear of the vehicle, make sure to use them.
- Crack windows: If you have a packed vehicle, it may be difficult for you to prevent the windows from fogging up. While using the “defrost” mode will help, it can also help to crack a window to keep fresh air coming in and to prevent the windows from fogging up.
How does the heat in my car work?
Want to know more about the strategies you can employ to prevent your windows from fogging up and to reliably heat up your vehicle? Our team at A2Z Complete Car Care is happy to provide you with more information about how your vehicle’s heat works. Contact us today.