To help maintain your vents in the summer, turn off the air conditioner and let the fans run for a few minutes before turning off the car's ignition. This will help clear out some of the moisture that forms in the AC vents.
Turn on the air conditioning, crank the temperature to hot, fan speed high, and set the system to recirculate. The AC evaporator will collect moisture from the recirculating hot air and drain it out the bottom of the heater box.
Run the car ventilation on defrost. That will operate the airconditioning compressor and dry out the air, and circulate it through the front window base vents, blowing the cool dry air over the windshield glass inside and suck off the moisture in short order.
If the air temperature is cool enough, the moisture condenses and can be seen coming out of the vent. It's essentially the same a fog. With the car, water isn't being added, but cold air is being pushed into the cabin which, on a damp day, could have a lot of moisture suspended in the air.
Remove Mold and Mildew Smells from Your Car
🧹 Vacuum Thoroughly: Use a HEPA filter to clean carpets, seats, and air vents. 🍶 White Vinegar Solution: Spray equal parts vinegar and water on affected areas, let sit, then wipe clean. 🛑 Baking Soda: Sprinkle on carpets and seats overnight to absorb odors, then vacuum.
If you suspect that your condensate drain is blocked and feel confident in identifying the right parts under the bonnet, you can gently unblock it by locating the condensate drain hose (usually at the read of the engine on the passenger side) and squeezing or maneuvering it to release any debris or blockage.
Place a container of Baking Soda or Damp Rid inside the car wherever moisture might be present. It will absorb the moisture for up to 60 days. Always remove wet clothing or other items right away and dry any damp areas as soon as you can.
Adjust Fan Speed
Cooler air moves into your home more quickly, but this doesn't allow humidity to be removed effectively. At lower speeds, a lower rate of airflow results in a colder indoor coil, which removes more moisture and maintains temperature settings more effectively.
Switch on your air conditioning to get the air circulating. If you don't have AC, open the windows. Gradually turn up the heater as the condensation begins to clear. If your car has one, turn on the windscreen and rear window heater or demister to help speed it along.
Opening Windows and Doors: Allowing fresh air to circulate will help the drying process. Park your car in a shaded but breezy area and open all the doors. Using Fans: Placing high-powered fans inside the car can accelerate drying by increasing airflow, especially in enclosed areas like the trunk or under seats.
This is one of the best ways to clear a problematic clog in a plumbing vent. You can either snake the vent by climbing on the roof and sending the plumber's snake or auger directly down the vent opening, or you can cut a hole in the vent from inside the attic and snake it from there.
When your AC's air filter accumulates debris, it may become blocked. This may freeze up the car air conditioner's evaporator coils, which will cause excess water to overflow from the condensate drain.
Typical unclog ac drain line costs can range anywhere from $75-$250.
That water can wind up at the bottom of a vent, and when you turn on the blower motor, it can cause what looks like steam or vapor to come out of the vents. It may go away on its own when the system dries out after you've run the fan for a while.
It is common for the white fog to form when cold air collides with warm air (that's highly humid). This can be likened to when you go out on a cold day, and your breath is visible. Warm, moist air hits the cool, dry air, causing condensation or water droplets to form.
High Humidity Levels. The most common culprit behind sweating AC vents is humidity. When the humidity levels in your home are too high, it can cause condensation on the surface of the vent. On the flip side, when the air is too dry, the vent surface is also prone to sweating.
Damp rid will do something inside the car for maybe a month at best. But the humidity from the garage is going to keep seeping into the car. DampRid is best, I have found, if, say, your car gets wet on the inside--windown open or something one day; and then you put the DampRid in once or twice and things are OK.
Mold in cars can be dealt with by combining white vinegar and hot water, or mixing it with baking soda. Water plus color-safe bleach is also effective, but you'll want to test this solution on an out-of-the-way spot so you can make sure it won't stain your upholstery.