6 Steps to Get Your AC System Blowing Cooler Air ASAP

​Bitter cold temperatures, snow drifts, and icy roads are just a few of the things we get to miss out on living here in beautiful sunny Florida. But living in the Sunshine State means that we use our vehicle air conditioning systems almost year round, even at the height of “winter,” where temperatures can still reach the mid to upper 80’s. And now that the Florida summer heat and humidity are here, we put together the easiest way to get your car cooler more quickly!

6 Easy Steps to Get Your AC System Blowing Cooler Air ASAP

• Lower the windows a few inches
• Set AC fan speed to option three or three quarters
• Turn off the recirculation option
• Start driving and after one mile raise the windows
• After three to five minutes activate the recirculation option
• Adjust fan speed to desired level

Vehicle AC systems don’t actually create cold air as many people think. It works by a process known as heat exchange, where hot air is removed from the system and replaced with less hot air which feels cooler. And with the right sequence of events you can get your vehicle cooler, much faster.

Vehicle AC systems don’t actually create cold air as many people think. It works by a process known as heat exchange, where hot air is removed from the system and replaced with less hot air which feels cooler. And with the right sequence of events you can get your vehicle cooler, much faster.

After you start the engine, lower the windows a few inches. Next set the AC fan speed to option three or if you have a variable fan speed option, slide the setting to about the three quarters mark. You really don’t ever want to set the fan speed to the highest setting because too much air will be moving too quickly through the evaporator and won’t be properly cooled.

Next, make sure the recirculation button is not engaged. This button usually has a profile picture of a generic vehicle with an arrow that is either pointing into the vehicle image or is shown as a circular arrow within the vehicle image. Having the recirculation option off at this point allows the AC system to draw outside air, which will be cooler than the inside cabin air. On hot days the temperature inside your vehicle can be as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If the recirculation option is initially engaged, you are trying to exchange hot air with hot air.

Begin driving and after about a mile raise the windows to their fully closed position as you have now vented the majority of the extreme hot air from the cabin. At this point you are now filling the cabin with cooler outside air and in another three to five minutes activate the recirculation button. With the recirculation mode activated, you are now recirculating much cooler air than just a few minutes ago. Lastly, adjust the fan speed to your desired level.

Use of the recirculation option is also beneficial when you encounter smelly or smoky conditions on the road. Activating the recirculation mode will only use inside cabin air which isn’t smelly or smoky. So when you are in these types of conditions turn on the recirculation mode to avoid unfriendly smells.

Tell a friend about this tip so they can be cool too!

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