Heating and Cooling System Maintenance

The heating and cooling systems in your car share various components, but function independently from each other. Based on the season, either one or the other system essentially sits unused for months at a time. By the time March rolls around, for instance, your air conditioner may have gone unused for as long as 5 months. Once the heat and humidity start to spike, many of us will flip that switch for the cool relief of air conditioning only to find it not working. 

Both systems require occasional maintenance and inspection to ensure that they are both operational. It is also crucial to have these systems inspected before you really need them. Spring and fall are ideal.

Heating Systems

Heating systems are critically important as they keep your cabin warm in potentially dangerous temperatures. Not having a functioning heat system can be dangerous to the driver but even more so for children and pets.

Heating systems are made up of several components, such as the heater core, a blower motor fan, along with a complement of hoses, filters, electrical controls, sensors, etc.

The heat may stop working in your car due to the failure of any one or more of these systems, and the fix can range from simple to complex. For example, you may have a cabin air filter that is completely clogged up, essentially suffocating the system. Or, you can have an electrical issue impacting the climate control system.

Air Conditioning / Cooling System

The air conditioning in your vehicle combats both heat and humidity. During the summer months, this can be a life saver – especially where we live in Bucks County where the heat and humidity can be a bit stifling.

Cooling systems include refrigerant, a compressor, a condenser and various other complimentary hoses, valves and sensors to keep your system working. They also use the same venting and filtration systems as the heating system. These systems can clog, leak, break, etc. What’s worse, when the cooling system breaks, it has a habit of blowing even hotter air into your already hot car.

Important Note: Be wary of department store fix kits (eg., those aerosol cans of coolant/sealants.) They can potentially fix a couple issues that might be limiting your system but not all of them. They can also irreversibly gum up your cooling systems and can void warranties. 

The hot summer months are right around the corner and getting your air conditioning system checked now is ideal. Request an appointment online or give our service desk a call today to book your appointment or ask that we inspect your cooling system during your next visit. BBack Car Care has years of experience diagnosing and fixing heating and cooling systems and can ensure you’re ready to beat the heat this summer.