Keeping the car cool while it's parked

Keeping the Car Cool While It’s Parked

One method that is somewhat handy and completely free is leaving blankets on the seats while the car is not in use. The blanket will be exposed, but the seat will be shielded from direct sunlight. Of course, the blankets will be hot when the driver and passengers return, but they can simply be tossed on the floor or into the trunk. An alternative to the blanket method is using a sunshade. Sunshades are sometimes metallic and look almost like aluminum foil stretched across the inside of a windshield. Others, especially ones designed for back seat windows, have child-friendly designs such as Winnie the Pooh on them. Their use is obvious: they keep the sun from reaching the inside of the car and heating up the seats. For cars without a sunshade, the driver should attempt to park facing away from the sun. Parking in the shade or in a garage is also highly effective and recommended whenever possible.

When returning to a car on a hot summer day, the driver and his or her passengers may want to take the time to wipe down the steering wheel, gear shift and safety buckles with water. The water will evaporate quickly due to the heat and with it some of the heat will be carried away. Another simple way to lessen the intensity of the interior is by leaving the windows open. It is foolish to leave car windows completely down. However, leaving them open a small crack – less than the width of a person's arm – can help ventilate the inside of the vehicle. If rain is expected, you can still crack the windows as long as you have window vent visors. The visors are small tinted pieces of plastic that attach to the top of a car’s window. Window vent visors are also useful for reducing wind noise when driving with the windows down. About five years ago a new device with a similar use came into the public eye: a solar car vent. The small device houses a solar panel that when triggered, powers a fan that helps to exchange hot air from inside the car for cooler air outside.

 

Very informative.