Is condensation within your car a constant problem? If you are getting in your car and having to wipe down, or even de-ice, the inside of your windscreen, then you might have a problem. Condensation inside your car can be dangerous, but it could be a sign of a bigger issue. In this series, we look at sources of condensation in your vehicle, and what you can do to address the problem.
Car Fog: The Causes
In order to know how to prevent condensation in your car, you first need to know what causes it. Condensation is caused when warm air meets cooler surfaces; as the warm air cools, particles turn to liquid. So, if the inside of your vehicle is warm or damp (or both), then as that air in your car cools, condensation will gather on the cold surfaces. Another cause of condensation is if the sun heats damp items; the liquid turns to gas, which rises, but doesn’t have anywhere to go, so turns back into moisture when it comes into contact with windows. Most of the time, condensation inside your vehicle can be attributed to one of the following:
- Damp or wet shoes, boots, towel etc. left in the vehicle
- Damp carpets or upholstery
- Hot drinks or food in the car
- Human breath and body warmth
- Rubbish and debris in the car
- Leaks
Defogging
If your windscreen is fogged when you go to use your vehicle, the first step is to put the demisters on to bring the temperature of the windscreen up. This will help the problem short term, but it won’t address the issue in the long term. Here’s what you need to do:
- Have a clear out. Get rid of wet bags, clothes, shoes, gym kit.
- Bin rubbish, coffee cups, food wrappers.
- If the interior upholstery is wet, remove anything that is removable and hang it out to dry (inside if necessary). Dry down seats and anything else that is damp as best as you can with a towel, and then go on a long journey with the heating on.
- Place a dehumidifier in your car. There are plenty of dehumidifiers to choose from, from disposable ones, to reusable and even hanging ones. Make sure that they are in a secure, upright position and that you check on, or empty, them every day. Place one in the main part of your vehicle and one in the boot and you will notice damp levels reduce dramatically.
Once you know the causes of fogging, you can get to grips with preventing it. Follow Trust A Garage on Facebook or Twitter for next week’s instalment, where we talk through what you need to do to prevent damp and condensation in your car. If you’re baffled by your damp, pop into your local garage, who will be able to give your vehicle a full check for potential leaks and damage.