Famous HVAC Air Duct Scenes in Movies

HVAC air ducts have provided protagonists and antagonists means of escape, sneaky entrances, and surprise attacks in movies. While the scenes in these movies may not be completely realistic to real life standards, they’re still enjoyable and entertaining to watch. Below are a few scenes in which an HVAC air duct was used in a crafty way by movie characters.

Mission Impossible

Perhaps the most infamous scene from the Mission Impossible series is Tom Cruise’s character being lowered into the white control room at Langley. Given the tight security surrounding this mission, Tom Cruise’s character can’t simply waltz through the front door. The air duct gives him access from the ceiling to retrieve the information without triggering any alarms. During the scene we see his accomplice lowering him down from the safety of the immensely strong and study air duct above.

The Fifth Element

In this wacky sci-fi movie, an alien is transformed into a human female. After her transformation is complete, she’s completely bewildered, confused, and scared. In order to escape those trying to capture her, she leaps head first into an air duct. There she navigates the tunnels searching for a way out. This character also tries to escape through an air vent in the climax of the film, but soon realizes the vent is circular and there’s no way out. Needless to say, ventilation sure comes in handy when this otherworldly creature is looking for escape.

Alien

Alien is unique in that the antagonist (the alien) is the one using the ventilation system to navigate and surprise her prey. This scenario stretches the truth to its limit, since we can guess that the alien likely weighs near one ton and spits acid. These two factors combined make it highly unlikely that the alien could be properly supported in this fashion, but then again, it does make the film thrilling and suspenseful.

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club inserted a bit of truth into their HVAC air duct escape scene. After rebellious character Bender is locked away in the broom closet for misbehaving, he escapes through the duct above the hallways. Once he’s over the library, where all the other students are, the duct caves and he falls through. Since most airways likely can’t support the weight of a human, this is the most realistic scene on the list. The collapse also provides a funny punchline for Bender’s unfinished joke.

Resident Evil

A group of agents enter an underground facility that’s been shut down due to a virus outbreak. Once the group realizes the virus has turned the dead into walking zombies, they scramble for a way to exit the underground facility safely. Navigating through hallways, laboratory rooms, and utility tunnels, the group finally makes their way through an air shaft to reach safety and evade the hungry zombies.

Though escape through an HVAC air ventilation system isn’t likely your best bet in real life, it makes for a thrilling and entertaining escape in movies. We’re likely to see many more sneaky crawls through airways to come in the future.

Facts and Features of the Integrity 3000 Air Rower

In the world of rowing machines, the Integrity 3000 Air Rower holds the distinction of being one of easiest to use, as well as being one of the most affordable rowing machines to own. It is a perfect fitness machine for those who are frequently on the road because it is small and light weight enough to be carried along on trips.

Being compact is an essential part of the Integrity rowing machine’s engineering. It measures a truly remarkable 10 inches by 22 inches by 43 inches when stored, and weighs in at an amazing 51 pounds. Such a diminutive footprint and weight mean that it can be quickly and easily moved or stored by just about anyone who is able to use it.

The Integrity rower is built to appeal to users, too. It has a rubber coated T-shaped handlebar for a dependable grip and reduced moisture accumulation. And to be useful to a wider range of body sizes, it has a maximum user weight capacity of 250 pounds. It has a large comfortable seat, and an easy access design, both of which are intended to maximize its usefulness to the largest number of potential users.

And perhaps the best feature of an air rower is the air resistance mechanism itself. Using air resistance means that each user can experience an automatic resistance increase as they increase the force being applied. This type of user controlled resistance allows the workout to remain effective, even for long term users and professional athletes.

And we can’t forget the facet that is the most appealing to many home users, and that would be the price compared to quality. An Air 3000 rower is affordably priced for the residential market, and built for extreme portability. But the home user is not alone in appreciating these key points, as professional athletes look at the same qualities when choosing a durable fitness machine that can be easily taken on the road.

It is no wonder that the Integrity 3000 Air Rower consistently ranks well in consumer reviews of rowing machines. In fact, you will find that it is always among the top 5 rowing machines, due to its dependable nature and light weight frame design. For simplicity and ease of use, The Integrity 3000 always comes out near the top of rowing machine ratings.

Genesis Air PCO Air Purifiers Review and Numbers Analysis

Genesis Air is a company based out of Lubbock, Texas. They offer air purification solutions for commercial applications but they also carry a few stand-alone units. Although we were unable to analyze all their systems, we were able to gather valuable data on their stand-alone systems. This information is revealing. Genesis Air systems rely primarily on photo catalytic oxidation (PCO) technology. These systems combine MERV filtration with PCO.

