The air conditioning of a beloved car needs to be cleaned regularly for a smooth breathing passage.

by langrentoh1 on 2012-02-13 10:18:36

Frequent cleaning of car air conditioners ensures smooth breathing passages

Recently, a joint-venture car dealership near Shigu in Nancheng invited a renowned respiratory specialist from a hospital in Dongguan to give a lecture to car owners. Many people might find this a bit far-fetched, but did you know that the occurrence of respiratory diseases is related to the use of car air conditioners?

Many people regularly clean their beloved cars, but how many pay attention to whether the car's air conditioner has been cleaned in time? As the weather gets hotter, most citizens choose to turn on the air conditioning as soon as they get in the car, but according to a survey conducted by journalists, the cleanliness of car air conditioners in Dongguan is concerning.

Doctor: Long-term unclean air conditioners can easily harm the respiratory system

"Car spaces are small, improper use of air conditioners or too low cleaning frequency is indeed very harmful to the human body. This issue should be taken seriously by car owners. Many patients who come to the hospital for examination and treatment of respiratory diseases are caused by improper use of car air conditioners," Dr. He Xiangliang from Tongji Guanghua Hospital told reporters. If the car air conditioning system has not been cleaned for a long time, accumulated mites and microorganisms pose a great threat to people with asthma and bronchitis, easily triggering asthma and airway allergies. For normal people, bacteria in the air conditioner can easily cause sore throats and respiratory infections, and in severe cases, may lead to pharyngitis and tracheitis.

Dr. He suggests for drivers: First, don't stay in the air-conditioned car for too long, pay attention to air circulation and ventilation. Second, the air conditioning temperature should not be set too low; around 25℃ is generally appropriate. Third, timely cleaning and maintenance of the car air conditioning system is necessary. In addition, Dr. He suggests that if people with respiratory diseases such as asthma feel uncomfortable in an air-conditioned car, they should seek medical attention promptly. For normal people, if they feel uncomfortable in an air-conditioned car, they can rest and adjust. However, if it's more serious, they should seek medical attention immediately.

Automobile expert: Two-thirds of car owners do not know how to use the car air conditioner correctly

On that day, each owner was given a survey questionnaire. Among the collected questionnaires, nearly 70% of the owners chose to turn on the "A/C" button of the air conditioner as soon as they got into the car, adjusting the wind speed to the maximum, then waiting for the car to cool down. "This time the dealership specifically invited the doctor and me to spread knowledge about car air conditioners to the owners, I think this practice is very good," Mr. Liang, who has worked as a service manager for over ten years, told reporters. In summer, almost everyone driving uses the air conditioner, but only about one-third truly knows how to use it. Many people think they know how to use the car air conditioner, but they may have been using it incorrectly for many years.

Smart tricks for using car air conditioners correctly

How to extend the life of the air conditioner and maintain its good working condition. On that day at the event site, the doctor and experts taught the owners a few tips. "As long as the owners follow what I said, there won't be any health problems with the air conditioner itself or when you use it."

Mastering the inside and outside air circulation of the air conditioner. One of the most painful things in summer is opening the car door after being exposed to direct sunlight. The correct method is to open the car door first, use the outside air circulation to dissipate heat. After the temperature drops, the cooling effect under the internal circulation mode will be better. But prolonged internal circulation can pollute the air inside the car, so don't forget to switch between internal and external circulation modes regularly.

Dissipate heat first, then turn on the air conditioner. If the car has been parked under the scorching sun for a long time, don't turn on the air conditioner immediately after starting the car. Open all the windows first, start the external circulation to dissipate the heat, wait until the temperature inside the car drops, then close the windows and turn on the air conditioner.

Maintain an appropriate temperature. Don't set the temperature to the lowest just for a moment of coolness. Under normal circumstances, the temperature inside the car should be controlled between 20℃ and 25℃. If it's a non-constant temperature air conditioner, set the temperature to the lowest first, set the wind speed to the maximum, and when the temperature is suitable, adjust the temperature higher and reduce the wind speed.

Turn off the air conditioner temporarily when driving at low speeds. When driving at low speeds, try to turn off the air conditioner. Don't increase the engine speed to improve the efficiency of the air conditioner during traffic jams, as this will shorten the lifespan of the engine and the air conditioner compressor.

Don't use the air conditioner for too long. Using the car air conditioner for a long time will put too much pressure on the condenser, causing damage to the cooling system. Therefore, if the temperature inside the car is already cool, consider turning off the car air conditioner for a while.

Turn off the air conditioner a few minutes before parking. Turn off the cold air a few minutes before parking, then turn on the natural wind afterward. Before parking, let the temperature in the air conditioning pipeline rise to eliminate the temperature difference with the outside, thereby maintaining the relative dryness of the air conditioning system.

Know the correct sequence of turning on and off. When turning on, turn on the fan switch first, then the compressor switch (A/C); when turning off, turn off the compressor switch (A/C) first, then the fan switch. It’s best to turn off the compressor switch in high temperatures, then turn off the fan after two or three minutes.

Clean the air conditioning filter frequently. Owners often wait until the air conditioner isn't working well before thinking about cleaning it, by which time the filter may already be covered with thick dirt. Bacteria breed, and moldy odors appear. Generally, the air conditioning filter should be cleaned every 5,000 kilometers or 3 months, and replaced every 20,000 kilometers or 12 months. Additionally, the car air conditioning condenser also needs regular cleaning, and the radiator must be disassembled to clean thoroughly.

Link: Bus air conditioner cleaning follows regulations

In 2006, the Ministry of Health issued the "Health Management Measures for Centralized Air Conditioning Ventilation Systems in Public Places." The measures clearly stipulate: Establish and improve the health management system for centralized air conditioning ventilation systems, conduct regular inspections, tests, and maintenance, and establish special files. If issues are found with the air conditioning system inspection, immediate cleaning and disinfection of the centralized air conditioning ventilation system should be carried out, and it can only be operated after testing and evaluation are qualified. When air-borne infectious diseases break out in the area, the equipment or components of the running centralized air conditioning ventilation system should be cleaned, disinfected, or replaced weekly.

According to the "Health Management Measures for Centralized Air Conditioning Ventilation Systems in Public Places," Dongguan held a training session on May 25th, 2010, for health supervision of centralized air conditioning ventilation systems in public places, where 89 health supervisors participated.