Car AC Repair in Winter Haven, FL

Is your car ready for the summer heat?

When the heat of summer is in full swing, the temperature inside a hot car can quickly reach 150 degrees or more. The last thing you need is your cars A/C system to not be performing at full capacity. If your auto AC system blows only slightly cool air, or even worse, doesn’t blow any cold air at all, it can make daily commutes and shopping trips miserable. Hometown Auto Repair of Winter Haven, FL is your local AC repair expert and we can help you keep cool when the weather gets hot!

How does my vehicle AC system work?

Interestingly, the air conditioning system in your vehicle does not really “create” cold air. What the AC system in your car does is remove heat and moisture from the air already in your car. When this process works as designed it leaves behind refreshing cool air.

5 Helpful Tips for Maintaining Your Cars AC System:

Tip #1: One little-known tip for avoiding costly AC repairs is to run your vehicles air conditioning system at full-blast for 8-10 minutes at least once per month, even in the winter months. If it is a very cold winter day,you don’t have to be inside the vehicle of course, but running the AC regularly even in colder months helps keep the compressor pistons, valves and seals lubricated. If the internal parts stay properly lubricated it can help reduce the possibility of refrigerant leaks and premature AC compressor failure.

Tip #2: Look for oily residue around A/C unit hose connections. Refrigerant leaks can be present at any point in the AC system, but hose connections are often a main source of leaks. If you suspect a leak give us a call so we can carefully examine all your AC system connections and make sure leaks are not present elsewhere.

Tip #3: Make sure your condenser is not partially blocked by debris. The AC condenser in a vehicle often looks like a “radiator”. Air passes through the condenser when you drive, helping to cool the refrigerant in your AC system. Under even normal driving conditions trash or road debris can get stuck to the front of the condenser and limit the air-flow passing through it. If you don’t know how to inspect your condenser Hometown Auto Repair is only a call away. We’re here to help!

Tip #4: While you are inspecting the condenser for blockage from any debris it is a good idea to also look closely at your condenser for damage. Rocks and other materials can bounce up from the road or come through the grill into the engine compartment and hit the A/C condenser. This type of occurrence can cause a puncture leak which may disable your AC system without your knowledge.

Tip #5: Visually inspect cooling fans for cracks or damage. Cooling fans not only help to cool your vehicles engine, but they also help to blow air through your AC condenser while your vehicle is at low speeds or at idle. Road debris can damage fans diminishing their ability to send air through your AC condenser. If a fan is damaged, replacement is best. Another issue you might experience is a cooling fan that isn’t coming on when it should. If there is a blown fuse, a disabled sensor or an electrical short your cooling fans may not be operating as they should. These types of issues are best addressed by a professional auto repair shop who can safely diagnose your auto AC issue. Please give Hometown Auto Repair in Winter Haven, FL a call if you are having any of these issues.

Does my Vehicle’s AC Need Maintenance?

The AC systems in today’s modern vehicles are typically “closed systems”. This means that if there are no discernible AC problems there is no need to “top off” refrigerant. A car A/C system that is operating properly does not consume refrigerant nor does refrigerant normally escape.

On the other hand, it may be wise to have your air conditioning system flushed from time-to-time to maintain its cooling ability and to stay ahead of costly repairs.It has been observed that less than 1/10 of a teaspoon of debris or dirtcan completely restrict the flow of refrigerant and oil in a typical auto AC system.If you suspect your AC is not performing as well as it once did bring it to Hometown Auto Repair and have one of our expert AC repair specialists inspect your vehicle. Call us at (863) 318-0500 or stop by Winter Haven, FL 33884 for great AC service. We want to be your trusted choice for auto repair service.