Killer Additions To Keep A Car Cool In The Summer

Workable Tips to keep your car cool and cared for this summer

Don’t we loathe getting into a hot car? Yet we have done it countless times – the first few minutes is unbearable when the car is too hot to even sit in, and it’s even worse to handle a heated steering wheel. Wouldn’t it good to escape the heat in the confines of a cool car?

There are some novel ways you can adopt to keep your car cool especially when the weather is sweltering out there. You can have a few additions to your car that will make it considerably cooler in the summer. Check them out!

Windshield Visor

The first item you should get is a windshield visor to block out the sun’s rays and heat from your car interior. That’s why we always look for a shaded area to park our car whenever we can. We place the wind visor below our windshield which is the largest glass area of a car to block out the heat from the sun. This will certainly make a marked difference and make your car cooler on a hot day.

Windshield visors are fairly inexpensive and easy to handle. You just have to open them and place it across the windshield inside your car. Though it won’t block out the heat entirely it will certainly help to keep the car cool.

Tinted windows

You can also get your car windows tinted to help block out more of the sun’s heat. As your tinted windows will be a shade darker than your normal car windows, they will help to block off the impact of the sun and reduce the sunlight into your car. Tinted glass lets light go through, but reflects some off. The amount of light that is bounced off depends on how dark the tint is. It also makes it more difficult for other drivers or pedestrians to look into your car, giving drivers more privacy. In some areas however, it is illegal to have dark tinted windows, so you should refer to the permissible tinted windows before you proceed to fix them.

Seat Covers

It is often unbearable to get inside a car during the summer as everything you lay your hands on in the car is scorching. Often this includes car seats, which makes it difficult to even drive when you’re wearing a pair of shorts or a skirt. We have a workable solution for you. Just fix your car with seat covers to ward off some of the heat from inside your car. This will reduce the heat on your car seats and allow you to have a more comfortable drive in summer. What’s more, since they are water-resistant, your car seats will be protected against sweat stains and spilt drinks. Seat covers give you a more comfortable ride throughout the year while protecting the underlying fabric to retain the value of your car.

A solar-powered fan

Another novel idea is to fix a solar-powered fan to the dashboard of your car. This will help cool down the interior of your car to make driving more comfortable. The solar-powered fan will blow cool air through the interior of the car, all the time even when engine is not on. This is ideal when you have to wait in your car on rare occasions but you don’t want to waste petrol by leaving the engine and AC running. A solar-powered fan does not require energy from your car. There are various models that can be clipped to your window to provide cool breeze to a driver or passenger.

You don’t have to endure the heat inside your car this summer

We have all had that moment when we dreaded getting into our car which was parked under the sun for a long time. We reach into the car to start it up and the hot air blows out which can be almost suffocating. You then have to linger outside your car for a while till the AC does its work to get your car a bit cool.

When it comes to your car you are never on vacation. Your car demands your attention throughout the year. As the seasons change, you have to be innovative in caring for your car. When the weather is hot and the sun is scorching, you need to protect your car from the heat instead of leaving it prone to damaging your car under the heat of the sun. Caring for your car especially in summer should always be your priority.

Check your AC unit if it’s working well

Driving around in summer when your AC unit stops working can be your worst nightmare. It is critical to have a summer-health check on your car. Get your AC unit checked by a technician without delay.

Get your engine ready for summer

When the weather is scorching, the outside heat further heats up our car engine too. A heated engine is a major cause for breakdowns during summer. The car coolant level should be maintained at all time as it is the central system for the engine’s cooling down process. Apart from checking the coolant level every few weeks at a minimum, also inspect the hose connection when the engine is cool, to make sure it is firm and not soft and bendable. Plus check the engine belt to see if it’s firm or limp which indicates that it has to be replaced.

Check your car fluids

Road trips are ideal in summer. Just as we need water to live so it is for our car. It is impossible to have a smooth long drive without your car being fluid-filled. Adjust your fuel-change frequency according to your servicing schedule. Make sure the fluids in your car are always maintained as it will affect the car performance. Heat is the top transmission killer if your car lacks fluid, delayed gear engagement or erratic shifts can occur anytime. So don’t put your life at risk and keep up with the fluids regularly.

Keep the dashboard heat-protected

Your dashboard and your control panel are exposed to harmful UV rays even if you’re not driving. Over time the heat makes your car dashboard lose their original shine and start to fade. Protect your dashboard with a long-lasting protective shine available in most car accessories section in stores. The shine fluid can be used to protect your tyres, trim and door panels from minor scuffs. An oil-based formula will not let your dashboard fade or crackle. Keeping the entire interior cool will keep your engine cool ultimately.

Check car tyre pressure more so in summer

Apart from the engine and dashboard, another component of the car that needs to be kept from getting too hot is the tyres. Tyres rotate speedily against scorching surfaces more so during hot summers. This friction creates heat. The highest number of tyre blowouts is witnessed in climbing temperatures. The heat can be controlled by making sure the tyres are inflated correctly. Underinflated tyres cover more surface area of the ground and inevitably create more friction when they rotate. The heat that is generated can cause them to wear out faster and even burst unexpectedly. Monitoring the pressure levels gets mandatory which can also be done using your vehicle’s onboard monitoring system. Manual check is a great alternative though. Keep your tyre pressure levels checked every month. Give a health check to your tyres and see if they need replacement.

Keeping the car cool when it’s stationary

One easy and free way to keep your car cool is to leave blankets on the seats when the car is stationary. The sunlight will hit the blanket, but the seat will be protected from the impact of the sun. Naturally the blankets will be hot when the driver and passengers return, but they can be dropped on the floor or stored in the boot. A good alternative is to use a sunshade. Sunshades can be used for the back seat windows to keep the direct sunlight from entering the car and heating up the seats. When a car does not have a sunshade, the driver should park the car facing away from the sun. Parking in a shaded area or in a garage is also extremely helpful.

Many “green” organisations discourage the use of air conditioners though they are needed especially in summer. They do drain energy, and are not environmentally-conducive. But using the air conditioner for a portion of the car ride will help cool down the engine and decrease mileage. However, the car air conditioner should ideally be used only when the weather is unbearably hot. We can utilise other ventilation methods when the air-conditioner is not used.

Apart from the benefit of comfort and condition of a cool car, it also saves lives. A small child or an animal should not, in no uncertain terms, be left in an overheated vehicle. Young children can be hit with heat stroke in a matter of minutes. At least 27 people die each year from being trapped in a stifling car, let alone the number of animals that die from suffocation.

Bear in mind these workable tips to keep your car cool on the inside and the outside to make this summer a more enjoyable season.