Spring has sprung early here in Denver! The trees and flowers are beginning to bloom and the wind has picked up its speed. And as those gusty winds begin to blow, they cause those “lovely” little pollens that can cause so much trouble, to fly through the air! If you are among the thousands of us that suffer with allergies, now would be a good time to check out our blog, Car Air Conditioning and Allergies, to see what you can do to help create a small haven of clean air in your car!
Car Air Conditioning Repair
Even though it has only been a few weeks since Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and so determined that we would have six more weeks of winter. This is the perfect time to bring your car in and have the air conditioning serviced or repaired. If you bring it in now it will save you the worry of whether or not the air conditioning will work when the weather gets warmer. And it’s also a good idea to have your car air conditioning system checked out once a year just so you can avoid major or costly repairs.
We don’t “top off” your air conditioning system when you bring in your vehicle because your technician has no way of knowing exactly how much Freon is left in your car’s system. If he tops off the system, he is relying only on his experience to guess how much Freon is needed to charge the system, which may or may not be correct. So in order to do what is best for your vehicle we will perform an evacuation and recharge service. During an evacuation and recharge, all the remaining Freon is extracted from the system, so then the technician can charge the system with the exact amount of Freon recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer, then there is no guess work involved. Another reason some technicians recommend an evacuation and recharge is because they believe it is better for the air conditioning system to have clean Freon running through it.
As well as checking the Freon level, your hoses and valves need to be checked to make sure there aren’t any leaks. Even the smallest leak can cause a major problem. So don’t wait around until you can’t live without your air conditioning before you get it in for repair!
For all of your Denver Auto Repair needs, trust Express Car Care. Call (303) 691-2760 or stop by our shop today.
Radiator Flush
During the winter months when the temperatures can be as cold as below zero and in the summer when the temperatures can be so hot you’re sweltering, it is crucial your heating and cooling system is working properly. These are the perfect times to have a radiator flush performed on your vehicle. 
The engines in today’s vehicles are filled with parts that are made of aluminum. Water pumps, manifolds, engine blocks and the heater and radiator are all made of aluminum. In order to protect the aluminum in these essential parts from corrosion, you need fresh anti-freeze in your engine. Your anti-freeze should be checked during routine maintenance visits but you should also have a radiator flush done at least once a year, maybe twice a year, depending on the vehicle you drive and how it’s driven.
Every time you drive, your radiator is using up a coolant (anti-freeze) and water mixture to help bring down the temperatures in your car’s engine system. The longer and the faster your car is driven the more stress is put on the engine, causing temperatures to soar. These high temperatures increase the potential for your vehicle to overheat. One of the ways to avoid overheating your engine is to keep fresh coolant in the radiator.
Coolant, like other fluids used in your vehicle, will break down over time. This is why it is important to replace or flush your coolant mixture. When the coolant breaks down more stress is placed on your radiator and your engine runs hotter than it should. Dirt and deposits also build up and can reduce your vehicle’s performance. Prolonged use of dirty coolant can result in costly damage to your radiator. So if you haven’t had a radiator flush in the last year, take the necessary steps to get one and maybe save yourself some headaches in the future.
For all of your Denver Auto Repair needs, trust Express Car Care. Call (303) 691-2760 or stop by our shop today.
Cabin Air Filter
Now that the weather has gotten colder and we can no longer drive around town with our windows down. Have you noticed the air blowing around inside your car isn’t as quite as fresh smelling as it once was? If that is the case, it might be time to change your cabin air filter. The cabin air filter is an essential part of your car’s ventilation system. It removes dust particles, pollutants, and unpleasant odors from the air before they can enter the passenger compartment. Cabin air filters are also called interior ventilation filters, pollen or dust filters, ACC filters, or passenger compartment filters.