The Genesis Air 2008 RGS and the 2006 D&L cost between 99.6 cents and $1.21 per square foot of air cleaned per year. They cover between 750 and 3000 square feet. They cost between $3360.30 and $9077.67 to use over 10 years. They have an MSRP between $1400 and $5400.

These air cleaner systems are priced much higher than competitors in the marketplace. The particle efficiency on the MERV filters in these systems is only about 75% down to.3 microns in size. The company only backs these systems with a one year warranty.

These air purifier models seem to be very uncompetitive with similar models from other companies in the industry. The cost-benefit value of these systems is very poor. They are priced like high-end air purifiers but without offering the many benefits typically associated with top-tier systems. Some of these benefits one would expect to see in a system like this: the leading PCO technology in the industry, one of the highest particle efficiency removal rates in the industry, and one of the best warranties in the industry.

The bottom line is there are many options out there that are superior in all three benefit areas listed that also cost much less. So not only do competitor’s products perform equally well and in many cases better, they also cost much less.

One of the benefits of these systems is that they have the ability to be mounted. Although they are stand-alone systems, the MERV filtration in the system indicates that they are originally designed for being mounted close to the ventilation systems. These could be great systems for combining with a ventilation system to address odor, gas, and particle pollution. At the end of the day, the costs involved just do not seem to justify the use of these systems.

Did You Know That OSHA Requires a Compressed Air Safety Shut-Off Valve?

The OSHA Safety Standard Regulation 29CFR CHXVII Paragraph 1926.302(b)(7) states: All hoses exceeding 1/2-inch inside diameter shall have a safety device at the source of supply or branch line to reduce pressure in case of hose failure.

Prevent dangerous air hose whips and accidents. Protect your most important assets: Your employees and their equipment.

OSHA COMPRESSED AIR SAFETY SHUT-OFF VALVES offers simple but efficient protection to pneumatic systems in the event of a broken compressed air hose or pipe.

Saftey is what this is all about for you, your business and your employees. Don’t let a “mising” safety valve cause accidents. Make sure all your air hoses 1/2 inch and larger in diameter have the OSHA required safety shut-off valve.

_________________________________________________

Another OSHA guideline publication states: “Hoses, cables, and other equipment shall be kept clear of passageways, ladders and stairs.”

OSHA says reduce your slips, trips and falls.

Slips, trips and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents, which cause 15% of all accidental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities.

The OSHA standard for walking and working surfaces apply to all permanent places of employment, except where only domestic, mining, or agricultural work is performed. ( from OSHA.gov )

Consider adding reels to increase safety & efficiency with your electrical cords, welding cables, air hose, oil, grease, liquid/water or fuel hoses. This could be one of your most effective equipment additions you’ll ever make… as well as one of the safest!

Reels are suitable for many applications – such as industrial, automotive, marine, chemical, welding, petroleum, food processing, aviation, and electrical.

Reels are used to transfer air, water, motor oil, transmission fluid, grease, gear oil, anti-freeze, diesel fuels, welding gases, fuel oil, liquid pesticides, fertilizers, detergents, hydraulic oils, cutting oils, printing inks, solvents, chemicals, and blacktop sealers.

Probably one of the largest uses of hose reels is for Compressed Air. Compressed air is clean, readily available, and simple to use. As a result, compressed air is often chosen for applications for which other energy sources are more economical.

Inappropriate uses of compressed air include any application that can be done more effectively or more efficiently by a method other than compressed air.

Don’t WASTE your Compressed Air. Check your facility for wasteful and perhaps even unsafe uses of compressed air.

Bottom Line: Invest in durable, quality reels that make hoses, cords and cables more productive, keep them easily accessible and make them last longer.

How Safe Is Air Dried Dog Food

Air-dried dog food is currently a lot in trend. Many of you might be knowing about it and many of you might be confused or have a misconception if it’s good for your pooch or not. Here you get all your doubts answered. This dog food are such supplement that enables your pooch baby to eat in a natural wild way that is raw form. But not only this, it lets your dog enjoy the food and not only be natural but also get essential nutrients for healthy growth and well being.

Why feed air-dried fog food?

