If you live in an area with particularly hot summers, you might be eager to find ways to improve the effectiveness of your car's AC. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to keep comfortably cool even after you've deemed your AC's effectiveness inadequate.

The following are five things to try in your car to get comfortable during the hottest parts of the year:

Avoid driving extremely fast or putting the accelerator down all the way

AC use puts pressure on your engine in the same way that driving faster does. In fact, you may notice that your engine RPMs increase slightly when you turn the AC on.

The faster you drive, the more stress you place on the engine. You'll probably find that your engine can contribute more power to your AC system if you drive a little slower.

It especially detracts from your AC's effectiveness when you "floor it," so drive relatively slowly and conservatively to stay cool. 

Turn off all the vents that aren't facing you if you're the only one in the car

In some vehicles, it's possible to turn off certain vents and leave others on. When you do this, you can focus all the effort of the AC system toward the vents that are facing you.

You'll probably notice that slightly more cool air flows out of the vents facing you after you turn off other vents.

Have more refrigerant put in your vehicle

If your AC is not cooling your car as well as you think it should, it could be that your refrigerant level is low. Have your refrigerant level checked the next time you take your vehicle in for service to determine if you need more refrigerant.

Don't park right under the sun

You really make your AC's job harder when you park right in the sun and leave your vehicle exposed to greenhouse effect warming while you're parked.

Your AC will feel much more effective—especially right after you get in—if you park under the shade or put a shade over your windshield. 

If you have no choice but to park under the sun, cracking your windows open slightly may help your vehicle to avoid overheating before you get back in.

Make sure that both your vents and your return air located beneath your dashboard are clear of debris

Dust and debris can accumulate in your vents and the return air that draws air into your car's AC system. By simply cleaning out this debris, you can improve airflow and make your vehicle's AC more effective.

For more tips, contact a company like Modern Auto Air.

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