5 Easy Ways To Keep Your Car Battery From Dying This Summer

One of the most common things that could ruin your day is when your vehicle refuses to start.

It happens to most people and it may happen to you too, considering that you rely on your car to commute to work or go on a road trip. Likewise, your car depends on its battery to power it down the road.

By definition, a car battery is a rechargeable battery that provides electricity to a vehicle. It is the heart of your car and letting it die could put you in a stressful situation.

Perhaps you juxtapose dead batteries with lower temperatures, but did you know that the summer season is more damaging to your battery than the winter season?

As for life expectancy, car batteries last for about 51 months in cold climates, while those in locations with higher temperatures last for about 30 months.

It takes 24 hours for your car battery to discharge on its own during higher temperatures and several days to discharge in cold weather.

The chances of you waking up to a dead battery are higher during summer, especially if you don’t pay attention to the health of your car battery.

For that reason, here are easy ways to keep your car battery from dying this summer.

Keep your car battery away from excessive heat

Excessive heat is detrimental to your car because it causes battery fluid to dry up which can damage the internal battery structure and push it to the limit.

As the heat drains your battery, search for cool or shaded parking spots where you could place your vehicle safely. The more you follow this habit, the better for your battery’s life expectancy.

You can also keep your interior cool when getting into your car.

The more you drive, the more time your vehicle gets to recover

If you aren’t using your car that often, chances are, your car will die sooner than you actually expected.

In fact, idling your car for a long time does more damage to your car than driving long distances because the alternator needs more time to get recharged.

To keep your battery recharged, you are advised to drive your car on a regular basis. Ideally, every three to four days is enough time to let your battery recharge.

Don’t let your car battery drain fast by plugging electrical devices

While most electrical devices make our lives easier, they also make it difficult for a car battery to stop from running out of power.

Electricity-sucking devices including, navigation systems, DVD players, MP3 players, smart phones, and other demanded gadgets can drain your battery while on the road.

Having said, your battery also deserves care so pay attention to the devices you carry with you and how often you use them.

Keep your car battery clean

Maintaining your car clean from buildup prolongs the life of your car battery. Wipe your battery with a paper towel or cloth regularly to stop power-draining grime from accumulating.

You are also advise to clean the battery terminals with a toothbrush which needs to be dipped in baking soda and water mixture for better performance.

Then, spray them with cold water to rinse the mixture and use a clean cloth to dry it all over.

Buy a car battery charger

Shell out some bucks for a new battery charger and stop worrying about leaving your car idled during a long vacation or a work trip far from home.

Getting a battery charger will stop it from dying while not in use.  Bear in mind that fast chargers could cause your vehicle to overheat so choose wisely.

A trickle charger with a floating mode monitoring, on the other hand, charges your battery slowly and doesn’t damage your battery once its fully-charged.

SEE ALSO: The 20 Most Common Car Problems In The US [Infographic]