Air-conditioning system care guide

Common issues with air-conditioning systems and how to fix them.

A car’s air-conditioning system is put through its paces all year round, cooling drivers and passengers in summer and warming up the car cabin during winter. With so much use comes a multitude of concerns. Here are the most common problems faced by car-owners, and the best ways to handle them.

There’s an odour problem

A musty or mouldy smell circulating through a car is a sign of dirt and moisture build up in the air-con system, which equals bacteria and mould. Even if the air con remains unused for a period of time, it still gathers dust which is sent flying through the air next time the fan is turned on. Not only does this mean bad smells travel throughout the cabin, but bacteria and mould spores are sent into the cabin’s air as well, to be inhaled by drivers and passengers and lead to respiratory and sinus problems.

How to fix it: 

While consumers may plug an air freshener onto the vents and call it a day, it’s definitely not a long-term solution. Introduce them to Hygiene Labs™ Antimicrobial Shield, which is a non-toxic protectant actively attracts and kills organisms mechanically to reduce risk of cross-contamination and mutation. It bonds to a car’s interior surfaces and also permeates through the air-con system to ensure clean air circulates through the cabin.

The air con isn’t pumping out a lot of air

This problem quite often goes hand in hand with an odour issue, so while it’s possible that the issue could be a faulty fan or loose hose connection, it’s likely that weak airflow is due to a blocked cabin filter. A blockage is usually caused by a build-up of dirt and debris, which, if left for too long without cleaning, will block the vents so limited air can actually circulate.

How to fix it:

Depending on the severity of the blockage, the air-conditioning filter may need a thorough clean or a complete replacement. Either way, up-selling a replacement/declogging job with a sanitisation treatment – and implementing a regular sanitisation routine – is important to ensure cleaner air and also to prolong the good condition of the filter, saving consumers time and money further down the track.

The AC isn’t blowing out cold/hot air

Although this may be another blocked-filter situation, it could also be something more complex within the air-con system itself, such as a blown fuse in the compressor, broken cooling fan or leakage due to a lose or broken hose connection.

How to fix it:

While this sort of technical issue requires far more complex repair and replacement, it’s still important to use the opportunity to educate consumers about the need to regularly clean and sanitise their cars’ ventilation system. It makes ongoing maintenance easier, meaning less headaches for them – and you.