MAKING YOUR A/C LAST

We are often asked what people can do to get more life from their a/c system. There are a couple things everyone can do.
#1. Do not idle your vehicle with the a/c on. Cars and light trucks were designed to be in motion. Air is forced through the front of the vehicle while in motion. This Ram air passes through the a/c condenser, cooling it and lowering the internal pressure. Pressure and heat kill systems. When a vehicle idles, only air pulled through by the engines fans provide fresh air. The longer a vehicle idles the hotter and more stagnant the air gets. When we are out and about we see people with a car full of people idling while parked at a drive through or store waiting. They have no idea the damage they are inflicting on the compressor. Eventually they will be in for very expensive repairs.
#2, keep the area in front of the condenser and between the radiator clean. This area plugs up with leaves and bugs. The lack of air flow increases heat and pressure just like example #1.
#3. Use your a/c in the winter. Using the defroster also helps because your compressor is activated with the defroster. This helps keep the lubricant flowing and seals soft. There are also cases of some compressors locking up from lack of use and lubricant.
Follow these tips and you will increase your systems lifespan and overall performance.