A cabin air filter purifies the air ( which is especially important to those of us who suffer with allergies or respiratory problems). And it also protects the heater and air conditioning components. A dirty filter puts more wear on the ventilation system because when there is a higher resistance to air flow, the blower has to work much harder. This reduces your heating and air conditioning performance over time. So if your filter isn’t changed like it should be, you not only have unpleasant odors to deal with, but possible repairs to the ventilation system.
So when should they be changed? Under “normal” driving conditions for a vehicle driven mainly in a city or suburb area, a cabin air filter lasts about a year. For a vehicle in a rural area that is driven frequently on unpaved roads, the filter life may be only six months or less. A lot depends on the vehicle and the way it is driven.
If you aren’t sure whether or not you have a cabin air filter in your vehicle, more than eighty percent of all new vehicles today have a cabin air filter. If your car was manufactured after 2000, than it more than likely has one. But if you’re driving an older model of car and smell a strange odor, unfortunately, it might not have a thing to do with a cabin air filter!
For all of your Denver Auto Repair needs, trust Express Car Care. Call (303) 691-2760 or stop by our shop today.
Car Air Conditioning and Allergies
If you suffer at all with seasonal allergies or asthma, you are more than likely very serious about trying to prevent triggering their symptoms. You have probably followed all the recommended guidelines for reducing the risk of triggering your allergies. You keep your windows and outside doors closed as much as possible. You use air-conditioning to cool your home and avoid using window and attic fans during pollen season. You avoid being outdoors in the early morning when the pollen is more prevalent and you keep your car windows rolled up and use your car air conditioning when driving. But each time you enter your car and turn on the air conditioning, something very unpleasant happens. Your eyes start to water and your nose starts running, then you begin to sneeze while your throat starts itching. What is happening?!
Common allergens and irritants found inside the average car can make driving a real challenge for people who suffer with allergies. Dust mites and mold can grow in cars and linger for long periods of time. A car air conditioner doesn’t harbor mold because it is a sealed unit that outside air can’t penetrate. But mold can grow in your air conditioner’s vents and the hoses that connect it. This happens when moisture becomes trapped and can’t escape through the venting, like the showers in our homes. Mold loves humidity and thrives in moist conditions. To help prevent mold in your car’s air conditioning vents, here are some steps to try. As you near your destination, after running your air conditioning, switch your air conditioning system off and turn on the vent. Do this at least two miles from your destination. Turn the vent on high so there is a lot of air blowing through the vents. The air won’t be as cool as it is when the air conditioning is on but it will dry out any moisture that might be trapped in your vents. If you do this each time you use your air conditioning it will help prevent mold and pollens from accumulating and triggering your allergies.
If you practice these guidelines and still notice allergy problems when you are in your car, we offer a service here at Express Car Care, that can clean your car air conditioning so you can enjoy driving again. Ask one of our service technicians for more information.
For all of your Denver Auto Repair needs, trust Express Car Care. Call (303) 691-2760 or stop by our shop today.
Is It Time For A Cooling System Flush?
More than the comfort and convenience of being able to control the temperature inside your vehicle, your car’s heating and cooling systems are necessary in preventing your vehicle from breaking down due to extremely high operating temperatures. 
Your cooling system is what keeps your car from having a meltdown, so have it checked every time you have a routine service. All of the parts that make up the cooling system have one goal, moving coolant around the engine so it can absorb and dissipate heat. The system is made up of the following parts: radiator, radiator top hose, radiator bottom hose, water pump, thermostat, thermostat housing, electric cooling fan, and a thermo-time switch.
The radiator is the most prominent part of the cooling system. Every time you drive, your radiator uses up a coolant and water mixture to help lower the temperatures in your vehicle’s engine system. The coolant that has traveled through the engine is pumped through the tubes of the radiator and is cooled off for another round. Coolant, like all the other fluids used by your vehicle, has a tendency to break down over time. This is why it is important to replace or “flush” your coolant mixture. When the coolant breaks down there is more stress on your radiator and your engine runs hotter than normal. Dirt and deposits also build up and reduce your vehicle’s performance. A prolonged use of bad coolant can result in damage to your radiator that would require you to have to replace it. Also today’s engines are built with aluminum, the radiator and heater are also aluminum and aluminum needs much more corrosion protection to keep it in good condition.
