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Is Driving With Your Pet Hazardous To Your Health?

Jun 14th, 2009
by Greg.
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Fan Motor consumed by dog hair

Fan Motor consumed by dog hair

So you think that your pet can’t harm you? You’re saying to yourself, “How can that beautiful, friendly, lovable, furry and fun companion do something to harm me?” Believe me, your pet is doing it unintentionally and you are just as responsible for your condition as they are.  But don’t worry, the cure is easy although it will take effort. Be warned though, if you fail to maintain this practice, you can easily add hundreds of dollars to your vehicle repair bills….

Your pet sheds and sheds and sheds, right. And where do the hairs hide? Yep, you guessed it. Right in the vehicle’s carpet. Now, can you guess what system in your car that loves to pick up all that hair? No, it’s not the optional DVD player or the GPS. It’s not the radio or the power steering, either. It’s your heating and air conditioning system!

Fan Motor With Dog Hair Strip

Fan Motor With Dog Hair Strip

The HVAC system is the unit responsible for supplying you good dry air whether it’s heating or air conditioning. In almost every new car today, the HVAC system is in operation over 85% of the time. In order to treat or dry the air within the car, a series of return ducts are positioned on the floor allowing for hot, humid air to be collected, dried and exhausted through the vents in the dash. It’s not any different than the system you have in your home. It’s just in a more confined space.

Now, with pets, their shedding allows hair to float in the air and lay lightly on the carpet. As this occurs, the intake vents (return vents) will grab these floating follicles and draw them in to the air ducts which sends them up and through to the evaporator and fan motor areas. This is where the hair and debris will collect and eventually clog the evaporator and damage the fan motor. I’ve attached two photos from my son’s newly acquired 1997 Ford Explorer for you to see first hand what can get into your ventilation system (SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS).

Now the harm to you comes in the form of breathing all of that pet dander and mites that are being blown right back into your face and right into your lungs. I don’t think this is what you had in mine when you invited your pet into the car for a little ride.

So how do you stop your pet from sharing it’s coat with you? Get yourself a really good vacuum cleaner and keep the carpets cleaned of any fur, food and trash. If you are not one who likes to clean the vehicle, nor have the time to, then a simple stop at a FULL SERVICE CAR WASH will do the job for you. In either case, please keep it clean.  Who knows, you might just breath better and clear up some allergies to boot.

Posted in: Healthy Driving Habits.
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Save Smart, Drive Smarter

Feb 10th, 2009
by Greg.
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As reports are starting to confirm, buying or leasing a new car every two years is a trend that has all but disappeared for most car owners. Between the scare of a manufacturer going bankrupt, the credit crunch, or the thought of taking on another debt payment, the smart money (a.k.a. the smart owner) is going towards maintenance for the long haul. Do you know that cars are averaging close to 14 years before they are retired? True, most vehicles today can easily survive the dreaded 100,000 mile curse if properly maintained. I always say, “you’ll get tired of driving it, before it gets tired of driving you.” But what the reports don’t tell you is that this is the first time in a long time that owners are having to maintain or repair the vehicle outside of the warranty period. Meaning, that repairs and maintenance are coming “out of pocket.” To some, this is a HUGE eye opener and the thought of actually having to take care of a piece of machinery puts quite a scare in to them.

But, maintaining a vehicle with a proper schedule doesn’t have to break the budget. A goal for you and any qualified repair shop should be to manage your maintenance through a period of time. Those of us in the bays do realize that money doesn’t grow on trees and there’s no Car Health Insurance to subsidize the repair bills.

But what can you do to help save money on repairs and maintenance? The first (and easiest) thing is to become a better driver. Keep the tires at a proper level, keep an eye on the fluids, don’t do “jack rabbit starts” and stay the speed limit by using cruise control. Second, sit down and have a consultation with your shop. Don’t be afraid to ask your service writer, tech or even the shop owner (they may be all three) what they think your car will need over the next year or so in terms of maintenance. Let them help you plan for maintenance by making suggestions as to what you should do now and what items or services can be completed at another time. You may also wish to ask what type of failures are inherent to your make and model, and when do they start to occur. (NOTE: Every make, model and manufacturer has pattern failures that happen around certain mileage marks or during certain climates and environments. These patterns should be understood and are not necessarily a result of poor design, but that the part simply wears out.) By taking the time to discuss your vehicle budget and maintenance plan, it let’s us know that you are interested in maintaining it as well as we are. That’s a great partnership for you, your vehicle and us.

