People think that they only need to use the defroster during the winter. If you use it weekly for five to 10 minutes at a time, you can avoid mildew, mold, or other odors in your car, according to Kelley Blue Book. This is fine if your air conditioner is in good condition and it can help keep it like that. However, if your air conditioner isn't working well, it could wind up doing the opposite, which will only create more mold. Here are three ways our professionals recommend you keep your AC in good shape.

1. Clean or Change Your Air Filter

Bring your car to a local auto repair shop so they can clean or replace the air filter. When your air filter gets clogged up, it reduces airflow, which can heat things up instead of cooling things down. This is key to your auto AC maintenance.

2. Avoid Pre-Cooling the Car

It's a blistering hot day, so you want to drive in a cool car. There's nothing wrong with turning the car on and having the AC run so that you can get into a cool car, right? It's like preheating it on a cold winter day, isn't it? No, the AC runs best when you're driving it. Our experts strongly recommend you don't tax it by trying to pre-cool your car.

3. Keep Your Car Clean

Having a dirty car is a surefire way to get your air filter clogged up since all that dust, dirt, and bacteria will be going to work on it around the clock. Visit your local auto repair shop to have a professional clean it regularly. You can also regularly vacuum it and limit the amount of trash you have in there to make it easier for professionals to clean. A bit of extra work goes a long way.

It's important to monitor the health of your vehicle's air conditioner. You should always bring your car in for regular maintenance work. That way, you'll have a much better chance of being able to stay comfortable in your vehicle at all times. That will be very cool, indeed. Are you looking for a local auto repair shop to work on your AC as well as other car parts? Steve's Auto Body & Repair LLC charges fair rates for excellent work. Contact us today to get started!