Summer is upon us once again, meaning warm weather, trips to the beach, and enjoying time under the sun. This warm, sunny weather is a double-edged sword, however, at least when it comes to keeping your car cool. As many of us know, stepping into your car in the summer can at times feel like stepping into a giant deep fryer: it’s hot, humid, and generally extremely uncomfortable.
Even those of us living in cooler climates, like the Northeast US and parts of Europe, are affected by this super summer simmer (especially given record-breaking heat waves!). Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. Solutions are aplenty, from affixing a quality sunshade to your windshield, parking under the shade, or throwing blankets over your vinyl or leather seats to keep them from heating up.
Let’s take at these and some more of the easiest and most effective ways to keep your car cool under the summer heat.
USE A SUNSHADEPerhaps no other item or step you take will be as effective for combating the heat as a quality sunshade, like our Fortem foldable vinyl sunshade, which comes in four different sizes to fit virtually any vehicle. No installation is required, simply use your existing sun visors as a wedge to hold the sun shade in place. A quality sun shade will not only keep your car cool, it’ll keep out UV rays and protect your interior materials—especially leather and plastic—from degrading. Leather in particular is prone to damage and fading due to excessive exposure to the sun. For just $9.99, a quality sun shade like our Fortem example will be a great benefit to keeping your car cool this summer and beyond, but using a sun shade isn’t the only solution to escape the heat.BLANKETS ON THE SEATSWhile it won’t be nearly as effective as using a sunshade, throwing some blankets on your seats is another great way to make the summer heat more livable. Leather seats in particular are prone to heating up in the summer, as anyone who’s ever absentmindedly sat down on one in shorts or a bathing suit will tell you. Simply throw some blankets or thick towels over your seats before departing for the day’s activities and viola, you’ll return to warm or cool seats you can actually sit in! Although naturally, your blankets or towels will be quite hot, simply put them aside or in your trunk, ready to use for another hot day. You can apply this same strategy to your steering wheel: cover it with a hand towel and go about your day, you’ll arrive to a pleasantly cool steering wheel; better than taking some time to wait for it to cool down when you’re ready to drive.PARK IN THE SHADE OR IN A GARAGEA parking spot in the shade isn’t always available, but if you see one, take it! The benefit is obvious—protection from the sun and reduced accumulation of heat. Even if your parking spot is a little farther away than the ones under the sun, it’ll be well worth walking the extra bit of distance. Similarly, garages, when available, are also an excellent way to get your car out of the summer heat. A standard garage will completely enclose your car, effectively keeping it in the shade and thus cool and refreshing inside.TINTED WINDOWSOne of the most popular solutions for the issue of the summer heat (and indeed, heat in general) is tinting your vehicle’s windows. Before doing so, consult your local laws. They can vary from state to state and even country to country in the European Union, so make sure tinted windows are legal in your jurisdiction, and if they are, take care to check out how dark your jurisdiction allows them to be. Also take note of which windows may be tinted by law. If they’re legal in your area, you’re in luck. Tinted windows allow some light in while bouncing some light out, in comparison to regular untinted windows which don’t have this effect. This of course means less heat trapped inside and less stuffiness when you climb in after a long day.FUN IN THE SUNEven if the day’s forecast is 90+ degrees throughout, it doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun in the sun. When driving to your location of choice, relax and try out some of these tips. Leave a comment if they work for you! Now that you’re armed with the knowledge to take on the blistering heat, it’s time to put it to use and enjoy the summer. We still have almost two months to go! |
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