We know that dog has the lineage of wild animals such as of wolf. Therefore if we study further dogs are also capable to eat and enjoy raw meat. With so much available in the market we have several well-known brands that assure you to provide not-only quality food but also filled with necessary vitamins, mineral and nutrition. Therefore is it OK to give your beloved pooch the only market made preservative mixed dog food?

The answer to this will surely be a no but even if you still doubt let’s explore the process of making air-dried dog food and the benefits your pooch avails.

About the making of best-air-dried dog food?

  • They aren’t cooked: One of the main reasons for giving your pooch this food is because they aren’t cooked. Yes, you heard it right. These are special temperate that all the moisture from the raw meat gets evaporated. This enables us to keep the natural nutrients level maintained in the meat while increasing the shelf life and making it eatable for your pooch. If you think of any disadvantage then there is nothing as such to be considered as harmful. It is because of the zero moisture in raw material makes any food not only lasts for several years but also locks all the benefits of it without any loss.
  • 90-95% of real meat: The best-air-dried dog foods have almost 90 to 95% of real meat which are in all ways filled with nutrition. When on the other hand we see lots of branded companies offering processed food with a high level of nutrient it all seems to go vague if compared to air-dried food. In surveys, it has been noticed that branded dog food producers mix preservatives that not only harm your pooch slowly and steadily but also many times at their later stage results in disabilities.

Benefits your pooch avails if fed with dried dog food?

  • No need of refrigeration: Yes, you might be aware that many of the food packets available for your pooch after opening have instructions to be refrigerated at a certain temperature. But when we talk about these air-dried foods they don’t require any type of refrigeration.
  • Fresh home raised pastures: As compared to wild meat with home raised pastures we all know the basic benefits of it. Thus air dried item is made from home raised pasture so that the customers buying it will be assured of feeding their dogs all naturally healthy meat.
  • Contains many nutrients: Talking about the nutrition level your pooch would get from this food are numerous. Such as biotin, special minerals, animal fresh organ meat, natural vitamins, necessary protein and many more.
  • Free from the artificial agent: Those who feed their pooches market dog food are aware of the amount of artificial products such as preservatives, soy, synthetic minerals, vitamins, flavours, colours, gluten, wheat, grains etc that are surely going to take a toll on your dog’s health. But when compared with dried dog food they have nothing as such in there and have everything naturally compressed.

Therefore, there is no doubt why you must choose air-dried dog food rather than artificial branded dog food.

Best Air Purifiers of 2021

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indoor air can be five times more polluted than the outdoor air. As indoor air remains enclosed and not circulated as much as outside air, many pollutants tend to thrive inside, which increases the risk of respiratory infections, neurological problems, etc. for the occupants. Pet dander, pollen, dust mites, paint fumes, smoke released from cooking are some of the common types of indoor allergens that can deteriorate the air quality. Besides, lack of ventilation, dirty upholstery, and humid environments contribute to the harmful indoor environment, making children, aged population, and people with chronic conditions more vulnerable to numerous health issues. However, high-efficiency particular air (HEPA) filter can help to clean the bad indoor air by accumulating pollutants. It works to pull air into the machine at the base through a fan, the instilled filters catch the pollutant in the perforations, and the machine then releases the fresh air into the surroundings. A true HEPA filter can remove up to 99.9% of the dust particles, measuring as small as 0.3-micron diameter. Some types of air purifiers have charcoal filters that can absorb odors and harmful chemicals while others have UV filters that kill harmful microbes present in the surrounding air.

Here is a list of top ten air purifiers that provide effective protection against the indoor pollutants.

Coway AP-1512HH Mighty

Designed for rooms up to 361 sq ft., Coway AP-1512HH Mighty utilizes a decent 4-stage filtration process, including pre-filter (first stage), carbon filter (second stage), True HEPA filter (third stage), and ionizer (fourth stage). It not only uplifts the décor in the room, but also delivers excellent air filtering performance at a rapid speed. The Coway AP-1512HH Mighty air purifier draws air from vents located at front, left, right, and bottom, and the filtered air comes out vertically upwards. While being on Eco mode, the device automatically adjusts the fan speed by collecting data from the quality sensor. If the air quality during the last 30 minutes of the device is excellent, the device will automatically turn off, and thus save electricity, reduce noise, and ensure filter quality.

The device features a timer option that facilitates those users who want to run the device for a specific period. The pre-filter requires to be cleaned between 14 to 28 days, but if you have pets, make sure to clean the filter as frequently as possible. The True HEPA filter captures 99.7% of airborne particles including dirt, mould spores, microbes, smoke, pet dander, etc., but the filter is not washable. However, the device comes with only one carbon filter so, replacing it would cost additional maintenance charges along with the hefty price of the device.

