Summer in Germany means vacations, outdoor pools and leisure activities. So get in the car and off you go … But if you don’t have a garage at home, you can look forward to an involuntary sauna session when you get in. The thermometer doesn’t even have to break through the 30°C mark; even at lower temperatures, the vehicle heats up enormously.
If the car is parked in the sun, temperatures of up to 60 degrees and more can build up in the interior. The steering wheel, seatbelt buckle or gear knob are then often very hot. If you then drive off immediately, this poses a not inconsiderable safety risk. Drivers are often less focused when driving at high temperatures and their circulation can also suffer.
To allow the heat to escape from the interior, it is essential to open the windows, doors and, ideally, the trunk wide before setting off to ensure a draught. Admittedly, this only helps to a limited extent. As soon as the engine is running, it is therefore advisable to set the ventilation or air conditioning to a high level so that the temperature drops again quickly.
Sun protection mat & Co.
However, it is even better to prevent the car interior from heating up so much in the first place. One option is to always have a parking space in the shade. A sun protection mat placed on the windshield when parked also significantly reduces the temperature. Another tip is to place a wet towel over the steering wheel and gear knob so that they also heat up less. Although the air conditioning in the vehicle quickly ensures a comfortable temperature, you should be careful: The greater the difference between the outside and inside temperature, the greater the risk of catching a cold, as the change in temperature puts strain on the mucous membranes. And: the lower the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures, the better it is for our circulation.
Constant temperatures in concrete garages
Of course, a garage is even more effective than shade and sun protection mats at protecting the vehicle from overheating when parked. “Concrete garages in particular have an excellent temperature balancing effect,” says Markus Hölzl, Head of Marketing at ZAPF GmbH, a leading manufacturer of prefabricated concrete garages. “This is due to the concrete itself, as the building material can absorb and store high outside temperatures and only slowly release them back into the ambient air.” So even if the thermometer outside reads 30 °C or more, it remains pleasantly cool in a concrete garage.
Incidentally, these constant temperatures are also appreciated by owners of classic cars, who like to store their treasures, which are often not driven regularly, in prefabricated concrete garages for the long term. Otherwise, excessive heat or cold could damage seals and pipes in the long term.
And the garage parking lot is also the best choice for another summer weather phenomenon: even in the event of hail, the car is always safe and protected here.