Greg Buckley

Posted in: Fuel Saving Tips, Uncategorized.
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Holiday Driving Habits, Precautions And Preparations

Nov 24th, 2008
by Greg.
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It’s that time again. The end of the year is upon us and the Thanksgiving Holiday is usually the the traditional start of holiday driving season. I don’t think I need to remind everyone that it is also the start of the holiday shopping season, the cookie making season, the homemade pie season, the kids whining season, the decoration season and so on. No matter what season you are going to indulge in, more than likely it’s going to take your car to do the things that you need to do.

This is where real preparations begin. I typically inform clients that the better prepared you are, the less stress you’ll gather while completing your holiday chores. Now, when I said “you” I meant that inclusively. You and your car. Most of us don’t think about what we should be prepared for before we hit the highway. Let me share with you some of my most common tips that I do before I head off to Aunt Millie’s house.

1. Plenty of rest the night before.
2. Check the vehicle fluids: Coolant, oil level, Washer fluids
3. Check The Tire - Look at the overall tread and make sure air pressures are at a proper level
4. Safety Check – Are all the lights working? Turn signal, flashers, etc.
5. How’s My Spare Tire? – Look in the trunk and make sure the spare is filled and the hardware is present.
6. Carry An Emergency Kit – Flashlight, blankets, a bottle of water, and some travel snacks.
7. CELL PHONE – No brainer
8. GPS Unit – Most new smart phones have GPS capabilities. If yours don’t look at Amazon and check out the TomTom or Garmin units.
9. Did I Mention Food? Make sure you bring some snacks for you, the others and Poochie if you have a pet.
10. Constant Contact. Yes, be courteous to those you are going to visit. Call them before you leave your home and check in with them during the trip. If something should happen, they can be the ones to alert those that need be.

I’m sure you have your own list of preparations and habits for your holiday journeys. As long as we all arrive safe, sane and secure, then it’s all good.

Drive Safe. Drive Smart.

Greg

Posted in: Healthy Driving Habits.
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Beware: Falling Leaves Ahead!

Nov 11th, 2008
by Greg.
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During the fall season, especially here in the mid-Atlantic and northeast regions, there is nothing like watching mother nature show off her beautiful coat of red, orange and yellows. The views are spectacular and really make you feel lucky that you live in a four seasons climate.

But don’t let these colors fool you. Although Mother Nature’s intent is to beautify, that coat of colors can be treacherous to the driver once laid on the ground. Leaves are as dangerous as they are beautiful once they hit the road and become soaked with rain. Did you know that leaves are a leading cause of driver’s losing control on our roadways? It’s like the old banana on the floor. Step on it and your bound to slip.

Few drivers, especially the newer, less experienced ones aren’t really aware of just how dangerous leaves can be. Just one single layer of wet leaves can make braking, steering and stopping extremely difficult. Acceleration on wet leaves can result in fishtailing and loss of control.

Even dry leaves can present problems that you don’t even see.  Large potholes can be covered up when leaves fill the hole and giving the illusion to the driver that a flat surface is all that is ahead. Dry leaves can even present a fire hazard if they come in contact with a hot muffler, tailpipe or catalytic converter that reaches temperatures of 650 degrees.

It’s easy to remind you to keep all your tires at proper air pressures and make sure that your tread depth is within specifications. But driving with leaves on the ground can take some skill. And we all know you don’t want to mess with Mother Nature!

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You Are What You Breathe!

Oct 25th, 2008
by Greg.
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I recently came across an unbelievable video that grossed me out when I realized what I am really breathing in my car. After 40 years in the business and being a driver for 32 years, I hadn’t seen anything like this. If you think you aren’t affected by this problem too, than you really need to see this video that was on the Today show. Believe me when I tell you that your passengers are sharing a lot more than just good conversation!

