How often should the car air conditioner be serviced?

Almost everyone knows that car air conditioning is a very useful invention. Its particular advantage is the soothing coolness on hot days, which helps to breathe and focus on driving. In addition, the air conditioning in the car prevents unpleasant fogging of the windows, which, by reducing visibility, causes poor driving comfort and potential danger. However, in order for the air conditioner in the car to perform its functions, we must ensure that it is regularly cleaned and maintained. Experts recommend checking the air conditioner at least once a year. A service visit is a great opportunity to change the refrigerant. It is also time to thoroughly clean the air conditioner, preferably with the ozone method, which is famous for its high efficiency.

What is the danger of too rare maintenance of a car air conditioner?

Taking advantage of the beneficial effects of the air conditioner every day, we often forget that it needs regular maintenance. Often we are well aware of this, but we postpone a visit to a specialized plant to an uncertain future. This is not a very smart decision, because an uncleaned car air conditioner can not only reduce driving comfort, but also pose a serious threat to our health. This is because a humid air conditioning system creates ideal conditions for bacteria, fungus and mold to grow.

When the air conditioner is turned on, these microbes are sprayed into the interior of the vehicle, where they come into contact with our mucous membranes and the organ of vision. In addition, they must not be inhaled. As a result, we may develop flu-like symptoms, burning and red eyes, and skin irritation. A dirty air conditioner in a car, on the contrary, is especially dangerous for people suffering from allergies and bronchial asthma. In addition, we must also remember that irregular maintenance of the air conditioner contributes to the occurrence of technical malfunctions - putrefactive processes occur in a humid environment, which can prevent the correct functioning of the components of our cooling system.

 Air conditioner failure

Many of us use the car air conditioner only in the summer season, when the need to cool the overheated interior of the car becomes obvious. However, after winter, it often turns out that the air conditioner emits an unpleasant odor, practically does not give a feeling of cooling. Then it is obvious that it is damaged and that the air conditioner will need to be repaired. What are the most common mistakes websites encounter?

Decline in air conditioner performance

Firstly, this is an insufficient amount of refrigerant, which largely determines the efficiency of the entire system. About 10-15% of the factor can naturally be lost during normal operation per year. Thus, the efficiency of the cooling system will gradually decrease. In addition, the refrigerant mixes with the oil that lubricates the compressor, ensuring optimum operating conditions. Therefore, regular punching of the air conditioning system is very important for its proper functioning.

On the other hand, if we take care to replenish the refrigerant at least once every 2 years, and insufficient quantities appear much more often, this may indicate a leak that requires diagnosis and repair. Another relatively common air conditioner failure is the failure of the radiator, also known as the condenser. This is one of the most delicate elements of the entire system, which is subject to corrosion, pollution and mechanical damage as a result of driving. They can be caused, for example, by small stones thrown from the road, dirt and insects.

The development of fungi, bacteria and microbes

Thanks to the air conditioner's humid working environment and the fact that this system draws heat from the car's interior, ideal conditions are created for bacteria and fungi to grow. These microorganisms cause a number of unpleasant symptoms, which we mentioned in the first part of this guide. First of all, the upper and lower respiratory tract, skin, eyes, mucous membranes of the mouth and nose are at risk. The resulting allergens will increase immune system reactions such as a runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat or burning eyes.

Mushroom toxins can also cause unpleasant skin symptoms. Such a wide range of adverse effects on the body should encourage us to visit websites regularly. Then you need to thoroughly clean the air conditioner and ozonize it. Services of this type are not very expensive and have a huge impact on health.

Bad smell in the car

Car air conditioning causes increased humidity in the car interior, which over time can cause an unpleasant smell in the car interior, reminiscent of mold. This is a signal that it will be necessary to clean the air conditioner and replace the filters. The air conditioning service technician should have the professional knowledge to recognize the problem, pointing out where repairs are needed.

Symptoms of a malfunctioning car air conditioner

We already know what types of air conditioner breakdowns we can face in everyday life. What symptoms should indicate the need to visit the site? The main problem is the poor performance of the air conditioner or insufficient cooling. Filling the air conditioner with refrigerant in most cases effectively solves this problem. Often in this case, the pollen filter also needs to be replaced.

A similar problem that we see relatively often in our cars is intermittent cooling, which indicates a blockage in the refrigerant circuit or too high pressure in the system. This happens when the system is dirty or has too much moisture in it. Complete lack of cooling is often a symptom compressor failure. In this case, it is necessary to repair or regenerate the air conditioning compressors (https://www.ogarbon.pl/Regeneracja_sprezarek_klimatyzacji).

 Another cause could be air in the system or excess oil in the coolant. A malfunctioning car air conditioner can also be manifested by noise when starting it - such noises can be the result of damage to the compressor clutch, loosening or seizing. If the compressor does not start immediately after switching on, this may indicate a lack of refrigerant or faulty controllers.

Repairing a faulty air conditioner in a car costs much more than maintaining it.

A significant part of motorists believe that if the air conditioning system works flawlessly or has lost little in its characteristics, it makes no sense to spend money on its maintenance. This, unfortunately, is a pernicious belief that significantly shortens the life of an air conditioner in a car. An annual examination with a quick diagnosis costs PLN 100, and the so-called. a biennial with refrigerant replenishment usually costs around PLN 300. Meanwhile, a more serious breakdown, for example, the need to replace the compressor after a jam that occurred due to our negligence, usually costs 3-4 thousand zlotys. Therefore, the economic calculation is simple - it is more profitable for us to regularly service and ozonize the air conditioner before the summer season than to repair breakdowns and malfunctions resulting from negligence. It must be remembered that the operation of a car air conditioner takes place in difficult conditions. The whole system is subject to vibrations, fluctuations in temperature and high humidity. Thus, it can easily lead to leaks that reduce the efficiency of the air conditioning.

Professional air conditioning service in Warsaw - Skylark-Polska

The efficiency of a car air conditioner largely depends on the decisions we make. When we leave regular service, we lose more than we gain. Therefore, once a year it is worth contacting a professional service that will take care of the ventilation system. Residents of Warsaw and the surrounding area can take advantage of Skylark-Polska's specialized air conditioning service. Qualified personnel will solve all problems, and innovative equipment will allow you not to delay the entire service.