Should the Car's Heating System Use Internal or External Air Circulation?
4 Answers
It is recommended to alternate between internal and external air circulation when using the car's heating system to maintain better air quality inside the vehicle. Here are the relevant details: 1. The function of external circulation is to connect the air inside and outside the car, thereby replenishing fresh air. When external circulation is turned on, the air inside and outside the car is connected. As the vehicle moves, airflow will automatically draw outside air into the car due to wind pressure. 2. Internal circulation closes the airflow passage between the inside and outside of the car, and the blower circulates the air inside the cabin. Since the oxygen level inside the car is limited, it is generally advisable to use external circulation to maintain airflow between the inside and outside of the car. However, in certain special situations, internal circulation must be used, as failing to do so could pose fatal risks.
I've been driving in the north for over a decade and have extensive experience with winter heating. When you first start the car and the engine coolant hasn't warmed up yet, turning on recirculation mode can quickly warm up the cabin by repeatedly heating the same air. But once the temperature rises, it's better to switch to fresh air mode to let in outside air—otherwise, the windows tend to fog up, and the air gets stuffy. During traffic jams or smoggy days, I always use recirculation to prevent exhaust fumes from entering. It's the same principle as home air conditioning: after heating and insulation, proper ventilation is still necessary. The key is to monitor window fogging and physical comfort—switch to fresh air immediately if fog appears, and use fresh air mode in good weather to maintain airflow. Flexibly alternating between these two modes keeps you both warm and safe.
Every day, I drive my kids to and from school, and using the heater in the car during winter requires careful attention. When we first get in the car and are shivering from the cold, I turn on the recirculation mode to warm up quickly—otherwise, the kids might catch a cold. However, after a few minutes, I must switch back to fresh air mode because staying in a closed space for too long can make the air stale, causing the kids to feel dizzy. This is especially important on highways, as prolonged use of recirculation can lead to drowsiness. Additionally, on rainy days, extra caution is needed—using the heater with recirculation can easily fog up the windows. I’ve tried it, and it’s indeed not as clear as using fresh air mode. If we’re stuck in traffic with heavy exhaust fumes outside, I keep the recirculation mode on the whole time. In short, it’s about balancing warmth and ventilation for the sake of the kids’ health.
After buying a car last year, I figured out through experience that you can use either the internal or external air circulation for heating. When you first start driving and the temperature is low, internal circulation heats up faster—it only takes five or six minutes to get warm. But once the car is heated, you should switch to external circulation; otherwise, the windows will fog up, affecting visibility. I once tried using internal circulation continuously for an hour and ended up feeling extremely dizzy when I got out of the car. Now, during winter drives, unless it’s a smoggy day, I mainly use external circulation, which keeps me more alert on the road. Remember, the cold air brought in by external circulation is still heated into warm air, so it has little to do with the circulation mode itself.
