A summer road trip always sounds good in theory until you get into the car after a long beach day and the car is approaching 100 degrees. Knowing how to beat the heat during a summer road trip helps you get over the sun’s impressive aura. Things like staying hydrated and using a car shader are obvious, so let’s delve deeper into some more out-of-the-box strategies.
Spin the Wheel
Even with a car shader, your car’s interior can feel like an oven if it has been in the sun for an extended period. Putting your bare hand on the stirring wheel can feel like you’re touching a hot stove. A good strategy to prevent this from happening is turning the steering wheel so that the part you grab is away from the sun.
Slam the Doors
Ever since you were a child, you knew never to slam the car doors unless you wanted to anger its owner. While that belief still resonates for many, you can argue that slamming the car doors has its benefits.
With the car parked, crank up the air conditioning and open the bottom and upper vents. Keep the windows fastened but open all the doors. Make your way to the passenger side and give that and the rear door a strong slamming. In theory, all the hot air in the cabin will vanish, and your car will be cooler.
Recirculating Setting
With all the hot air gone from inside the vehicle, your AC will work better, particularly when using the recirculation setting. Recirculating the cold air within the cabin allows for continuous cold air. This is especially critical since selecting the fresh air option might make you vulnerable to carbon monoxide emissions.
Check Tire Pressure
Underinflated tires are a recipe for disaster on the open road. With the friction between the rubber and the hot road, tires lose air pressure. If you don’t keep your tires cool, they are significantly more prone to blow out when combined with blistering hot roadways.
Frequently examine your tires’ PSI during each stop. The recommended PSI for your vehicle’s tires will be in the owner’s handbook. The tire PSI label on the driver’s side door jamb also has this information.
Spice Up Your Life
Although it may be strange, eating spicy foods is a wonderful way to cool down. Most spicy cuisine has capsaicin, causing you to perspire without boosting your body temperature. Minty gum also provides a refreshing sensation that any tired traveler would enjoy on a hot day. The increased sweat makes the cold AC breeze feel better on your skin and makes water taste even better.
Albeit unique and downright strange, these are effective methods to beat the heat during a summer road trip. It might be advantageous to limit that spicy food consumption because you don’t want to make additional pit stops for other reasons.