When discussing the advantages of maintaining a car’s heating and air conditioning systems, the first thing that comes to mind is comfort. However, your car’s air conditioning system is designed in tandem with the rest of the engine, and it plays an important role in fuel economy, vehicle performance, and engine health.
As a result, we’ve compiled a list of important reasons why you should always keep your automotive air conditioning systems in good working order.
Avoiding Costly Repairs
It is far more cost effective to maintain your engine components rather than repair or replace them when extensive damage has occurred. Such damage reduces the car’s effective market value if you sell it or trade it in for another model.
Similarly, the air conditioning and heating systems can have an impact on other engine components. For example, a faulty car air conditioning system forces the engine’s crankshaft to work harder, resulting in increased wear.
Damaged automotive air conditioning systems may also result in reduced refrigerant flow, and clogging transfer systems. Other parts of the engine are affected by vapor refrigerant leaks.
Ensure Prime Performance
Most car owners, understandably, feel less at ease in a vehicle that isn’t performing optimally. When your car’s air conditioner finally fails, it will result in poor vehicle performance.
Aside from robbing you of comfort in the passenger compartment, poor air conditioning may also begin to put additional strain on the car’s engine. When the faulty AC is turned on, you may experience additional vibrations.
Maintain Great Fuel Economy
While AC and heating systems cause higher fuel consumption, maintaining your air conditioning system can help you save on fuel.
For instance, you can get better fuel economy on the highways with the improved aerodynamics of a car with rolled-up windows. Note that rolling up windows is only possible if your AC systems work well.
A faulty car AC system will be less fuel efficient, using more fuel to do less work. Thus, you lose more fuel for the same or below-par system performance.
If you had left it too long, you would have spent more money on fuel than on maintenance. Not to mention any additional engine problems that may arise as a result.
Personal And Ride Comfort
We can’t go through this list without mentioning the convenience of having a working air conditioner and heater system.
Of course, there are times of the year when you can go without turning it on. You’ll wish you’d taken better care of your car’s air conditioning and heating systems during the hot summer and cold winter months.
Car owners who visit our shops on a regular basis don’t have to wait for these times of year to get the most out of their heater and air conditioning systems. They can always enjoy varying levels of hot or cool air all year round because it is kept in ideal working conditions.
Prevent Engine Overheating
The heating system in the car is also important for preventing engine overheating by dissipating hot air generated in the engine alongside the exhaust system.
A functioning AC system ensures the proper flow of antifreeze and water in the engine block, allowing a significant amount of heat to escape into the atmosphere. Furthermore, on cold days, the car sends some of this hot or warm air into the passenger compartment.
Without such efficient systems, heat removal will be solely dependent on your car’s exhaust. This causes engine wear and can lead to severe overheating on hot days.
Maintain Optimal Defrosting
The air conditioning system in your car, like the heating system, plays an important role in defrosting and defogging the windshield and windows.
Your air conditioner’s defrosting and defogging systems remove humidity from the air. As a result, you can keep the windows rolled up and not suffer from poor visibility. Even better, you can keep the heater running inside the vehicle while the temperature difference prevents a layer of frost from forming on the exterior.
Promotes Better Driver and Passenger Health
Your health is also at stake if you don’t maintain your car’s air conditioning.
Pollen, dirt, dead insects, and other allergens can be trapped by the AC air filter. Because hot or cold air passes through this filter, the AC vents transport some of those particles into the vehicle. As a result, you may experience allergic reactions or have respiratory problems.
Given how much money you’ll have to spend on healthcare and the loss of productivity that may result from going to the hospital, it’s best to keep your car’s air conditioning system in good working order.
A/C And Heater Maintenance Checks You Get at Kiwis Auto Repair
Our A/C and heater specialists don’t wait until your car’s AC systems are broken before performing thorough inspections. When you come in for scheduled or unscheduled maintenance, our technicians inspect:
- Liquid refrigerant level. Optimal levels mean optimal all-around performance, from the inside of the car to the engine compartment.
- Pressure checks. To ensure you don’t suffer any low pressure or high pressure-related events.
- Parts check. We look at the thermal expansion valve, air filter, receiver dryer, orifice tube, heat exchanger, in-line filter kit, radiator fan, compressor, and other relevant parts to identify issues before they become problems.
If you have any specific concerns or complaints, we will listen to them and take appropriate action. Sometimes there is nothing. However, if the problem becomes serious, we will gladly assist you in resolving it.
Schedule a check today by reaching out to us via-
- Call – (805) 963-3444.
- Walk-in – Schedule an appointment.
- Shop visit – 111 E. Gutierrez St.-Santa Barbara, CA 93101-United States