How to Keep Your Car Cool in Hot Weather

While the summer months are great for those of us who love the outdoors, they are not so good for our cars. Not only is it unpleasant to climb into a blisteringly hot car, it can even be dangerous. The sun’s radiation passes straight through the glass windows of vehicles, and in as little as 20 minutes it can cause temperatures inside to soar to 42 degrees Celsius or higher.

These temperatures can cause leather and plastic surfaces inside cars to degrade. There are clearly many reasons why keeping your car cool during the hotter months is important, but beyond parking in the shade, what can you do? Here are a few more easy things that can help keep your car cool.

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Use a sun shade

The windscreen is the biggest window in most vehicles, so it is often where the most heat gets in. This is why your steering wheel feels red hot after your car has been parked in an exposed spot for a while. Sometimes there are just no shaded alternatives available, and this is when a car sun shade can be a practical solution.

Car sun shades are straightforward to use and quick to set up. Although each window needs its own one, many manufacturers can customize them so that they fit your vehicle perfectly.

A sun shade for the front windscreen will make sure that your wheel, dashboard and front seats remain cool enough for immediate use. If you have children, then a sun shade on their window will ensure that their seat and belt do not get hot enough to hurt them.

Use a car cover

The next step up from a sun shade is a car cover. Just as clothes keep the sun’s radiation off of our bodies so that we do not burn, a car cover stops sunlight from entering your vehicle. The thicker and more reflective the cover, the lower the temperature inside the car will be when it is removed.

Car covers obviously take a lot more effort to deploy than sun shades, so you might think about using one when you are planning to stay put for a long time and not make a brief stop-off. They do however come with some additional benefits, such as protecting your car from bird droppings and other dirt. They also prevent thieves from looking inside.

Get tinted windows

Tinted windows are not only good for privacy. They can help block up to 65% of the heat being transmitted from the sun into your car, and nearly 99% of UV rays. Clear windows are already very good for keeping out UV-B and UV-C rays, but they are ineffective against harmful UV-A.

One of the other benefits of tinted windows is that they continue to work even while you are in the car driving, improving your driving experience. Because the tint is created by a layer of special film, this may also help hold the glass together in the event of an accident. Be aware, however, that very dark tints can make it harder to see at night.

Even if you are using any of these tips, remember to never leave children or animals inside your car when you leave it.