Why You Should Use Your Air Con in Winter Too

Most drivers switch their air con off for the winter and don’t think about it again until the first warm day of the following summer. That’s actually the opposite of what your car wants — and it’s one of the most common reasons a system needs an expensive fix come spring.

It’s the fastest way to clear a foggy windscreen

Blasting the heater at a misted-up windscreen only moves warm, damp air around the cabin — it doesn’t remove the moisture that’s causing the fog in the first place. Air con works differently: it actively dries the air as it cools it. Switch it on alongside the heater (most cars do this automatically in “demist” or “defog” mode) and a foggy windscreen clears in a fraction of the time.

If your windows are taking longer than they used to clear, or fog straight back up a few minutes after you’ve cleared them, that’s usually a sign the system’s refrigerant is running low — the same underlying issue that leaves you without cold air in summer.

Running it in winter protects the system

Your air con compressor relies on refrigerant oil to keep its internal seals lubricated. If the system sits switched off for months at a time, those seals can dry out and shrink slightly, which is exactly how small leaks start. Running the air con for five or ten minutes once a week through winter keeps oil circulating and the seals in good condition — cheap insurance against a regas or leak repair you didn’t need to pay for.

What that means for spring

Cars that have had their air con switched off all winter are, without fail, the ones that come in every spring with air that’s barely cooling, or a regas that doesn’t last. It’s rarely one big fault — it’s a system that’s had six months to dry out and lose a bit of pressure, right at the point demand (and prices for parts) starts climbing with the first warm week.

The simple habit

Once a week, for the length of a normal drive, switch the air con on alongside the heater rather than just the heater alone. It clears the windscreen faster, keeps the system healthy, and means less chance of a surprise fault the next time you actually need cold air.

If your windows are already slow to clear or the air isn’t drying them the way it used to, it’s worth getting the system checked now rather than waiting for summer. Have a look at our regas and recharge service, or get in touch and we’ll take a look.