You’ve probably noticed the air recirculation button among the various buttons on your car’s dashboard. This one is situated near the A/C controls,and is identified by a car symbol with a U-turn arrow inside. We all see the button but many of us are unsure when to use it.
Well, the easy answer is to use it in the summer and turn it off in the winter. It’s best to use this feature when it’s hot outside, and you have the A/C turned on. It recirculates the slightly cool air that comes out of the A/C when you first turn it on instead of pulling the hot air in from outside.
On days when it is miserably hot outside, if you do not recirculate the cooler air in the cabin, then your AC system is pulling hot air from outside and trying to cool it. Using the recirculation feature will get your car cooler and will lessen the wear and tear on your AC system.
This function can be a lifesaver during long, hot summer days. However, you should avoid using the function during the winter. The recirculated air in the winter does not stop the cold air from entering your vehicle. The “fresh air” mode moves the cold air through the car’s heaters, making the air warmer. This function also lessens the humidity inside the vehicle and will help windows to fog less and stay that way while you drive.
Lastly, if your car has been baking in the sun, it’s better to roll the windows down and turn recirculate off for the first minute or so to get rid of the super hot air inside the car before turning the recirculate on.
Also, any time you are stuck in traffic be sure to use the recirculate. If you are pulling air from outside, then you are pulling in all the pollutants and carbon monoxide from all the traffic. Recirculating your AC can cut down on the pollutants entering your vehicle by 20% when stuck in traffic!
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