There are a lot of challenges associated with the winter season. Yes, you don’t have to worry about the trauma linked to the heat experienced during summer. But the extreme cold weather during this period doesn’t help either. It has far-reaching effects on your health and your belongings.

Vehicular movement is one exercise affected greatly by the cold weather. With any significant drop in temperature below the freezing point of water, pools of moisture wherever they might be are frozen solid. Our cars are usually left in contact with the elements. Typically, you might find your car under a pool of ice which is not a pleasant sight to behold especially if you have to be somewhere quickly.

Driving your car under such harsh weather conditions often leads to the fogging of your windshield. This could make driving difficult for your visibility of the events on the road is considerably hampered. The air conditioning system of your car could be of immense help in this regard. A lot of people have a perception that the function of their car’s air conditioning is only beneficial during summer. This is wrong. Your car air conditioning has an attribute called the re-circulate mode. It is often identified as a button with a curved arrow. Using this mode could help in defogging the inside of your windshield. How? Like you might have guessed it ensures air within your vehicle is recycled and the result is a much more humidified air which warms the cold interior of your windshield. This allows you quickly wipe the glassy surface improving your visibility of the road. But there is a catch. Using the air re-circulation mode for long periods can be lethargic. This is not surprising since the air within the car without the influx of fresh air from outside has a low concentration of oxygen which is continuously depleted by the occupants of the car. For this singular reason, the person at the wheel could fall asleep, and that could spell doom for everyone in the vehicle.

Another benefit of the air recirculation mode can be seen when you are in traffic. Perhaps a car close to yours is discharging some unpleasant fumes, and you don’t want to perceive it, using the air re-circulate mode of your car’s air conditioning might be a good idea. It keeps out the bad odor which could be harmful to those in your car. However, it is advisable you alternate between this mode and the fresh air mode to prevent a general drowsy feeling among those in your vehicle.

Many car owners are tempted to use the re-circulate function during winter due to the excess cold outside. There is a reason why it is not recommended. Yes, the warmth tends to increase since the air in circulation is that expelled by the other inhabitants of your car. It is humid with less oxygen content than that outside. The problem is since the weather on the exterior of the car is cold a mist builds on the inside of the windshield. Apparently, the glassy surface is cold and with the high humidity within the car, the misty formation on the windshield is inevitable.

One component of your car which is known to substantially affect how your car consumes fuel is the air conditioning. But the use of the re-circulate mode doesn’t have any significant effect on your gas mileage. Why? It is more efficient since it cools only a small fraction of air compared to what is obtainable with the other modes.

Experts advise that you don’t need to use the re-circulate mode when driving during winter. They believe using the fresh air function of your air conditioning is a better option since the air from the outside gets through a heating core which warms it. So, regardless of how cold it is, what gets to you is warmer than the exterior.

Surprisingly, some cars have air conditioning which lacks the re-circulate mode. In its stead, there is an auto setting. Your car might belong to this category especially if it is recently built. No, this doesn’t mean the function is completely absent rather it points to an automatic approach to the use of the feature. Your car handles how the re-circulate function is used removing that liberty enjoyed by users of older cars. The only input you are allowed to make is related to fiddling with the temperature dial of the air conditioning to what suits you. So, if your car was made in recent times you are not only trendy compared to the rest of us, but you worry less about “frivolities” like the re-circulate mode.

As reiterated earlier, the function of your car’s air conditioning isn’t just about delivering cold air. It can absorb the moisture content of the air by drastically reducing the incidence of a fog build-up on your windshield. The importance of this particular attribute is better visibility through the glassy surface which driving in the winter demands.

Another reason why using the re-circulate mode isn’t advisable in the winter season is the freezing of your compressor. This component of your car’s air conditioning works overtime to ensure the air recycled is adequately cooled considering the moisture content of the exhaled air.

Fresh air is great due to the high oxygen content. But when the weather is frigid, you don’t want that cold breeze touching your skin. This is usually where the re-circulate function becomes useful and why it is popular. However, due to the level of humidity generated with this mode, its prolonged use is a decision you shouldn’t be making.

Certainly, recycling the air in your car is an efficient approach towards cooling the interior of your vehicle. But it shouldn’t be used over a long period since it makes you uncomfortable. And your health, as well as other occupants of your car, is important. It should never be compromised for anything. This is why alternating the re-circulate mode after a short while with the fresh mode is strongly recommended.

Billy Miller
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