Most of us in Melbourne use a car for our daily chores. Car air conditioning is more a necessity in Melbourne than a luxury and therefore we are also conscious of the need for car air-conditioning regas at intervals as also the need for car air conditioning service once every half year or so. Now, in the context of the Covid 19 pandemic, many questions have come upon the use of the car air conditioner. Let us, therefore, go over some of these concerns and potential solutions.
Set the temperature inside the car to a level of comfort
You can always set the temperature inside your car to any degree that gives you the most comfort. What is more important is to ensure that all passengers inside the car including the driver are enjoying normal health. Particularly, you are better off avoiding passengers with any sign of cough, cold or influenza. Similarly, you can also avoid carrying pets during your short as well as long trips. These are merely general precautions and have no scientific backing as yet. The risk that you face in a running car with its air conditioner switched on is that the carbon dioxide that the occupants of the car exhale, can potentially carry certain bacteria and there are distant chances of such bacteria infecting other passengers. Do understand that this is a common event and can happen even without the Covid 19 pandemic scare all across the globe. If you still harbour some doubts, do not hesitate to check with a car air conditioning service, to learn more about any specific problems with your car air conditioner. Perhaps the singular threat perception related to your car air conditioner is when you unknowingly carry an affected individual in your car and then the virus spreads to other occupants of the car.
Keep your car well ventilated
Most of us have put off long-haul trips for now. Yet, if you have a compulsion to travel more than about 50 miles in one go, it is a good idea to take short breaks on the way and allow some fresh air inside the car. This is merely an additional measure of safety and a crude form of disinfecting your car. Once you reach the destination, consider leaving the windows open for an hour or two, if it is otherwise safe to do so.
Your car air conditioner and domestic air-conditioner are generally safe
By now, you would have seen several media reports on using different types of air-conditioners in towns and cities impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Most of these reports also suggest that there can be a problem of unhealthy bacterial circulation (perhaps including strains of Covid 19) in centrally air-conditioned environments. Therefore, any distant relationship between Covid 19 infection and air conditioners appears limited to centrally air-conditioned buildings and not domestic or car air conditioners.
Getting your car air conditioner serviced
Getting your car air conditioner service with an emphasis on cleaning the air filters if possible, during these times, is a good idea too. As you know, the cool air from the air-conditioner reaches the cabin in your car through the air vent on the dashboard and at the rear in some cars. These air vents have filters to ensure that dust and other elements do not contaminate the cabin. Cleaning these filters or replacing them when needed will ensure that the cool air reaching the cabin of the car is clean and cool. A clogged air filter can attract moisture and become a breeding ground for bacteria helped by the tiny particles of dust that tend to accumulate on the filter.
Maintain social distancing
Try not to put too many passengers in the car so that you can maintain a reasonable distance between each passenger. Physical proximity has been seen as a major cause of the virus spreading from one person to the other. Therefore, avoiding shake hands, hugging, kissing etc. are also recommended measures of social distancing. In the context of Covid 19, your car air-conditioner is a lesser threat compared to physical distancing.
Check refrigerant level
The refrigerant used in your car air conditioner generally stays at optimal levels for several years, particularly in the modern-day cars. But, rarely though, leaks from the system may occur for varying reasons and even a pinhole leak will lead to a significant amount of refrigerant leaking out of the system in just a few days. Even when the compressor is safe inside the system, there are connected components that suffer normal wear and tear and this can trigger a potential leak. Checking the refrigerant at regular intervals of about 6 months is, therefore, a good idea to ensure that you are not in for any surprise, particularly on a hot day. You can always contact us for reliable car air-conditioning regas service is the best place to ensure that everything with your car air –conditioner is working the way they should be.
