5 Ways To Keep Your Car Cool In The Summer

Summer months mean long days and plenty of strong warm sunshine. They also mean roasting hot vehicle interiors — according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the interior of a car can hit 109 degrees Fahrenheit after just 20 minutes of parking in the sun. The temperature will rise to 118 degrees after just 40 minutes and a deadly 123 degrees after an hour. And that’s just the air temperature. The National Weather Service says the surface of a dark dashboard or seat “can easily reach temperatures in the range of 180 to more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Blame the sun, as it emits energy mainly through shortwave radiation — it goes right through the glass of a car or truck window. Shortwave radiation from the sun heats any object it strikes, so your vehicle’s dashboard, steering wheel, and seats can become too hot to touch, ranging in temperature from 180-200° after minutes. As the surfaces heat, they raise the temperature of the air. And, due to closed windows, the air can’t escape, and the interior gets warmer and warmer, just like a greenhouse.

On a positive note, there are ways to lower vehicle interior temperatures and simultaneously extend the life of the interior (heat and UV rays degrade upholsteries, leathers, and plastics). Here are five simple ways to keep your car cool in the summer:

1. Park in a garage

This may be obvious, but it deserves to be reinforced. Parking in a garage prevents the sun from hitting the vehicle, eliminating the sun’s opportunity to heat the interior (understandably, the interior temperature will eventually match the outside ambient temperature, but it won’t go higher). While reduced interior temperatures are the most apparent benefit, parking out of the sun will increase the life of the vehicle’s exterior paint and interior upholstery and trim — the sun’s UV rays damage both.

2. Park in the shade

The next best thing to a garage is a carport, giant tree, wall, back of a building, or anything that casts shade. While full shade is best, partial shade can also help reduce the temperature inside a vehicle that is parked outdoors. Remember that most shade moves — the sun will change positions during the day, so the shade will not remain in the same spot.

3. Cover your vehicle

Car covers are an effective way to keep your vehicle out of the sun as they block the sunlight, much like a layer of clothing prevents you from getting sunburned. How much the interior temperature is reduced is based on how thick the cover is. A thin cover will reduce the sun’s effect slightly, but a thicker (or reflective) cover will be very effective. The cover will protect the vehicle from bird droppings, tree sap, and other chemical fallout in both cases. As an added benefit, a car cover keeps your vehicle from the eyes of thieves. Make sure to choose an ‘outdoor’ cover engineered against UV rays and offers some water resistance (‘indoor’ covers will deteriorate quickly and soak up moisture).

4. Tint your windows

Clear glass does prevent nearly all UV-B (the kind that makes you tan) and UV-C from passing through. But much of the harmful UV-A still gets through and heats the interior. Tinting the glass with special film will block between 35-65% of solar heat transmission and nearly 99% of the UV rays — reducing the temperature while parked and easing the load on the air conditioning while driving. Darker films are more effective, but they reduce outward vision at night. As an added benefit, tinted windows increase safety as they may hold the glass together if broken.

5. Use a sunshade

Suppose you are forced to park in the direct sun. In that case, a simple sunshade — either foldable pieces of cardboard with special laminations or collapsible metallicized fabric hoops — is an inexpensive and easy way to keep the sun’s rays from heating your vehicle’s interior. Basic shades are less than $30, but fitted sunshades (much more effective) can be priced upwards of $125. Sunshades are easy to deploy, but they are only effective on the front windshield. While this will keep the dashboard, front seats, and steering wheel from getting too hot, the vehicle’s interior temperature will still rise.