There’s no denying that having your air conditioner working properly in the summer is important for driver and passenger well-being. This is aside from being comfortable. When air conditioning works correctly, a driver is able to concentrate better and will be a safer road user.
At this time of year, you will tend to see more advertising for refilling, recharging or re-gassing services. But is this just a way to get more money or is it an important part of car maintenance? The answer is that air con does need regular maintenance and there can be harmful consequences if it isn’t looked after properly.
How does air conditioning work in a car?
The basic answer is that refrigerant gas is moved around the air con system and the pressure is changed. The pressure changes cause the gas to become liquid and then gas again. Simultaneously whilst being heated and cooled. This process takes the warm air from inside the vehicle and cools it. Then blows that cold air back into the vehicle at a nice low temperature.
What can cause car air conditioning to malfunction?
The refrigerant system is mostly a closed circuit, however it’s normal to have some refrigerant lost during usage. If too much is lost, running low can cause internal damage. The system parts can get too hot and break or crystallisation can occur and impede effectiveness.
Running low on refrigerant also impacts your fuel efficiency as your car needs to work harder to keep the system running.
Normal wear and tear, damage from a collision or vandalism can also affect the usefulness of the air conditioning system. If any part of the air con system is not working properly, it will affect the entire process and keep getting worse until it is fixed.
During winter, air conditioning should be used in conjunction with your heating to de-mist your windscreen. This is because air con dries the air and the warm, dry air is much more effective than warm, humid air.
How often should you refill your car air conditioning?
Also known as re-gassing and recharging, the general accepted amount of time between refilling should be two years. This is if you don’t notice any problems in the meantime.
Your air con is not looked at as part of an MOT so remembering she get this checked every couple of years is important.
Most of the time a simple top up of refrigerant is all that’s needed. A good clean of the system prevents a build-up of mould or pollen, so this is also recommended.
If you notice any of the following problems, you should get your air con checked thoroughly as soon as possible.
- The air does not get very cool
- There are bad smells coming from the vents
- There is not much pressure coming out with the air
- De-misting your windscreen in the winter is not very effective
The consequences of not getting the air con system regularly maintained include breathing in mould particles and overheating parts causing damage to other parts of the car.
Can I refill my own car air conditioning unit?
In the past couple of decades there have been changes to the particular gases that can be used in air con units. This is because they cause harmful damage to the ozone. At Bodymek we will check the type of refrigerant that’s correct for your vehicles and comply with all regulations regarding handling and disposal of the gas and containers.
We wouldn’t recommend this process is attempted by an amateur, especially without a full understanding of all the requirements and guidance for users, producers and traders of fluorinated gas as specified by the Environment Agency and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
Can you remember the last time your air con unit was refilled? If it was over two years ago book vehicle in with us for a check and decrease the risk of damage to the air con system. If there are no major issues with your air con system, the process of refilling should be fairly quick. Bodymek can usually provide this service whilst you wait.
