All DealsDealNews Blog DealNews Blog Never Miss a Deal! Subscribe to get daily email updates of the hottest deals, chosen by our experts. Get for the hottest deals chosen by our readers and our expert editorial staff. Thank You for Subscribing! Can't get enough deals? Subscribe to our personalized emails for even more of the deals you're interested in. Subscribe to Men's Clothing newsletter Subscribe to Women's Clothing newsletter Subscribe to Electronics newsletter Subscribe to Home & Garden newsletter Thank You For Joining DealNews! You will receive your first newsletter in less than 24 hours. Dude, You Must Chill!: The Cost of Cooling Your Car When the A/C Goes AWOL By Dan Leadbetter, dealnews staff writer This summer's record-breaking heat has been making headlines for weeks. I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but unless you're living in the Antarctic, you know what it's like to be a victim to crazy triple-digit heat waves.

And while you think it's bad enough that you have to suffer at home, think of how hot it must be inside your car! "Oh please," you say? All you have to do is hit a button, and your ride will instantly chill down to a comfy 62 degrees? That's all well and good, but what are you gonna do when you hit that button and nothing happens? All you'll be left with is a sweaty seat and a look on your face that would rival Han Solo when the Millennium Falcon failed to jump to hyperspace. The Cost of Fixing Your AC: Is It Worth It? So your A/C is busted? A few things could be at fault. If your car is around eight to 10 years old, there's a chance that the air conditioning system only needs some refrigerant. If that's the case, just pick up some AC Pro Professional Formula Refrigerant ($25.49 via "BIG15X" with in-store pickup, a low by $14). If the problem is as simple as that, you're only out $25 bucks and a couple hours. The problem, however, could be more serious. So what do you do?

The most obvious answer is: go get your air conditioning fixed. how to fix an ac window unitThis is the best way to regain a cool environment inside your car, but it can also be wildly expensive. install window ac unit through wallPep Boys charges $45 to diagnose an A/C problem, which isn't too bad, especially when you can also find a handful of online coupons, too.hvac energy tax credit 2012 But to actually fix your car's air conditioning issue will likely cost much more. I asked a representative at Pep Boys for a repair estimate on a hypothetical year-long issue with an AC compressor on my wife's 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder; the cost of replacing it? A cool $400 to $500. Then (are you sitting down?) labor adds another $192;

the refill/recharge of the refrigerant is another $100. And that's only if it's strictly a bad compressor with no other problems! The gentleman I spoke to went on to say that additional problems could skyrocket the ballpark figure to around $1,500. Are you seeing all those dollar bills fly out the window? Keeping Your Cool on the Cheap Lucky for you, there are some alternatives to getting a cool breeze going inside your hot ride — even if they sound somewhat crazy. Pack a small cooler — if you don't have one, we like the Coleman 28-Quart Cooler ($25.99 with free shipping, a low by $6) — with ice and a couple cups of water. Then, bring a few large cheesecloths — we recommend the Chef Revival Grade 40 Packaged Cheesecloth ($5.69 with $8.34 s&h, a low by $3) — along with you. Now what you want to do (stay with me here) is soak the cheesecloths in the ice water and position them over the fan vents. Turn the fan on high and BAM! People, this really works ... the downside is it takes an extra person willing to be the co-pilot/soaker to moisten the cheesecloths.

I didn't say it was pretty or convenient. I just said it was the cheapest. Get Something on Your Chest So you've got an ice chest/cooler, but really don't want to go the whole "ice water/cheesecloth" route. (We can't imagine why though.) There's another way to make good use of your ice chest. The Jabetc 12-Volt Portable Ice Cooler Air Conditioner Adapter ($49.99 with $13.60 s&h) is a clever device that attaches to the top of almost any cooler that has an 16.25x9" opening. Pack the chest with ice, plug the 12-volt adapter in, and you've got a nice cool breeze! If you want to take it to the next level, you might want to spring for the Arctic Air 12-Volt 30-Quart Portable Airplane Air Conditioner ($495 with $19.95 s&h, a low by $30). Although it was made to cool the interior cabin of small airplanes, this unit can also cool the interior of your car. Yes, it's the most expensive solution of the bunch, and yes, probably not the most practical. However, the upside here is that it's completely portable, and can be used in your home, car, boat, van, or any other space that has access to a 12-volt outlet.

As a side note, if you are looking for a good 12-volt to AC wall adapter, try the Bracketron Travelers AC Adapter ($2.99 with $2.98 s&h, a low by $6). Of course these are only a few of the many ways to keep your car cool. As always, we'd love to hear some of your very own car cooling solutions. Drop us a line and let us know how you beat the summer heat. Front page photo credit: ThinkGeek via Google+ Dan Leadbetter is a staff writer for dealnews and a member panelist on the weekly dealnews podcast. When he's not trying to figure out how to sew EL wire into his tuxedo, he likes to eat Pringles and play Diablo III for 48 hours straight. You can follow his misadventures on Twitter @danleadbetter. Follow @dealnews on Twitter for the latest roundups, price trend info, and stories. You can also sign up for an email alert for all dealnews features. You might also likeWhat is the AC Compressor all about? An AC system has many components: compressor, condenser, receiver dryer, evaporator, and hoses.

The compressor, the “heart” of the car’s air conditioning system works like a pump taking refrigerant, ( R-12 Freon in older cars, R-134a in 1995 and newer cars) and pressurizing it, passing it along to the evaporator. The AC compressor has several moving parts (including pistons and valves). These internal parts can fail, causing the AC compressor to stop working. It is common for the internal parts of the compressor to come apart and disperse metallic debris throughout the system. Consequently, it is a requirement to replace the orifice tube and the receiver dryer when replacing the compressor since some of the debris may have ended up there. For an AC compressor to work, it needs a clutch, bearing, and an electrical connector. The clutch is driven by a drive/serpentine belt, which engages the compressor when you switch on the AC. The clutch can burn or the bearing can fail. If the bearing or clutch have failed, it is recommended that the compressor be replaced. Sometimes replacing the entire compressor with a remanufactured one can be cheaper than replacing an individual clutch or bearings.

It is also common for the seals in the AC compressor to go bad. The compressor may start leaking refrigerant and/or the AC oil. If the seals no longer hold, you will need a new compressor, as the seals cannot be replaced. A compressor may also fail if there is sludge or debris in the air conditioning system. If there is sludge or debris, the hoses, evaporator, and condenser should be flushed to get rid of the contaminants. When it is not possible to flush the parts, you may need to replace those parts. This service comes with receiver dryer and orifice tube. It is very common for metals from the compressors to go throughout the system and get caught in different components. If the compressor is replaced without the dryer and the orifice tube, it will ruin the new compressor and it will not be covered by the warranty from parts manufacturers. Check for pressure in the AC system. Check for power and ground at the compressor. If compressor is found to be faulty, remove all of the refrigerant.