Dog days of summer heat play havoc on a car battery and comfort

When the temperature rises to 93 degrees, the inside of these cars are like
ovens. And the sun is punishing the car battery in each of these cars, as well
as the finish.

These are the true dog days of summer – the gritty days when the heat can feel like a damp and suffocating blanket. And through it, the sun beats down baking the earth and everything on it. Perspiration seems to form on your brow if you so much as look out onto the scorched world around you.

What does this heat mean for your car? Plenty.

Air conditioning: Hopefully, your car’s air conditioning is really healthy and robust. If not, this kind of weather will break its spirit and leave you sweltering in the car where you expected the cooling relief that the car's air conditioning always otherwise provided. If your car’s air conditioning isn’t quite up to the task, no problem, just bring it into a trusted auto repair shop and they can give it an energy boost that will keep the sun, humidity and heat at bay.

The Battery: Most people think of winter as the time of year that’s really hard on a car battery. That’s a misconception. While the cold can be a problem for the car’s charging and starting system, it’s the summer heat that really takes a toll on a car battery.

Recently, Spring Grove State Farm agent Mark Nielsen commented to a group of business owners that summer really beats the heck out of car batteries. As Nielsen explained, “Service calls for dead car batteries are way up” with the hot days lately.

A car’s finish and interior: The sun’s Ultra-Violet rays are murder on your car’s finish and interior. The UV rays do the same thing to your home’s furniture and carpet. That’s why Bill Thomas, of Northern Illinois Windows, installs a lot of 3M tinted window film this time of year. As Thomas explains, “Our 3M window film blocks 99.9 percent of the sun’s UV rays. Otherwise, you’ll move a cabinet and discover the difference between the flooring that sat in the sun and the flooring that was protected by the cabinet. Of course, the cabinet also suffered.”

You may want to put a windshield visor up when you leave the car parked in the sun. This will help protect the interior and will also keep the car cooler for your return. As for the exterior finish, there are car waxes you can put on the paint to protect a car’s finish, somewhat.

Keep dogs and Children safe: This is not the time of year to leave children or pets in the car. Even if you leave the window down a little, the temperature inside the car can hit 123 degrees in 60 minutes when the temperature is only 80 degrees outside. That’s why, according to the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science, since 1998, 684 children have died in cars from heatstroke.

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