How to Keep Your Car Cool in the Summer
The hot summer sun can turn your vehicle into a veritable oven. Interior temperatures can quickly reach levels that are not only dangerous but potentially damaging to your vehicle’s interior surfaces. Thankfully, there are plenty of simple and easy things you can do to help keep your car cool in the summer! Keep reading below for some helpful tips and tricks to keep your car cool during these hot summer days!
1. Park in the Shade
This might seem like kind of a no-brainer. However, making sure your vehicle is not being bombarded all day long with direct sunlight is an easy, simple and of course super cost effective solution to keep your car cool in the summer. If you’re unable to park in the shade, try to park so that your front windshield will be facing away from the sun. This way your steering wheel, front dash, front seats and everything else upfront is out of direct sunlight, making your car slightly cooler when first climbing in.
2. Use a SunShade
Obviously there’s no way to always make sure that you’re parking in a shaded area. So why not just supply your own shade with a sun blocker or deflector? These products have been proven time and time again to dramatically keep the interior of your car cooler and will reduce interior air temperature within vehicles. In fact, WeatherTech’s own internal testing shows a 35% decrease in dashboard temperature after 45 minutes when using a SunShade in your front windshield. Also, not to brag too much, but the WeatherTech SunShade is custom fit for your vehicle’s specific make and model, so you know your vehicle is getting the maximum UV protection.
3. Crack Your Windows
Leaving your windows cracked on those warm days will keep cooler air circulating through your car, lowering the internal temperature of your vehicle by a fair amount. There’s a good amount of research that shows leaving your windows open (even just slightly) can keep your car cooler during the summer by more than 20 degrees! You’ll want to make sure you keep an eye on the weather though, as pouring rain is definitely not good for your vehicle's interior. Alternatively, you can always pick up a set of WeatherTech Side Window Deflectors, and never have to worry about the summer forecast when your windows are cracked open. Also, be sure to only leave your windows open an inch or two as you don’t want to open yourself up to theft.
4. Cover Hard Surfaces
Hard surfaces like your vehicle’s dashboard and steering wheel can absorb and hold a lot of heat. Steering wheel and dash covers are a great way to take those parts of your vehicle out of the direct sunlight, helping to keep your car cooler during hot days. If you’re looking to be a little more frugal, instead of purchasing these products, you can always cover these areas of your vehicle with some light colored towels.
5. Cool Your Seats
Similar to your vehicle’s steering wheel and dashboard, leather and vinyl seats can scorch your skin when you first climb into an overheated car. Covering these materials with a light colored cloth material (such as a towel) is a great way to keep them cooler for when you’re ready to jump in.
If you’re looking for something a little more than just draping towels over your seats, make sure to check out WeatherTech Seat Protectors. Made from a tough poly cotton twill fabric, this material won’t absorb nearly as much heat as leather or vinyl and will be sure to keep your seats protected from a lot more than just sunlight!