Blueair Blue Pure 211+

One of the most popular models from Blueair, Blue Pure 211+ is the #2 top-rated air purifier tested by Consumer Reports. The filtration technology consists of pre-filter and 2-in-1 particle plus carbon filter with electrostatic charging (HEPASilentTM), which has almost the same efficiency as HEPA filters (99%). When it comes to handling the particulate contaminants, pre-filter can capture hair, lint and dust, etc. The super-efficient particle filter is made up of polypropylene, which requires to be washed off every six months. The activated mesh-type carbon filter is capable of trapping airborne chemicals, smog, cigarette smoke, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), etc. With a clean air delivery rate of 350 cubic feet per minute, the Blue Air Bluepure 211+ can clean air up to 525 sq. ft. five times per hour. The air purifier has low noise profile, ranging from 31 to 56 dB(A), so one can process more air while generating less noise.

Levoit LV-H132

The LV-H132 is a first-of-its-kind compact air purifier that can make a big difference to the air quality at home. The device has a modern but subtle clean look, which does not draw much attention. The LV-H132 has a simple set of controls, LED nightlight on and off, and a Smart Filter Change Indicator that signals when the filter should be changed. The lightweight and easy to move around air purification device boasts an excellent price. With three-stage filtration system, LV-H132 exhibits good performance, providing satisfactory air cleaning efficiency up to 94%. If one is buying a device solely on the basis of price and presence of HEPA purifiers, then Levoit-H132 is the perfect choice.

Pure Enrichment PureZone 3-in-1 True HEPA Air Purifier

Unlike other cost-effective air purification systems that come with 2 or 3 filters, the PureZone 3-in-1 True HEPA air purifiers come with 4-filtration process including pre-filter, carbon filter, HEPA filter, and UV-C light. It works efficiently to catch the indoor allergens such as dust, pollen, hair/pet hair, dust mites, moulds, virus/germs, tobacco smoke, chemicals, VOCs, smoke/gas, and odors. The whisper-quiet operation of the air purifier prevents disturbance while sleeping while the timer button automatically switches off fan after 2, 4, 8-hour time intervals. It is designed for spaces up to 200 sq. ft. so it might be the best choice for large spaces. The PureZone 3-in-1 True HEPA filter provides a high efficiency of 99.9% for trapping any particles down to 0.3 microns.

Austin Air HealthMate HM-400

One of the most popular air purifier brands in the USA has earned the title of “America’s Favorite Air Cleaner” due to its powerful filtration technology. The medical-grade true HEPA model has been specifically designed to remove particulate matter as small as 0.1 microns. The top-notch filter is made up of carbon and zeolite, that work to remove fumes and odors from the air. The air purifier comes with a complete air intake system that maximizes air flow while the PSC motor, which enhances durability of the machine. Besides being energy-efficient, it is also space-efficient as it is programmed to cover a much larger space than many comparable models.

Winix A231

Winix A231 is a well-built, durable, and strong air purifier that has the ability to vent out strong purifying air in short intervals, which makes it efficient for air purification. With four different phases of air filtration including the fine mesh phase, HEPA filter phase, activated carbon filter phase, and plasma wave cleaning phase, the Winix A231 is designed to clean a room with surface area of 230 sq. ft. The sleep mode operation makes it possible for one to have an undisturbed sleep while using the machine.

Coway AirMega 400S

The AirMega 400S is one of the most powerful air purifiers available in the market today. The product can purify air up to 1560 sq. ft. therefore, it is a perfect fit for very large areas such as living room, garages and workshops, commercial office spaces, and basements. The air purifier delivers a 2X ACH rating, meaning that the room air can be recycled twice each hour. The modern design of the device offers a perfect blend of form and function. Besides, the machine is lightweight and easy to move around. The air purifier is the best choice for allergy sufferers, people with high chemical sensitivities or exposed to high PM2.5 pollution, and anyone with large indoor areas to cover can opt for the super-efficient Coway AirMega 400S. The convenient remote feature on the unit provides the added benefit of a mobile application. The Eco mode saves energy and extends the longevity of filters by automatically turning off the device when air quality is good in the area.

