Driving would inevitably cease to be a pleasant experience in a car with a dead heating or air conditioning system, especially with the unpredictable weather in Colorado. While such problems require the intervention of an experienced longmont air conditioning service technician, it is always helpful if the driver has a basic understanding of how these systems work and what problems they can develop. Basic Information on How Car Heating and Air Conditioning Systems Work Technicians describe the car heating system as a small cooling system radiator. It circulates hot engine coolant through a heater core or small radiator.

The heater core has a fan located in front of it, which blows the cold air from outside over the fins. While crossing the heater core, the air heats up and turns into the hot air the heater vents blow inside the car. The heater core is prone to develop the same issues as the radiator of the cooling system. When rust and sludge clog it, it no longer provides heat. When coolant leaks, the car cabin fills with white steam that messes up the windows. When the leak is in the heater core, turning the heater on will release a sweet smell of coolant. The car air conditioning system relies on the following components: a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator.

The functioning of the compressor is easier to understand when compared to the experience of cleaning computer components with a compressed air can. The air can get cold almost immediately, due to the rapidly expanding compressed gas. The process taking place in the car’s air conditioning system is similar. The compressor turns the refrigerant (Freon) into hot gas. The condenser cools the gas and turns it into liquid, allowing it to travel to the expansion valve. While crossing the expansion valve, Freon returns to the low-pressure gas state and cools down fast in the evaporator. The fan in front of the evaporator blows over it and cools down the air, eventually blowing it out through the car’s vents.

Common Problems That Require the Intervention of a Longmont Air Conditioning Service Technician 1. Car air conditioning systems lose 15% of their refrigerant every year. As a result, they require periodical recharging to work with maximum efficiency. Leaks may appear as well, case in which repairs will be necessary before performing the refill. Specific test equipment is necessary to identify refrigerant leaks. 2. The air conditioning system may need retrofitting to keep up with EPA standards. EPA banned the use of R-12 Freon, turning R-134 into the new standard. Systems that use R-12 will need adjustments to keep up with standards. Sometimes, the technicians need to replace the seals, hoses, and compressor, as the old ones are not compatible with the oils in R-134. 3. Corrosion can lead to heater core leaks. They can be recognized by the steam released in the car cabin or by the sweet smell of coolant released through the vents. Since the heater core is usually located in a tight space under the dashboard, replacing it is a tough job, even for a Longmont air conditioning service technician.