Spring doesn’t just bring warmer weather. It also brings pollen, which can affect more than your allergies. Pollen can be hard on your vehicle, including the air filter. Find out how pollen affects your car, so you can avoid any damage.
Pollen Can Clog Your Car’s Air Filter
Your car’s air filter prevents contaminants from reaching the engine. Unfortunately, pollen can put extra stress on the filter, causing it to become clogged much sooner than normal. The amount of air that passes through to the engine will be limited if the filter’s clogged. Thus, your engine will have to work harder, which can reduce fuel economy and lead to wear and tear.
Your Filter Can Become Less Effective
If your air filter’s clogged with pollen, it’ll start to degrade. Then, the filter will do a poor job of keeping contaminants, including pollen, away from the engine. If you don’t address this problem right away, your engine could end up with significant damage. Repairing an engine is costly, so don’t let this happen to you.
A Dirty Air Filter is Bad for Your Allergies
Virginia’s summers are hot, so you probably have your AC on full blast most of the time. Unfortunately, that can become a problem if your car’s air filter is dirty. The filter removes contaminants before releasing the air into the cabin. You could end up breathing in a bunch of pollen while driving if your air filter is dirty.
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How to Know It’s Time to Change Your Car’s Air Filter
As a general rule, you should change your car’s air filter once a year or every 12,000-15,000 miles. However, it’s a good idea to check your owner’s manual for specific instructions. Additionally, you might have to change your air filter more often if your car is exposed to a lot of pollen. Fortunately, there are some signs you can look for that’ll let you know it’s time to change the filter.
A bad smell in your car’s cabin is a major sign that it’s time to change the filter. Also, change your filter if your car emits a whistling sound or the airflow isn’t as strong as it should be. That should fix the problem.
Are you behind on changing your air filter or other maintenance tasks? Bring your car to Berglund Automotive in Roanoke, Virginia, to get it serviced. However, if your car needs more than routine maintenance, you might prefer upgrading your wheels. We have an extensive inventory of new and pre-owned vehicles, including Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, Lincoln, and Mercedes-Benz. Head over today to see our inventory or service your vehicle.
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