It’s Car Care Month And Time For Allergy Sufferes To Change Your Cabin Air Filter

Did you know April is car care awareness month? Neither did I until today so to celebrate I logged onto carcare.com to see what handy dandy information the car council had for me and low and behold I think I may have found something.

Each spring I can count on pollen and road dust kicking my allergies into high gear. The other day I was noticing that they seem to be worse after I have been driving awhile and I thought it is probably dirt and junk in my vents…nothing I can do.  WRONG! Turns out my car has a cabin air filter that is supposed to be changes every 12000 miles or so.  My car is over 100,000 and I have never.

As you can imagine cabin air filters clean the incoming air, removing allergens, and should be replaced regularly according to the Car Care Council. They say:

“A dirty or clogged cabin air filter can cause contaminants to become so concentrated in the cabin that passengers actually breathe in more fumes and particles when riding in the car than when walking down the street,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “With allergy season quickly approaching, replacing the cabin air filter is a simple way for you and your passengers to breathe easier while driving.”

A restricted cabin air filter can cause musty odors in the vehicle and impair airflow in the HVAC system, possibly causing interior heating and cooling problems. Over time, the heater and air conditioner may also become damaged by corrosion. In addition to trapping pollen, bacteria, dust and exhaust gases, the cabin air filter prevents leaves, bugs and other debris from entering the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. “

They also advise not to clean and reinstall your cabin air filter. You can easily search on-line to see where yours is located, many of them just pop out. If you don’t feel adventurous your mechanic can undoubtedly do it for you. But however you get is done if you have allergies it’s a very good idea.

To learn more about cabin air filters, view the Car Care Council’s Car Care Minute video or view the free digital Car Care Guide. Motorists may also order a free printed copy of the popular guide for their glove box.

Happy driving :) D