Weather Wize: Cool Down
By: John Stehlin
Updated: August 1, 2007
While some of us think its too hot outside... the real heat is inside your car. Chocolate bars are melting, CD's are warping and the morning java is, well, still hot!
If the temperature outside is 85°, and you park your car in direct sunlight, within 10 minutes the inside of your car will be over 100°, even with windows cracked, making it an oven on wheels!
So how to keep your cars cool? How about Auto Cool? We picked up this gadget at Rite Aid for $14.99. The package says it's a solar powered ventilation system that blows hot air out of parked cars--no batteries needed and fits in any car window. But does it work? We decided to test it out.
The heat inside Kathy Montante's car climbed to more than 100°. We quickly added the weather striping to the window per the directions, then put the unit in direct sunlight and waited.... and waited.
After 5 minutes, the auto cool has been off and on... and the temperature actually went up.
Since the car didn't get cooler, photojournalist Will Phillips and I made the best of a hot situation. Got Milk?
And now you're weather wize!
