Auto AC Repair: Your Car’s Air Conditioning System Does More Than Just Keep You Cool
July has just begun and that means summer is in full swing! The summer brings with it a break from school for the kids, fun-filled days at the pool or beach and great family barbecues in the evenings. But it also brings with it hotter temperatures than we typically experience here in Columbia, Ellicott City and Baltimore, MD.
On average, July is the hottest month in Maryland, so it’s important that we’re prepared to beat the heat. Of course it’s vital to make sure the air conditioning unit in your house is working, but what about the AC system in your automobile?
Your auto’s AC isn’t just to keep you cool – your car needs it too!
Did you know that if you have an average, four-cylinder engine in your car, this engine is producing around 4,000 explosions per minute to power your automobile? These little explosions produce a lot of heat that needs to be cooled even without the high July temperatures! That’s where your auto’s AC and cooling system comes into play.
Your car’s air conditioning has the important job of controlling the temperature in the cabin of your car and in your engine. This keeps your vehicle’s engine from overheating, and keeps you from you being stuck high and dry on the side of the road.
A quick look at how your vehicle’s cooling system works.
Your vehicle’s cooling system can be quite intricate, but there are a few basic things to understand about its inner workings.
The heart of your cooling system is the compressor, which takes a refrigerant in gas form and pressurizes it so it will cool the air. Through a series of tubes, or refrigeration lines, hot air emitted from your engine circulates through the cooling system where it is cooled in the compressor.
This process, combined with the functions of the radiator, condenser, evaporator and expansion valve, work together to keep your vehicle from overheating during your summer drives in Columbia, Ellicott City and Baltimore, or wherever you decide to go!
Keeping your car’s air conditioning working in the summer heat.
While your car’s air conditioning unit is a well-run system, as with most mechanical systems it does require maintenance from time to time.
- For one, it’s important to make sure your automobile has the proper levels of refrigerant, but DO NOT OVERFILL! If you think your auto’s AC is not cool enough, adding more refrigerant may not be the answer. Your cooling system could have a leak or require another auto repair.
- We also recommend having your cooling system flushed every 24,000 miles. This will keep your AC blowing cool air, and make sure that the liquid caused by your cooling system is clean and not corrosive. Failing to have your cooling system flushed could cause more expensive and expansive auto repair services to be required.
- The safest, and quickest way to make sure your vehicle’s AC is working properly to cool both you and your engine is to take it to your trusted auto repair shop. For Columbia, Ellicott City and Baltimore, MD, the friendly team here at AutoStream Car Care Center is happy to help!
All three of our convenient automotive repair shops have experienced auto AC repair mechanics who will properly repair and maintain your car, truck, SUV or minivans air conditioning system. We’re happy to help you get back on the road enjoying your Maryland summer in no time!
