There are lots of places in the country where you can get away without needing to worry about having air conditioning in your car. There might be a few really hot days in the summer but aside from that you are okay. Portland is not one of those places. You need auto air conditioning and you need it working at its best for the majority of the year. Otherwise, driving around town becomes extremely unpleasant.
Fortunately, most of the time auto air conditioning goes along without needing much maintenance. But a little care and tending frequently can definitely help prevent expensive systemic breakdowns later. First of all, be familiar with your air conditioning system and all of its parts. Chances are that by reading the owner’s manual for your car you will get a great idea of how long different parts will last and how often they need to be checked. Of course, asking your mechanic and having him look over your system is also a really great idea as he can tell you if there is a lot of wear and tear going on in the different parts.
In fact, as part of your routine Portland air conditioning maintenance, you should have your system inspected each spring before heavy air conditioning season starts. He will inspect the compressor drive belt and possibly adjust the tension if it is needed. He should also check the hoses for cracks, bubbles, or leaks since breaks in the hoses can lead to a loss of expensive coolant. And of course he should also check the refrigerant and make sure that there is enough of it and replace it if it is needed.
Once a month during the cooler months, you should go ahead and run the air conditioner for ten minutes. You of course do not need to be in the car while this is happening if it is too cold. You should run it at its coolest setting and the highest fan speed. This helps prevent your hoses hardening and the seals from failing and also maintains the coolant pressure in the system for your auto air conditioning in Portland.
Lastly, you should dry the evaporator core periodically during the summer months when it is being used all the time. In order to do this, you need to run the car’s defrost for five to ten minutes to clean out any accumulated water. This prevents mildew growing in the system and keeps it odor free. Feel free to contact Roth Heating & Cooling, Plumbing, Electrical, Drain Services.
