When you first start your car, the air conditioner has to work hard to bring the interior temperature to a normal, comfortable level.

Due to our usually hot and sunny summers, most of us use the air conditioning in the car often. Especially during heat waves like the one currently hitting the region, air conditioning can be very important in helping you cool down and feel comfortable, writes "KwikFit" (KwikFit).

You may have heard that the windows down can reduce fuel efficiency, but have you ever wondered how much fuel your car's air conditioner uses?

When you first start your car, the air conditioner has to work hard to bring the interior temperature down to the proper level. However, once the car has cooled down sufficiently, you can decide to reduce the flow, increase the temperature, or turn off the air conditioning altogether. On a long journey, it is unlikely that the air conditioner will need to run the whole way. Therefore, the increased fuel consumption caused by using the air conditioner may be more noticeable on a short trip.

How to save fuel?

There are several ways you can save fuel while driving, including accelerating and braking slowly and smoothly, obeying the speed limit, and making sure the tire pressure is correct for your tires. These are a few of the most common significant ways that probably won't affect your travels much. However, there are some less obvious steps you can take, including turning off the radio and limiting the weight in your vehicle.

If you're worried that your air conditioner is using too much of your precious fuel, there are a few ways you can reduce its consumption:

Park in the shade: If possible, it is better to park the vehicle in the shade rather than outdoors where the sun can heat it up. Not only will your vehicle stay cool, but you won't need to use the air conditioner as much.

Open the windows when you leave: When you first go on the road, it is better to open the windows for a few minutes. This way you will remove most of the warm air in the cabin and therefore your air conditioner will not have to work as hard.

Keep the windows open on short drives: Even though many people don't think so, driving with the windows open isn't that bad for fuel when you're driving at low speeds. Therefore, if you drive through smaller towns and cities, opening the windows will save more fuel than using the air conditioner. If you're driving on expressways, it's more beneficial to use air conditioning because the extra drag caused by open windows can use up extra fuel.

Turn down the air conditioning after your car cools down: After the car cools down enough, the airflow can be reduced so that less air enters the cabin, or you can raise the temperature slightly. Both of these things will mean that the compressor doesn't have to work as hard. Of course, in terms of fuel consumption, it is most beneficial to drive without air conditioning and with the windows open, but on a hot day this is probably not possible or desirable.

It is also important to have your vehicle's air conditioner serviced regularly. This should be done every two years to ensure that the system is working efficiently and that the spent refrigerant is replaced. When the refrigerant level drops, the system must work harder to produce the required amount of cool air. This will use more fuel, so it's a good idea to have your air conditioner serviced regularly to save even more fuel.