Spring has arrived in Round Rock, Texas and we are welcoming the sun with open arms. The lighter evenings and great weather are the perfect backdrop for baseball games, time on the lake with friends, pretty hill country drives, and taking advantage of all the sunshine.

As spring rolls into summer, and your car starts to feel more like an oven than a mode of transportation, it can be harder to want to leave the comfort of air-conditioning. We get it. Don’t let the rising temperatures keep you from getting where you want to go.

Even though we can’t convince the weather to cool down, we’ve tried, the good news is, there are still some things you can do to lessen the heat’s impact. Here’s a few tips and tricks to help keep you and your car cool, and safe, during summer months.

Keeping you cool:

1. Be picky where you park- when you can, snag the shady spot or spring for a covered parking lot. This may mean a few extra steps to get where you’re going, but your feet will gladly do the extra work for a cooler ride home.

2. Use a sunshade and crack your windows when safe- while they may look a little funny if you didn’t grow up watching your parents do the magic fold to put them away, sun shades are a tried and true method for keeping the interior temperature of your car lower while parked in the baking sun. Your glass windows act as a insulator and contribute to interior temperatures skyrocketing to 200 degrees rather quickly.

3. Take extra care of little ones- Many cars today now come with backseat sun shades to give extra protection to your younger crew while you drive. Aftermarket options are also readily available at major stores and online. Be mindful of those hot metal seat belt clips! Children may not be able to handle those hot clips on their own and will need some extra help and care to make sure they don’t burn their hands or legs trying to buckle in. As always, never leave a child or pet in a car, even with a window cracked or down. This can be dangerous and deadly.

4. Don’t burn your legs- If you have leather seats, throw a towel over the seat when you park to keep it from burning your legs when you climb back inside. Especially if you’re wearing shorts or are still in your swimsuit from a day at the lake, your thighs will thank you!

5. Keep hydrated- Even though it may not feel like a workout, a day of errands in high heat can deplete your body of fluids quicker than you think. Keep a water bottle on hand to make sure you don’t overheat.

Keeping your car cool:

6. Have your air conditioning checked- There are few things as uncomfortable as getting one hour into your road trip only to realize your air conditioning decided to skip this trip, especially when temperatures reach the triple digits. Before heading off on your summer travels, let Christian Brothers Automotive Round Rock double check that your car’s air conditioning system is ready for the road as well.

7. Check your tires- tires lose pressure during hot summer months and driving on low pressure tires increases your chances of a blowout. It also affects how your car handles on the road and the efficiency of your brakes.

8. Inspect your coolant levels- Your coolant, or antifreeze, is responsible for keeping your radiator fluid from freezing in the winter and keeping your engine from overheating in the summer. If you aren’t comfortable checking these levels yourself, our ASE-certified technicians are more than happy to check these for you.

Let us help you be prepared for the heat by bringing your car to Christian Brothers Round Rock for a free Courtesy Inspection. We’ll look over all the major systems on your car and make sure it’s ready to keep up with your summer plans. You can schedule an appointment online or swing by the shop and we’ll take care of you.

Schedule Your Appointment