One of the most important features of the cars today is the air conditioner. The air conditioner in the car gives a lot of comfort to the passengers sitting in the car as it keeps the inner environment of the car at a particular temperature without being affected by the outside temperature. Even the most luxurious car becomes uncomfortable if the ac is not working properly. Hence, to maintain the proper functioning of the car ac proper care should be taken. If your car AC is not able to maintain a temperature 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius less than the outside temperature, it should be understood that the car AC has some problem. A few tips to keep the ac working and finely tuned are:
The first step in the maintenance of your car ac is to check its moisture/ air contamination. One of the most common reasons for the fall in the efficiency of the car air conditioner is due to moisture or air in the conditioner. The contaminated air not only gives foul smell but also decreases the cooling power or the conditioner. The moisture may get stuck in some parts of the ac in the form of ice. Thus to maintain your ac keep a regular check on the moisture and air in the ac. Sometimes if the AC is not used regularly bacterial or fungal build up may settle behind the dashboard giving car its unpleasant odor and may result in headache or flu like symptoms often called “sick car syndrome”. The condition can be controlled by using a bactericide or a fungicide which will prevent their growth.
One of the important parts of your ac is the condenser which is basically a heat exchanger. The condenser should be cleaned periodically as the dirt, dust, debris from the road can fill it up lowering the efficiency of the AC considerably. A noisy AC may be due to sound coming from the compressor. So check with the compressor and if it is working fine check if the hoses attached to it is striking against any other thing which is making the sound. A noisy AC is quiet irritating and need to be repaired as soon as possible.
Any mechanical fault like bad pressure switches, compressor wear, valve failure etc. can even damage the whole cooling system. Hence any such mechanical fault should be repaired at its earliest by a trained mechanic.
Other blockages in the AC like that of the metering valve or orifice tube can affect the cooling level of the AC. The orifice should be kept clean from any dirt, debris or any blockage causing agent by regularly cleaning it. A free flow of the refrigerant through the orifice into the cooling system is very essential for the proper functioning of your AC. If proper care is not taken, the blocked tube can cause the damage to the entire cooling system.
The cooling is maintained at its best level if the refrigerant is up to the mark. Check the level of refrigerant in the AC regularly as it should be at a pre-defined level. Get it refilled if it is required. The air cooling before 1994 was different as the refrigerant commonly used in the AC was called R-12 or Freon. So if your car model is that of 1994 or before you only needed to go to the shop and get filled the Freon if you’re cooling system was not up to the mark. The Freon or the chlorofluorocarbon gas is highly destructive to the ozone layer. However, the coolant used now is called R-134a. In some states it is illegal to refill a leaky system with R-12.
Check for any faulty car AC parts and replace any one which is faulty. Check the compressor oil regularly and make sure it is free from any floating contamination. If the oil has any impurities, make sure to clean the entire compressor using a flushing agent.
Even after trying out all the above methods your car air conditioner is not working properly then an expert is needed to repair it. Call and expert and get the air conditioner checked thoroughly for its proper functioning.
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