Have you ever seen a dog hanging out the window? Panting, slobbering and pushing ½ of its body out the window into that driving wind. On a typical July or August day without an A/C, this look could be yours. But for a minimal purchase of $34.95 you can be sweat and worry free with a little “preventive maintenance” or a beach savior.
As you know, a little cool air on a hot summer day goes a long way. If you have ever been to Disney World in Orlando during the summer, I am sure you have purchased the rip-off of Mouse Land, the battery operated water fan. I have seen some tourist actually down right bathe with these small hand held propellers. Unfortunately you don’t have the mass luxury of singing sales people hypnotizing you to purchase this commodity. So how do you know when to be prepared for the loss of your A/C headed to the beach?
For starters, common sense says take your pointer finger, damp it and stick it outside. Is your A/C significantly cooler than the outside temperature? If you answer NO, then the most common diagnosis is a low level of refrigerant or coolant which is due to either a leak or a “time warp” since last fill. PS. If you are using birthdays as a landmark, please use the latter as your diagnosis.
To check the fluid level, look for the plastic “overflow reservoir”, check the level of the fluid there as well as the level inside the radiator when the engine is cold. If the antifreeze is dirty or rusty colored it should be flushed and replaced. Regular-life antifreeze is bright green in color; the longer-life antifreeze is red.
Recharging the refrigerant requires special equipment that the average customer wouldn’t purchase. There are a couple of things that you can do. First, make sure to have the system checked regularly according to your owner’s manual, and second, run your A/C system about 10 minutes per month, even when it’s cold outside. This might not make much sense in the colder climates, but shop technicians recommend running it because it contains a light mineral oil in the refrigerant that helps keep the compressor properly lubricated.
The best thing about air conditioning is you push a single button to make it work. Air conditioning systems are reliable if maintained properly. If you are a Go Green with maintenance then it must be a leak. So pull over and grab your savior, the Red Angel A/C Stop Leak, from the backseat and within 15 minutes you will be headed to the beach with A/C.