Alen BreatheSmart 75i

Designed to remove 99.9% air pollutants including dust, pollen, smoke, etc. with H13 medical-grade HEPA filters, Alen BreatheSmart 75i is one of the best air purifiers available today. With an outstanding 400 CADR rating, the purification device can cover up to 350 cubic ft./min. without consuming much energy. The device features nine front panel finish options, that allows users to customize the air purifier as per their convenience. The very low noise output of the purification device allows users to have sound sleep. The Alen BreatheSmart75i can capture 99.97% of indoor pollutants as small as 0.3 microns pollutant particles such as dust mites, pollen, mould spores, etc.

According to the TechSci research report on Global Air Purifier Market By Filter Type (HEPA & Activated Carbon, Ion & Ozone, Electrostatic Precipitators, HEPA & Activated Carbon + Ion & Ozone, HEPA, Activated Carbon and Others), By End User (Residential, Commercial and Industrial), By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2025″, the global air purifier market is anticipated to grow at a formidable CAGR of around 13% owing to the rising pollution levels and improving air filter availability through multiple channels. Besides, the increasing product innovations and growing personal disposable incomes are contributing to the global air purifier market growth.

When it Comes to Bowling, Air Conditioning Makes All the Difference

What makes one bowling alley better than the next? Some might say it is the acoustics, the music they play, the ambiance, or the fact that they let you smoke inside and purchase alcohol? Others might say it is the equipment, the quality of the furniture, or even the quality of the clientele on outside of town.

Still, what makes one bowling alley better than the next is usually the air-conditioning, that’s right, the air-conditioning system especially in the summertime. Of course, if the bowling alley operator truly wants to make money they can’t blast the air conditioning too much, or they will spend all their money paying for the electricity, and there won’t be enough left over to afford to keep their lease, or pay the salaries of all the employees.

Bowling alleys are actually part of the entertainment sector, one which got hit pretty hard during the recession, and thus, they compete with things like movie theaters, miniature golf, and even the smaller theme parks. If the price is right and the air-conditioned atmosphere is correct, the place will be full.

Bowling alley operators need to have dual air conditioning systems. They should use a swamp coolers for temperatures up to a certain point, and then a different kind of air conditioning system when the temperature reaches the maximum efficient point for the swamp cooler.

The air-conditioning system should also blow the airflow from the middle of the lanes into the area where people are waiting to bowl. This way people will wish to stand around where everyone is bowling causing more people to play, rather than just hang out. Also the room with any pinball machines, or electronic games ought to be well cooled and sealed off from the rest of the bowling alley.

By maintaining efficiency and climate control, a bowling alley can maximize its profits, by reducing its energy expenses. Please consider all this.

Air Climber Reviews – How Did I Lose 34 Pounds in 7 Weeks With the Air Climber?

You have probably seen the Air Climber exercise equipment on those late night TV commercials. It seems like a great tools to help you lose fat and gain lean and fit body. However, before you buy, read this Air Climber review first to see if it fits your workout and weight loss needs.

How I lost 34 pounds in 7 weeks with the Air Climber

It was after Thanksgiving that I found myself gaining over 15 pounds and I must do something about it. I saw the Air Climber commercial and thought it looked convincing and could be the one that give me an excuse to get up and exercise. My goal is to lose weight by my 35th birthday in February, and maybe look good for the next summer. If you are like me, you hate those gut-wrenching crunches and laying-down-the-floor abs exercises. I was looking for a quick solution to flatten my flabby abs, arms, and legs, while enjoying the process and without the pain in my joints.

At first I was really skeptical about this systems and didn’t really think it would work. Despite the doubts, I bought and suick with it anyways because I had promised myself and didn’t want to disappoint my friends and family. Even though the product sell for over $80, I was fortunate to get the trial for only $15 and I was hooked with the10 inches or 10 pounds in 10 days or money back guarantee offer.

My trick to really make Air Climber really effective

I received the Air Climber is 5 days shipping, but leaving it sat underneath my bed for almost 8 days because I was kinda busy with my work and family issues. However, when I finally decided to jump on it and just give it a real shot, it got addicted to the fun following the DVD. The key is to start right away and stick with the rapid weight loss meal plans included in the package.

After the first week or so, I started to see some changes in my waistline. I was so excited when I lost almost 15 pounds in the first 2 weeks using the system. It gave me more motivation to keep my 20 minutes a day routine workouts in my living room and the meal plans was delicious too. If you are looking to lose serious weight and feel good fitting in those tight sexy jean or bikinis, the Air Climber system could be the one that change your life forever.

