Don’t switch on the AC as soon as you enter your car; expert reveals why

As the country grapples with rising summer temperatures and occasional heatwaves across parts of the country, vehicle owners and users have slipped into a casual routine of turning the air conditioner on right after getting into their cars. In a bid to seek respite from the sweltering heat, they fail to realise the damage they have been causing to their lung health.

Indianexpress.com spoke to a clinical expert and found out why it isn’t recommended to switch on the AC as soon as you enter a car, and what can be done instead.

“When you park your car outside under the sun and enter inside after a while, the stifling heat may urge you to switch on the air conditioner immediately. As a doctor, I’d recommend against doing so. The temperature inside your car is higher than the regular temperature of your lungs (and body) and this may cause your lungs to become dry,” explained Dr Basavaraj S Kumbar, consultant, Internal medicine, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru.

According to him, if you are someone prone to dust allergy, this is a huge red flag.

The temperature inside your car is higher than the regular temperature of your lungs (and body) and this may cause your lungs to become dry. (Source: Freepik)

“Try rolling down the windows of your car and waiting 5 minutes to let the temperature inside cool down and come to normal. Then switch on the AC,” Dr Kumbar recommended.

“The air inside the car is not only dry but also filled with dust. If the AC vents aren’t cleaned regularly, chances of dust accumulation increase, and when you enter your vehicle, you may be hit by a pungent smell. Longer exposure to such contaminated air may lead to short term problems like sneezing, allergies, dryness in the nose and throat and long term issues such as asthma and bronchitis,” he said.

Dr Kumbar mentioned that the quality of air inside a vehicle also depends on the brand of the car you’re using. “Premium vehicles have cleaner vents and dust repellent technologies, however regular models bear the risk of chemicals being released once the air conditioner is switched on,” he said.

Unless you want to compromise your lung health, make sure your vehicle’s ventilation ducts are cleaned on a regular basis, he added.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.