There is nothing worse than getting in your car on a hot summer day and finding out that your air conditioning or “climate control” system only blows lukewarm air. Before you have to face such a nerve-racking scenario, you should make sure your A/C system is working properly, especially if you are planning a family road trip. It’s important not to delay servicing your air conditioning system until the last minute since getting the right parts could take a couple of days!
Determining If Your Vehicle’s A/C Is Fit
You don’t need to be a mechanic or an HVAC technician to determine if you will have issues with your A/C this summer. However, we only recommend that you try to detect any issues because A/C repair is both complicated and dangerous. Consequently, that part of it should be left to experienced professionals.
Listen To Your A/C
If you turn on your air conditioning system, it should only make a slight humming noise. If it makes loud noises or you hear banging then there is probably a malfunction in the system.
Smell The Air That Comes Out
Naturally, the air produced by your A/C system won’t smell the same as the air outside your car. Nevertheless, it shouldn’t cause your car to smell musty or unpleasant. If you notice unpleasant smells then there is probably dust or mildew inside the system. This is not only an unpleasant smell issue – you need to have your A/C serviced since these pollutants can cause allergic reactions and for those suffering from asthma, they can trigger an attack.
Measure the Temperature Inside Your Car
If your A/C is working properly then it should be able to keep the inside of your car 10 degrees Celsius below the outdoor air temperature. You should use a thermometer to check your area air temperature then turn on your car’s A/C for a period of time and see how quickly the temperature drops. If you’re not satisfied with how fast your car’s interior temperature decreases then your A/C system may need to be serviced.
You should also drive your car for at least 30 minutes with the A/C running since there are problems which may not be noticeable when you only turn on the air conditioning while the car is not moving. What’s important to take note of is your engine temperature since the A/C can sometimes cause engines to overheat. An overheated engine is definitely something you don’t want at any time. Therefore, you need to make sure any such issue is dealt with by professionals.
After Your Inspection
Once you complete your A/C inspection and have determined that you may have some issues, you need to take your vehicle to experienced technicians. At Norlang Auto, our highly-trained and experience A/C technicians will conduct a detailed inspection to ensure that your A/C system will keep you cool and comfortable during the hot summer months.
Please note that if your vehicle’s air conditioning system doesn’t work, DO NOT install one of the big box top-up kits. You should be aware that many of these DIY-kits contain explosive gases, they contaminate the A/C system and cost extra to remove – the sealants can also plug the entire system up and basically destroy it completely. In general, these off-shore kits cause more issues than they fix. We see it first hand daily!
Contact us before the air conditioning season gets busy to ensure your vehicle’s cooling system is working properly. If you would like more information about our air conditioning services, call us at 604-337-1513 or book an appointment online. We can answer all your questions and can conduct a thoroughly professional service of your A/C system in order to ensure that it is performing as it should be.