Why Running Your Car’s Air Conditioner in the Winter Is a Good Thing

Midwest winters can be quite severe, and you’d probably never think about running your car’s air conditioner during the freezing weather. You might be surprised to hear that running your auto’s air conditioner in the winter in New Palestine, IN is a good thing—it can help prolong the life of your vehicle and keep it running properly. This helps guarantee it will still work when you need it.

Here’s why you should consider running your car’s air conditioner even when it’s cold outside.

Keep your air conditioner parts moving

Like all of your vehicle components, your vehicle’s air conditioner is full of moving parts. Not only does it contain refrigerant, but the moving parts are full of oil. If you don’t run the air conditioner periodically, the lubrication won’t reach all the parts it needs to. That can lead to cracked, broken seals and other issues.

Running your air conditioner during the winter ensures you won’t leave those parts alone for six months or more. The rubber seals and pipes will stay lubricated, and the coolant will have a chance to circulate throughout the coils. This ensures that when it’s time to use your air conditioner in earnest, everything will still be in working order. No one wants to find out their AC is broken on a 90-degree day.

Reduce moisture in your vehicle

Another benefit to running your air conditioner in the wintertime in New Palestine, IN is that it helps reduce moisture in your vehicle. If you’ve ever smelled something less-than-fresh coming from your air conditioning and heating vents, you probably have mold and bacteria growing in the ducts. When the air blows over these pathogens, they send that musty or moldy odor into your vehicle’s cabin.

Moisture tends to build up in the winter, especially when you’re running your heater. Running the air conditioner for a few minutes when you start your car can help reduce frost and steam from building up. It will also keep your vents dry, so mold and bacteria don’t start growing in your car.

Try using heat and the air conditioner at the same time

If it’s too cold to run the air conditioner alone, you can run the heater and the air conditioner at the same time. That allows the air conditioning system to stay lubricated and circulate dry air through the cabin, while also keeping you as warm as possible. Even a few minutes of running the air conditioner will make a big difference when the warm weather comes along.

Service your air conditioner regularly

Make sure to have your air conditioner inspected and serviced on a regular basis. Before the hot weather sets in, take your car to the mechanic to ensure everything is operating properly. If there are problems, your repair technician can fix them so you can stay warm in the winter and cool during the summer.

Ready to schedule an auto air conditioning appointment in New Palestine, IN? Call Auto Air & Heating, Inc. today.

Categorised in: Auto AC Repair

This post was written by Writer