Every car has a recirculation button next to the A/C that typically has a U-turn arrow inside. Knowing when to use this button can help precent wear and tear on you’re A/C system. When you select recirculation mode, an air duct in the front of the car closes so that the outside air does not come inside. Recirculating air, especially on a hot day, can improve efficiency by putting less stress on your car’s blower motor and air compressor.
It’s recommended to use the recirculation mode when you need to cool down a hot car quickly or when you want to keep out unpleased orders (exhaust fumes, skunks, dirty air).
To cool your car down quickly, use the recirculation mode to help your A/C work more efficiently. This will help stop the hot air from moving throughout the car and begin circulating cool air. The longer it’s on, the cooler your car gets.
You can also block unpleasant odors by using the recirculation mode. When recirculation is on, it can help to block the unclean, smelly outside air from entering the car.
Depending on your car, you may also have an additional button called Fresh Air Mode. This button can look like arrows passing through the front of a car or by disengaging the recirculation mode. The fresh air mode opens an air duct in the front to introduce outside air into your car. Fresh air mode is especially helpful when you need to defog/defrost the windshield or need to remove stale odors from inside the car.
If you do not have a button for either mode, no need to worry. Newer models have sensors to help monitor your car’s air and moisture level which then automatically switches between both modes.