Car air-conditioning upkeep in winters

A blast of cool air from the air-con vents in your car may be the last thing on your mind during the winters but keeping the A/C permanently off during the winters risks storing up trouble for the summers.

A survey in the UK reveals that 56% motorists keep their A/C off during winters and 43% of motorists say that they keep their air-con off during winters to improve fuel economy. But this may turn out to be a false economy strategy. Keeping an air-con system off for a whole season can reduce its effectiveness. Leaving an air-con system off for prolonged periods of time can also result in bacteria build up in the system and the seals drying out which leads to corrosion.

Its not just about keeping the system ship shape for the summers either. The air-con system should be used to demist the windows as dry warm air can demist the windows more quickly than moist air from outside by putting the windows down. To demist the windows of your car, simply set the HVAC system to fresh air, push the defogger button and channel air to the windshield position from the dashboard air vents.

Also, driving with the windows rolled down beyond certain speeds increases drag which results in higher fuel consumption in comparison to using the air-con system. So, the next time your windows are misty on a cold winter day, you know what to do.