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A basic over view of how heaters work and how we can help.
 Granted, most vehicle systems do work the way they're supposed to; but, that first day when the world is coated in frost and the temperature has plummeted below freezing is not the time to find out your car's heater is not working. Start by flipping on that heater switch well before you really need the heat. If your heater doesn't respond with a warm blast of air, here are a few things we can do to figure out the problem.
Only once the engine warms up will the passenger compartment warm up as well. Automotive heaters work off the warm air absorbed by the radiator from the warmed-up engine. If your cold-day car ritual is to turn on the heater and blower right after your turn the ignition switch, all you'll get is cold air. Only once the engine warms up will the passenger compartment warm up as well.
Here are some of the ways we at Automotive Specialists of North Atlanta in Duluth can help.
Your radiator has to have an adequate level of coolant for the heating system to work.
If you're low on coolant, air pockets can develop in the heater core and hoses, blocking the flow of warmth.
To make sure the coolant is fully circulating, we check both heater hoses (inlet and outlet return hoses) when  the engine has reached normal operating temperatures and the heater is on. Both hoses should be hot to the touch. If they're not, we may have identified the source of your problem.
The most common failure of a heater core is coolant leaking into the passenger’s side floorboard.
This can cause the engine to overheat.
The most common symptom of a failed heater core is the fogging up of the inside windows, which is caused by coolant that has leaked inside the car.
For a front-wheel drive or rear engine configuration, you will want to bring the problem to our facility, since those systems are usually a bit more complicated.
Filling the cooling system and bleeding out heater hose air
pockets may require opening up bleeder valves on the thermostat housing or hose connections.
If your vehicle doesn't have these valves, we may have to loosen the heater outlet hose as we add coolant to the radiator. In either case, we leave the valve or hose open until the fluid starts to dribble out. At that point, the air pockets should be eliminated and you'll be good to go.
 Another source of no-heat is a thermostat stuck in the open position.
A good test we can perform is to start a cold engine and check the upper radiator hose. No coolant should be moving through the hose until the engine starts to warm up, and at that point, the hose will feel warm. If the thermostat is stuck on open, we should feel the coolant in the hose as soon as the cold engine is started.
Please give us a call at 770-623-6069, if you have any further questions or to schedule an appointment.
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