How To Keep Your Car Cool in the Summer
Keeping your car cool during long summer days
What a summer we are having here in Ireland. It's rare so we are enjoying the great weather. Most of us though are conscious of the heat inside the car and are interested in knowing the best ways to keep the car cool in this great sunny weather.
Depending on how warm and humid it is outside, the inside of your car can on average be up to nearly 20 to 30 degrees warmer than that of the air outside. The interior of your car will trap the warm air and continue to heat it, especially when sealed up tight.
As we all know, it is highly dangerous to leave children or animals in hot cars unattended and it is something every responsible driver knows. It is something you should never do. However, if you simply want your car cooled quickly after a long hard day at work there are ways to keep your car cool on those hot summer days and indefinitely beat the heat. 
Park In the Shade
Probably the most obvious thing to do to keep your car cool is, if possible, park your in the shade or in a parking garage, especially for the warmest part of the day. This is not always possible so there are other things we can do as seen below.
Turn the Car Around
You may not have thought of this little trick but it can work. As most drivers know, it is not always possible to park in the shade but you can always turn your car around so that most of the sunlight will go into the back of your car to keep you from touching a hot steering wheel or seat when you get into your car. Why not try it sometime and see if this works for you?
Move Your Car Throughout the Day
If you work at a job that allows it, you can always move your car during the day to ensure it is always in the shade or run the AC for a bit to help keep your car cool and beat the heat of summer.
Cover Your Windows
Use a sunshade cover for the windscreen of your car and also if you have them, use sun blinds for the side windows. You can even make your own out of some old cardboard boxes. Any way to block out the sun is sure to keep your car’s interior a bit cooler.
Put Those Wet Beach Towels to Good Use
Here is another great trick if you are at the beach. Why not put your wet beach towels over your seats as this will help reduce the scorching heat in your car and at the same time dry your towels for reuse at the beach!
Create Some Air Ventilation
This can be achieved by leaving at least two windows open a tiny bit or opening vents to ensure circulation. If your car has a sunroof you can also tilt your sunroof to allow some air to circulate. Just be sure that you don’t leave them open wide enough to allow anyone to access your vehicle or if it starts to rain.
Invest In a Cooling Seat Cover
There are many varieties of gel or crystal-infused, cooling seat covers available. These may be a great option, especially for a car with leather seats, as they form a barrier of cooling gel between you and the hot leather.
Get Your Windows Tinted
You can always tint the windows of your car as this is a good way to keep the interior much cooler. You may need to do a bit of research as to the law as window tinting is regulated in legislation.
Blast that AC or Invest in a Remote Start
When all else fails and if your car is equipped with air conditioning you can always blast the AC as soon as you get into your car. If your car has the re-circulate feature you can also enable this to cool down your car faster. If you are fortunate to have remote start, you can just push the button to start your car before you enter (ranging anywhere from 1 mile to 1500 feet).
Buy a Car with Air Conditioned Seats
This may be a bit of a pricier option but if you are already in the market for a luxury car this may be an excellent option to look for.
Author
Justin Kavanagh
Justin Kavanagh is a recognised leader
in automotive intelligence and vehicle
data supply to the entire motor industry.
He has almost 20 years experience in
building systems from the ground up.
As the Managing Director of Vehicle
Management System, he understands the
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reliable vehicle history and advice to
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