No car is immune to the effects of Phoenix summer temperatures. Nobody wants to be greeted by a sweltering car interior, scalding seats, scorching seatbelt buckles, and a blistering steering wheel, all insanely hot to touch. To help keep your car cool in Phoenix during the hot summer months, try one or more of these tips.
1. Use a Reflective Window Shade
Window shades will protect you from the sun’s heat and damaging UV rays, protecting your car’s interior. Put a window shade up every time you’re going to be out of the car, even if it’s only for a few minutes.
2. Cover the Dash
Covering the dash with a piece of fabric, a towel or an upholstered dash cover will definitely make the car’s interior easier to deal with. Not only will this help you avoid touching hot vinyl surfaces, covering the dash will protect the vinyl from sun exposure and the damage it causes.
3. Cover the Seats
This tip is especially important if you have leather or vinyl seats and they’re exposed to high temperatures. Covering seats with blankets will make getting in the car a lot easier on hot summer days.
4. Portable 12v Evaporative coolers
If your air conditioning isn’t working, a portable 12v evaporative cooler provides a simple solution for keeping your car comfortable during the summer. These coolers don’t work as well as real A/C, but they’ll help in a pinch.
5. Portable 12v Fans
Portable fans cool off a vehicle’s interior by creating continuous air circulation. You can cool things down even more by blowing the fan over a cool cloth (have a container that keeps water cool in the car for this purpose).
6. Tinted Windows
Having your car’s windows tinted is a great way to keep the interior cooler. Important to note is that you need to find out how dark of a tint you can legally use. While tinted windows are permitted in Arizona, the darkness of the tint is regulated. The window tinting company you use should know the requirements, but you can also view them here.
7. Park in Your Garage
When you are home, nothing beats the heat more than parking in the garage. Even if the garage is warm, it’s better than parking in the sun all day or even for a few minutes.
8. Park in a Shaded Area
Whenever possible, park in a shady area, especially if you’re going to be out of the car for an extended period of time. It’s well worth walking a bit farther to park in a shaded area or structure – you’ll be happy you did when you return to the car.
9. Use a Parking Garage
If one is available, use a parking garage when you’re out and about. If possible, park your car in a shaded area of the parking garage, especially during the hottest part of the day.
10. Try Not to Expose Windows to the Sun
Car windows are the biggest culprits when it comes to heat buildup. When glass windows and the metal that supports them are constantly exposed to direct sunlight during the summer, it causes stress on the glass. If you have a crack or chip in your window, it’s possible that the heat will cause it to crack further. Finding a place to park that provides the least amount of sun exposure to the windows will help keep this from happening.
11. Crack the Windows
If you’re in a safe area, cracking the windows a little will help reduce heat from building up in the car. A lot of drivers still recommend this practice for keeping interior temperatures down – make sure you’re in a safe location.
12. Make Sure the A/C is Ready for Summer
Ensuring your car’s A/C is working at 100% is the best way to protect yourself from the miserable summer heat. The last thing you want to have happen when Phoenix’s hot temperature hits is for the A/C to break down.
Having good working air conditioning in your car is essential, call us today if you need yours fixed.
