18 December 2006 11:21 GMT / By Jonathan Goddard
Who uses their air-con in the winter? Well, apparently, we all should be doing just that to save ourselves big repair bills.
Specialists say that prolonged periods of inactivity leave air-con systems prone to failure when warmer weather returns, resulting in a average repair bill of £583. In fact, air-con problems account for 5% of all reported mechanical failures, says Warranty Direct.
A spokesman said: “Switched off for long periods of time, water or air can get into the system. The moisture will react with the refrigerant to create acid, which then attacks the seals and pipe-work leaving you with a hefty repair bill”.
Air-con is also no longer the luxury it once was. Experts estimate that almost four out of five new cars now come fitted with the cooling system as standard. As well as regular use throughout the year, it is also recommended that owners get annual maintenance checks costing from £40.
Then again, if we all use our air-con 24/7, we can pollute the atmosphere even more, hastening climate change and thus not have to worry about switching the air-con off because winter will be sandals and shorts weather.
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