Despite this summer’s record-breaking heat wave, families are still dying to hit the road and go on vacation now that Covid’s restrictions for travelling have been, for the most part, lifted. And who can blame them! But before hopping in the car with the kids to get a move on, it’s important to make sure your vehicle is safe and ready for summer travel as well.

Why Does Getting an AC Tune Up for Your vehicle Even Matter?

Unlike your engine or other internal parts of your vehicle that need to have fluids changed or any regular maintenance to work efficiently, your AC system in your vehicle runs properly with little to no care- FOR THE MOST PART. Although the AC system does not actively need to have fluids changed regularly, that doesn't mean you never have to worry about your AC system failing. And you don’t need us to tell you that your car potentially needing a new air conditioning system in the middle of a heat wave is less than ideal. The recommended time between AC Tune-Ups is about once a year.

The area around Salt Lake City is not used to these extreme temperatures, meaning it is more important than ever to make sure your family stays safe during any road trips- which means an AC Tune-up. And now you’re probably wondering to yourself if it’s worth the money. Compared to the cost of getting an entire new AC installed, tune-ups (where a mechanic looks for potential clogs or leaks in the system) is a MUCH cheaper alternative. Catching the leak or clog as soon as possible is the goal, as it is a quicker and much cheaper fix. Plus, clogs can lead to damage on other parts of your car’s operating system if they’re not taken care of.

AC Compressors tend to fail more often in dry and hot weather, and the more mileage your car has, the more likely that the general wear-and-tear of driving your car has also had an effect on your air conditioning system. If your car’s air-conditioning system doesn’t reach the desired level of coolness you’re looking for, it most likely is attributable to your AC compressor beginning to fail.

How Car Batteries React in Extreme Heat

We’ve always heard that your car battery may fail if it gets too cold- but only more recently have studies been conducted showing that hot weather can be WORSE. Why, you may ask? The heat in the summertime (the hotter it is, the worse it is) puts a constant strain on your car’s battery, which in turn, increases the amount of sulfates present. Hot weather also means that the hood atop your car’s engine is trapping in a LOT of heat.

So, what does this mean for your car? The hotter temperatures allow for accelerated corrosion inside the battery. Furthermore, water can evaporate within your car’s battery, causing a weakened start-up ability, and overall, a shorter battery life. This could definitely become a problem if your car’s battery does not have enough juice to start the vehicle up again when you’re on that family road trip or on a long drive.

It’s tempting to hop in the car and just DRIVE- but the consequences of not being proactive could be dire. If either your AC System or Battery go out during your road trip, it could put your family’s safety at risk. So, instead of spending the summer worrying about whether family will stay safe for the remainder of the heatwave, do yourself a favor and get an AC tune-up and a battery test if it’s been a while- that way, you REALLY won’t have to sweat it!