COVID-19 and Your Car’s Air Conditioning System

Though travel has been largely restricted due to the global coronavirus pandemic, on occasion, everyone must venture outside for the essentials like groceries and medication. Doing so often requires using a vehicle, which is an enclosed space. You don’t have to be an epidemiologist to realize that using your car’s recirculating air conditioning could increase your chances of contracting COVID-19 in New Palestine, IN.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to allow you to use your car’s AC system without upping your chances of catching the coronavirus. Here is a step-by-step guide to preventing coronavirus by disinfecting your car’s AC system.

Lysol method

There are multiple ways to disinfect your car’s air conditioning system using various tools and solutions. Some of them are more involved and quite labor intensive. This method involves using Lysol or a similar disinfectant. If you purchase a product like this, directions will likely be included, and you should default to those if they differ from any of these steps.

• Turn on the air conditioning full blast: Your first task is to turn on your car’s air conditioning fan and set it as high as it can go. Make sure the recirculation option is off, because you want exterior air to be filtering through your car’s vents.
• Roll your windows down completely: This is a crucial step because you’re about to introduce Lysol to your car’s air vents. When you do this, you do not want to be in the car or have the fumes trapped within your car, because they can be harmful to your health. The AC should still be blasting at this point.
• Spray Lysol into the air vents on the outside of your car: If you check the base of your windshield right below the windshield wipers, you’ll notice a series of black slots. These are your car’s air intake vents. If you still have your car’s AC on, and you place your hand over the vents, you should be able to feel air being drawn in. You should now take the can of Lysol and spray it into the vents on both the driver and passenger sides.
• Let your vehicle air out: After you’re finished spraying, you should let the air conditioning run for at least 15 minutes afterward to let your vehicle vent. The Lysol should make its way through your car’s AC system and reduce your chances of coming down with the coronavirus. As an additional safety measure, you could leave your windows open in your garage overnight to make sure all the fumes from the Lysol have completely dissipated.

Schedule a tune-up today

The above method is only one way of disinfecting to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from your car’s air conditioning. There are other techniques you could try if you feel that this method leaves something to be desired. If you’re having functional issues with your car’s air conditioning or heating system, you should give Auto Air & Heating, Inc. in New Palestine, IN a call. Since 1982, our ASE-certified auto repair technicians have been servicing commercial and private vehicles, and we’d be happy to help you with any vehicular problems you may have.

Categorised in: Auto AC Repair

This post was written by Writer