The Hidden Dangers of Air Bags and Sun Visors During Car Accidents

You expect your air bags to protect you from injury during an accident. You expect to be able to use your sun visor to shield your eyes from the bright glare of the sun. However, in some vehicles, the combination of deploying air bags and in-use sun visors can have dangerous consequences, including blinding you. This page describes those dangers in some of those vehicles.

The Accident

A young man was driving a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse in rural Texas. Because the sun was setting on the horizon, the passenger had her sun visor down to shield her eyes. As the car turned slowly into a Little League parking lot, its left front wheel struck a small post in the center of the driveway that had been obscured by dust kicked up by other cars. Despite the low speed, and despite the lack of any damage to the front bumper or front end, the air bags deployed.

As the passenger air bag deployed, it slammed into the passenger’s sun visor (sun shade), smashing it apart and sending it flying. As a result, our client was hit in the face and was blinded in one eye. The sun visor remained attached to the car by only a single strand of wire, since the air bag smashed it off its attachments.

The force from the deploying air bag was so strong, that it ripped a jagged metal insert from inside the sun visor right through the visor’s plastic shell. The force was also strong enough to shatter the vanity mirror that was part of the sun visor.

Given this dangerous interaction between the air bag and the sun visor, and given the devastating injury that it caused, it is not surprising that there was blood on the surface of the air bag.

Our Testing

To determine whether the passenger air bag was designed in a way that allowed it to rip the sun visor off during deployment when the visor was being used, we tested another 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse at an independent air bag test facility. For the testing, we used both real-time video cameras and very sophisticated high-speed cameras. This high-speed video of the testing allowed us to capture the passenger air bag / sun visor interaction in great detail, and to clearly document how the air bag rips the sun visor off its attachments.

In every one of our tests, the passenger air bag smashed into the sun visor, ripped it off its attachments, and sent it flying through the cabin of the car, where it could pose a danger to the passengers.

Although this accident, and the testing we conducted, was in a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse, other cars are also at risk for the same danger. For example, our investigation has revealed the following cars sold in the United States all use the same or substantially similar passenger air bags and passenger sun visors as the ones we tested that demonstrated the danger:

o 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse

o 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder

o 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 Dodge Stratus

o 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 Chrysler Sebring

Other cars may use different air bags or different sun visors, but that does not necessarily mean that they are free from danger. For example, some other vehicles may also have a passenger air bag that deploys upward, along the windshield, and that can strike a sun visor that is being used. At the same time, some other vehicles may have sun visors that are not specifically designed to stay together after being hit by an air bag.

Outside Cold Air Blowing in Behind Glove Box – Ford Explorer Or Jeep Grand Cherokee

Change of seasons sometimes reveals problems with a vehicle that would otherwise go unnoticed. If you have a Jeep Grand Cherokee or a Ford Explorer that has an outside air leak behind the glove box, then you may have a broken fresh air door (AKA Recirculate Door or Max Door). The fresh air door is used to either recirculate air in the passenger compartment or allow fresh air to enter the HVAC (Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning) system. Surprisingly the Explorer and the Grand Cherokee share a common flaw in the heating and AC system. The fresh air doors are weak plastic that many times under the stress of the control actuator can break. When it’s cold outside this problem makes itself very apparent. In hotter climates in the summertime, a broken fresh air door drastically reduces the air conditioning’s efficiency.

Checking it is easy by operating the fresh air door and listening for increased airflow. When the climate control setting is moved to max, the sound of the air blowing through the vents should be louder because the fresh air door is sealing off the outside air, forcing the inside air to recirculate. If the sound is not louder, you can open the glove box door and look behind it for the operation of the door when switching the setting from normal to max. If the door is not visibly moving, it is likely that it has broken. The door sometimes can even fall to the bottom of the case, positioned right above the blower. It may not be in sight, sometimes you can stick your fingers through the plastic grate and feel the door laying loose on the bottom.

Replacement of the door is not a do it yourself job. The dash needs to be swung out and the HVAC case removed on Grand Cherokees. On Ford Explorers the job can be done without the removal of the case, but the assembly must be replaced. Obviously if the case needs to be removed, the refrigerant must be recovered, which requires an ac machine. So if you are mechanically inclined the one that may be done at home might be the Explorer, of course this depends on your mechanical ability. Even if you are not going to do this job yourself, this information can be used to help explain to the repair shop what the problem is. By providing more information to lead the technician to the problem area, diagnosis time can be reduced.

Freelance Web Designer | WordPress Developer | Hong Kong