What Air Circulation Mode to Use When Turning on the Car Heater?
2 Answers
In winter, it is recommended to primarily use the interior air circulation mode when turning on the car heater, supplemented by the exterior air circulation mode, alternating between the two. Below are the relevant explanations: 1. Exterior air circulation means the air inside the car is continuously exchanged with the outside air. This is suitable when the outside air is fresh. If the outside air is polluted, using the exterior circulation mode may bring in dust and other impurities into the car. 2. The interior air circulation mode helps quickly lower the temperature inside the car and prevents outside air and odors from entering. However, prolonged use of the interior circulation mode can cause the windows to fog up. If this happens, switch to the defogging mode. 3. When activating the defogging mode, the dehumidification function works and the fan speed increases. At this time, set the interior air circulation mode button to exterior circulation.
When turning on the heater, I first activate the recirculation button to reuse the warm air inside the car. This heats up the cabin much faster without wasting fuel—it gets cozy within minutes of driving in winter. However, I don’t keep recirculation on continuously because it can make the air stuffy and cause dizziness. After about ten minutes of driving or when the air feels stifling, I manually switch to fresh air intake (external circulation), especially during long trips, to ensure smooth breathing and comfort. Don’t forget to check the temperature difference between inside and outside when adjusting the AC. In summer, keeping external circulation on often helps prevent humidity and fogging, but when heating, starting with recirculation first is the most efficient approach.
