Posted on 12/18/2022
Air conditioning used to be a real luxury in a vehicle, but now it's standard in most. Your vehicle's air conditioning system is built to last a pretty long time, but like anything mechanical, sometimes it fails. It helps to know a little about how the A/C works. There's a compressor that pressurizes the refrigerant (you probably recognize the term Freon). That makes it hotter, so it then goes through a condenser that cools it off. Then another component takes out impurities and humidity before the Freon goes to a device that makes it lose pressure before it goes to the evaporator. That's where it gets colder and takes the humidity out of the air. Then your vehicle's ventilation system blows air over the evaporator, cooling the cabin air that gives you such relief on a hot day. Of all these parts, one that does a lot of work is the compressor. It has to compress that refrigerant and circulate it through the system. It turns on and off several t ... read more
Posted on 10/9/2022
When you hear hissing sounds coming from your vehicle, you might start thinking the worst. One type of hissing coming from around your air conditioner may be a normal sound, or it could be a sign of serious trouble. First - the normal sound. When you turn off your vehicle, the refrigerant goes from its high-pressure side to the low-pressure side. Some of those noises are normal. But when it hisses all the time, that's another story. One cause could be that the refrigerant is leaking. Air conditioners are fairly complex systems that involve various pumps, hoses, valves and motors. When your air conditioner is cooling, the refrigerant changes from a gas to a liquid and back. That refrigerant is under pressure, and there are many places it can leak from. A hissing sound can also be a failed valve in your air conditioner's compressor. It is what controls the refrigerant's pressurization. It's important to have this fixed fairly qu ... read more
Posted on 9/18/2022
Your vehicle's air conditioning is something you count on when the weather heats up. But there's bound to be a day when you turn it on and one of these things happens: Only warm air blows out Cold air starts blowing out but then it turns warm on its own It's not blowing air at all It blows smelly air out Some people are tempted to try to make the diagnosis—and the repair—on their own. They think it's just run out of refrigerant and they can pick up a can at a local auto parts store and re-charge it. If only it was that easy. A vehicle's air conditioning system is complex and made up of many parts. A compressor, evaporator, condenser, tubing, hoses, sensors, valves… the list goes on and on. Each of these components could be the reason for the problem. It could be a leak that's letting the refrigerant escape, but simply re-charging the system hasn't fixed the problem. You have to find the source of the leak and fix it. Service faci ... read more
Posted on 6/19/2022
Warm weather or cold, Wilmot drivers still need to think about their vehicle's air conditioning. Most Wilmot people don't service their air conditioning until after it fails. At Walker Automotive, we can advise you on your vehicle manufacturers preventive maintenance schedules for air conditioning service, just as we do for transmission service, oil changes and so on. Maintaining your air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the vehicle's air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can't cool the air as well. We see that a lot at Walker Automotive in Wilmot.The refrigerant also contains oil that lubricates air conditioning components and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and all Wilmot vehicle owners know that air conditioning repairs can be costly.&n ... read more
Posted on 8/8/2021
There's nothing quite like getting in your vehicle on a hot day, switching on the air conditioning and having warm air blow out of the vents. You may have had no problem for months and then, one day, you are driving around in a sauna. You're hot stuff, but not in a good way! So what goes wrong when the AC isn't working? It could be a lot of things because the system has many different components. One thing that's a common cause is the vehicle is low on refrigerant (it used to be called Freon). If that's the case, it's not as simple as simply adding more. Sure, it may fix it quickly for a short time, but it's more likely than not that the refrigerant will just leak out again. The original Freon used in air conditioners was destroying the Earth's ozone layer, so that's not used much any more. But the one that's currently used also contributes to global warming, so it's important that as little of that escapes as possible. So a technician will determine ... read more
Posted on 1/1/2020
Hey Wilmot! Let's talk about one of our NH summertime must-haves: your car A/C. It's real easy for Wilmot drivers to take their car's air conditioner for granted. Just push the right buttons and out comes cool, dry, clean air. But your air conditioning system needs attention from time to time to help it keep its cool. Do you hear loud noises under the hood when you turn on your air conditioner? Do you only get cool air sporadically? If so, it is time to get your air conditioner checked at Walker Automotive in Wilmot. When most Wilmot folks hear the words "air conditioning problems." it sends a shiver up their spine. That is because the air conditioning system is fairly complex. It has a lot of parts and when it's broken, it's hard to repair.What things can Wilmot drivers do to prevent air conditioning breakdowns?A common cause of air conditioning failure is leaks. Water and air can leak ... read more
Posted on 12/23/2018
Working up a sweat is a great thing to do in a gym around Wilmot, but not in your vehicle. When Wilmot residents' vehicle AC Systems have a problem, they'll often feel it right away. The question is, how long do you put up with it? You know, the old comfort versus cost dilemma. But a more comfortable drive around NH has a lot of benefits, and keeping the AC System well maintained can help prevent repairs.A common cause of AC failure is water and air in the system. The system does not work as well with air in it. And water can cause rust that leads to damage of the A/C components. Also refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system and making it work harder to try to cool the air. That is why periodically evacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system for Wilmot residents, so it cools better and lasts longer.Wilmot drivers should also run the air ... read more
Posted on 9/2/2018
No matter what vehicle you drive, when certain things break, you have to make a decision. Should I get it fixed now, later or never? Air conditioning is one of those things. You can certainly live without air conditioning, but it sure is nice to have on a sweltering day. Let's say your air conditioning breaks in the fall and you live in a climate where it gets quite cold in the winter. Should you get it fixed now, wait until spring since it won't get warm until then or maybe not get it fixed at all? That can be a tough decision. There are several reasons air conditioning in vehicles break. One is fairly simple: It could be an electrical problem, perhaps a relay or solenoid is not turning on the system. It's also a fairly inexpensive repair and doesn't require hours of labor. Or, the problem is that the coolant has leaked out. Your service facility can find the leak and replace the parts that are leaking. With a refrigerant recharge ... read more
Posted on 3/25/2018
Your auto air conditioning system cools and conditions the air in your passenger compartment when you are driving around Wilmot. It also removes moisture from the air to keep your windows from fogging up.A common A/C problem for Wilmot drivers that visit Walker Automotive is contaminated refrigerant (the gas that cools the air). The inside of the A/C hoses deteriorates over time and tiny fragments of rubber clog passages. This makes the system less efficient and overworks various components.Leaks can develop at seals and gaskets and may reduce the amount of refrigerant, causing the system to work too hard to compensate. Dirty components can have the same consequences.Ask your Walker Automotive service advisor for an air conditioning system inspection to make sure everything is up to spec.Walker Automotive3 Deerwood DriveWilmot, NH 03287603.526.4848  
Posted on 6/19/2017
Wilmot drivers know that if their air conditioning system isn’t making cool air like it used to, there is a problem. It may be as simple as adding more of the right kind of refrigerant.Your A/C requires special compressor oil, which circulates through the system along with the refrigerant, to lubricate and protect expensive components and keep seals and gaskets from drying out. If refrigerant has leaked out – so has the compressor oil. This oil needs to be replenished whenever refrigerant is added.An air conditioning inspection at Walker Automotive will uncover any potential problems and identify any necessary repairs needed to get Wilmot drivers on the road to cool air once again.Give us a call.Walker Automotive3 Deerwood DriveWilmot, NH 0328760