Hey Los Altos! Let's talk about one of our CA summertime must-haves: your car A/C. It's real easy for Los Altos motorists to take their car's air conditioner for granted. Just push the right buttons and out comes cool, dry, clean air. But your air conditioning system needs attention from time to time to help it keep its cool.
Do you hear loud noises under the hood when you turn on your car air conditioner? Do you only get cool air sporadically? If so, it is time to get your air conditioner checked.
When most Los Altos folks hear the words "air conditioning problems", it sends a shiver up their spine. That is because the air conditioning system is fairly complex. It has a lot of parts and when it's broken, it's costly to repair.
What things can Los Altos and Cupertino motorists do to prevent air conditioning breakdowns?
A common cause of air conditioning failure is leaks. Water and air can leak into the system. It doesn't work as well with air in it and water can cause rust that leads to damage of the car A/C components. Also, refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system, making it work harder to cool the air. Periodicallyevacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system so it cools better and lasts longer.
Sunnyvale motorists should run their air conditioner regularly, even during CA winter, so that it lubricates itself and keeps the seals from drying out, which leads to leaks. Your owner's manual will have recommendations for how often to service your air conditioner. Of course, if it's not working right, now is the time to get it checked. Allied Auto Works can inspect and test your air conditioning and offer evacuation and recharge services. This helps you avoid major repairs.
New environmental laws have stopped the manufacture of Freon, a refrigerant that was common in cars made before 1993. There is a very limited supply of Freon so the price is very steep. It may not be worth its weight in gold, but it probably is worth its weight in silver. If you have an older vehicle that uses Freon, you may want to consider having it retrofitted to use the new R134-A refrigerant. It will pay for itself in the long run. So, if your A/C is just a lot of hot air, bring it in to Allied Auto Works for an inspection.
Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227