Because I know first hand that this is more of problem than you may think, I want to inform everyone that we now have the MiST In Car Air Sanitizer and it’s ready for service! I just had to get this piece of high tech equipment once I had come across this disgusting video. I can tell you that I recently performed this service on one of very own vehicles and Wow!, did it make a difference. I could tell right away that the air was actually cleaner. No must and mildew odors around. This was on my 2002 Explorer which had been a smoker’s car. So, it really does the job. If you need more proof, download these scientific reports that describe how serious in-car air quality really is.

Dashboard Report

Forbes

Germs

Or, read a local Televison Anchor, Tracy Davidson of NBC 10, how she describes one woman’s situation of bad or worn rubber seals at the doors and deck lid that was causing mold and mildew to grow inside her vents.

NBC10

For a limited time, Buckley’s Auto Care will perform a complete MiST Sanitation Service of your HVAC System and change out your Cabin Air Filter which harbors all of the disgusting road debris and elements such as rodent droppings, pollen, dust and a slew of other un-wantables.  I’ve made the price $99.00 which includes the MiST service and cabin air filter, parts and all labor.  Call us today at 1-302-999-8285 for all of the details about this one of kind service.


Posted in: Healthy Driving Habits.
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Stiff Neck? Bad Back? Think Tires, Posture And Driving Habits…

Oct 8th, 2008
by Greg.
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I know that we are always talking about where we drive, what we drive and how to take care of what we drive. But this is a unique post from a massage therapist  (who happens to be my sister) that talks about the subtle effects that driving has on our posture. That creaky back you talk about, or the stiff neck may just be the results of poor vehicle maintenance…believe it or not. I didn’t think so until my sister actually showed me the facts. Great tip!

From Michele Craner – CEO of Awakenings Center For Holistic Healing, www.awakeningscfhh.com.

 

Driving tips from your Massage Therapist.

You may be wondering why your massage therapist is offering you driving tips.   Well with all of us driving for longer distances on a regular basis, I have had many clients over the past year come to me with consistent, nagging discomforts.   After a little investigation (asking the right questions) I have found a majority of them were directly related to their driving habits.  Usually these types of aches and other minor conditions go away after an hour or so but then there are some that don’t.  These are the ones that will pay you a visit all day long.

Just like an athlete that conditions his muscles to react to a physical task or situation so do your muscles when you drive.   However the type of vibration and jarring that occurs in a car can fatigue the muscles at an accelerated rate.  So what does all this mean?  The tired muscles stop doing their job of keeping optimal body alignment especially in the spine and this can lead to a negative influence on discs while in a prolonged sitting position. (A common condition is Herniated Discs)

So what do the experts recommend?

Good posture ….good seating and steering wheel design with adjustable height.

While seated in your car, you should have low back (lumbar) support and your legs should be in line with the foot pedals to maintain proper hip placement.  Optimally your body should be able to sit upright and at a proper distance and height from the wheel and foot pedals so that your muscular system is not overtaxed and that your joints are not held in full extension.  At no time should contact with the seat cause undue pressure, numbness or pain on the back of the legs (Hamstrings) or behind the knee.  Also short people should not have to strain to see over the dash as well as tall people should not have to slump forward.  It is recommended at least 4” clearance from the top of your head to the roof.

Optimal Tire Pressure

Good tire pressure reduces jarring and bouncing and therefore can reduce muscle fatigue and other related conditions not to mention save you fuel dollars!

Good Suspension

A vehicle with good suspension is critical in reducing the vibratory jarring forces inherent in driving.  The effects on the body due to poor suspension especially when coupled with unhealthy road conditions are negative and immediate.

Take a Break

It’s recommended to stop every hour to two hours of car travel to walk and stretch the body.  This gives the muscles used while in the seated position a much needed rest.  Plan ahead and take frequent breaks.

My personal recommendation:

Be Proactive

Striving for good postural alignment while driving isn’t hard and the benefits of being proactive can help you avoid back pain and other conditions.  So today while you’re on the road driving to your next destination, take a minute and evaluate your posture.  Make any corrections necessary so that your body is in good alignment, and over the next few weeks make an appointment with your local Auto Repair Shop to have your tire pressure checked and adjusted if necessary, as well as your suspension evaluated.

And no matter how much or how little ….take time each day to take care of yourself.

Happy motoring in good health!

  Michele Craner

  CEO

  Awakenings Center For Holistic Healing

  www.awakeningscfhh.com

Posted in: Healthy Driving Habits.
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