New features are aplenty on new vehicles in the Reno and Sparks area these days, these can come as optional or standard amenities in a new vehicle. One you may not have heard of is called a cabin air filter. Simply put, its job is to keep the air in the passenger compartment of your car nice and clean.
An air filter for your cabin is very similar to the filter you use on your furnace at home. Cabin air filters can catch particles down to three microns. To give an example of how small this is, a grain of sand is 200 microns. So cabin air filters are effective against dust, dirt, pollen, mold spores and most pollutants in our local atmosphere that can contaminate the air you breathe. Good news if you suffer from any types of allergies, or if you live in an area in Nevada prone to air pollution that can be damaging to your health.
Air filters designed for cabin use are generally located in the engine compartment or under the dashboard of your car to be in an optimal position to filter the air. They can be tricky to access and replace, so you’ll probably want to go to your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at Wayne’s Automotive Center to get it done. Check your vehicle owner’s manual to find out if your vehicle is equipped with a cabin air filter and how often it should be changed. A cabin air filter should be changed every 12,000 to 15,000 miles (19,000 to 24,000 kilometers), though recommendations can vary.
Of course, if you are prone to allergic reactions in the Reno and Sparks area, you may want to replace it more often. Also, if you do a lot of driving around big cities or polluted industrial or dusty areas of Nevada, you’ll also want to shorten the cabin air filter replacement period. Air filters that are a few years old don’t work as well as they used to, and they can exude a bad smell if left for too long.
Most people in the Reno and Sparks area know that good car care includes keeping your vehicle clean, including the air inside the passenger compartment. It’s a good idea to add changing your cabins air filter to your list of regular maintenance items. Not only can it help your car run better but its also good advice for maintaining your health as well. You really shouldn’t wait until the interior of your car starts to smell and your eyes start to water before you change your filter. And trying to cover it up with a dangling green pine tree is not the right answer, either!
Cabin air filters can be a welcome relief to Reno-Sparks area allergy sufferers during those months of increased allergens in the air. Not only are they good for those with allergies, they are also useful for those who simply want to keep themselves in good health with careful preventative measures starting at Wayne’s Automotive Center.