How often you should flush your cooling system depends on the type of driving you do and the weather conditions where you live. If you live in an area that has moderate climates, you can flush your system less often. But if you live in an area known for its harsh winter and/or hot summers, and do a lot of driving than you might need to change your coolant twice a year, at the beginning of the summer and the beginning of winter. A basic rule of thumb is every two years or 30,000 miles. But no matter what, you need to ask yourself the question, “is it time for a cooling system flush?”
For all of your Denver Auto Repair needs, trust Express Car Care. Call (303) 691-2760 or stop by our shop today.
What Is a Cabin Air Filter & When Should It Be Replaced?
Many car owners have never even heard of a cabin air filter and would have no idea when it needs to be replaced if they had! Hopefully the information here will answer the questions you might have about this unknown filter.
Dirty Cabin Air Filter
A cabin air filter is a part of your car’s ventilation system that removes pollutants from the air before they can enter the passenger compartment. Cabin air filters can also be referred to as pollen or dust filters, interior ventilation filters, ACC filters, or passenger compartment filters. A cabin air filter purifies the air as well as protecting the heater and AC components. If the cabin air filter is dirty or clogged, the heating or air conditioning performance will suffer as well as the inside air filtration. When this filter looses its effectiveness, you might notice unpleasant odors or reduced air flow from the cabin vents. It is recommended to replace this filter at least once a year or every 12,000 to 15,000 miles. It should be replaced more often if your car is driven in places with heavy pollution or dusty conditions. Two types of filters are offered for replacement, single stage and multi-stage filters. Single stage filters trap dust, large soot, and allergens. Multi-stage filters use activated carbon that reduces toxic gases and odors as well as dust and allergens. Multi-stage filters are usually the better quality filter and more often recommended.
This filter is a relatively new feature and not all vehicles have one. If you own a 2000 or newer car, it probably has one. Cars and trucks in the U.S. began using cabin air filters around 1995, so check your owner’s manual or talk to your repair technician. Most repair technicians will be able to tell you whether or not your vehicle has one. The ease or difficulty of replacing the filter depends on the make and model of your vehicle. You might have to have it replaced by a technician. Once you know whether your car is equipped with one or not, then you’ll know if you need to add” check cabin air filter” to the list the next time your car is serviced!
Spring Cleaning – Air Conditioning Repair Before You Need It
It’s springtime. And here in Colorado, that means you may be using your heat in the morning, and the air conditioning by early afternoon. Instead of waiting for the days to turn from warm to hot, plan now to have your auto air conditioning repaired.
With an older car, several things can impact the way your air conditioning operates. 
- Lack of airflow
- Low Freon
- Overheating
The air conditioning system is made up of the air conditioning compressor, and different sized metal and rubber hoses and valves that allow the Freon to move within the system. As the Freon expands and contracts within the system, it gets very cold. As it makes its way into the car’s dash area, it moves through an evaporator much like a small radiator. A small fan sits in the evaporator core, blows air across the core and out through the vents of your vehicle.
Just a simple check now can ensure you have the long hot summer in a cool comfortable car. The first place to check is the Freon levels. There are two types of Freon – the older type R12 that you’ll find in older cars, and the new environmentally friendly R134A Freon. If your Freon is low, it may be as simple as adding more to your system.
It’s also a good idea to check out the hoses and valves to make sure they are in good working condition. Even the smallest leak can turn into a big problem on a 90 degree day.
And finally, it important to check out the working condition of the compressor and the cooling fans near the condenser.
By checking in with your local repair shop now, you can save the waiting time when you need it most. And catch small problems that ultimately are lower in cost today, and won’t turn into big expensive problems tomorrow.