Think about the runny noses you’ve wiped. The drinks you’ve spilled on your floor mats. The crumbs that lurk in the cracks and crevices. You get the idea. 

Even if you’re good about cleaning your car, there might be some health hazards hidden beneath the surface. Could your car use a checkup? Keep reading to learn about the potential health risks in your car and what you can do to fix them! 

1. Your car is a Petri dish on wheels

You might be hyperaware of disinfecting the high-touch surfaces and objects around your home, like doorknobs, kitchen counters, and bathroom sinks, but how often are you cleaning and disinfecting your car? Car interiors are some of the filthiest places on the planet! 

According to a CarRentals.com study, there are approximately 700 different strains of bacteria living in the average vehicle. The average steering wheel has 629 colony-forming units (CFU) per square centimeter, aka bacteria. That makes the average steering wheel six times dirtier than the average cell phone screen (100 CFU), and four times dirtier than a public toilet seat (172 CFU)! 

How to fix it: For easy clean-ups on the go, keep a pack of disinfecting wipes in your car at all times to use before and after eating, grocery shopping, or pumping gas. (The average gas pump handle is nearly 12,000 times dirtier than a public toilet seat!) 

Make it a point to disinfect the interior of your car every week or couple of weeks with antibacterial wipes or disinfectant spray and a microfiber cloth or rag to get rid of germs and potentially hazardous bacteria. Wipe down all the touchpoints in your car, like your steering wheel, seat belt buckle, gear shift, cup holders, door handles, dashboard, buttons, touchscreens, etc. 

2. Your air filter is filthy

Your air filter prevents debris and contaminants from entering your car’s HVAC system – and your lungs! A dirty air filter can allow contaminants like dust, dirt, and pollen to slip through. If you or your passengers have allergies or breathing problems, your air filter could be making them worse. A sore throat, stuffy nose, or sneezing are signs that your air filter might need to be replaced. 

How to fix it: You should replace your cabin air filter at least once a year, ideally right before the start of allergy season. Otherwise, you’re unnecessarily exposing yourself to contaminants and allergens. No thanks! 

3. Your A/C vents are growing mold

Mold and mildew can form inside your car’s air conditioning vents if they get damp, especially in the summer when humidity is high. Those mold spores can flow into your car’s cabin through the vents when you turn on the A/C or heat. Chances are, those vents are aimed right at your face. Yuck. 

Could you have mold growth in your car? According to the Centers for Disease Control, mold exposure can cause eye and throat irritation, coughing, and sneezing – classic sick car syndrome symptoms. 

Sick car syndrome, also called toxic car syndrome, is a serious thing that can happen if there’s condensation in your car’s A/C system. If you notice you or any of your passengers are feeling these symptoms in your car, you may want a mechanic to check out your vents. 

How to fix it: If you actually smell mold when you turn on your car’s A/C system, it could be a sign that your evaporator core is moldy. Run the heat with the vents closed for about 10 minutes to help dry out the vents and evaporator core. You can also use a long brush that can reach into the vents to clean out mold growth. If you still notice a moldy smell, take your car to a mechanic to have these parts professionally cleaned and treated for mold. 

4. Outside contaminants are coming into your car

Ever catch a whiff of exhaust, cigarette smoke, or other noxious fumes while you’re driving along? Although your air filter is designed to remove odors and toxins from the air before they can enter your cabin, it isn’t 100% effective all of the time – even if it’s a clean filter. These contaminants pass through your air conditioning vents and can cause allergy-like symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, or headache.

How to fix it: Roll up your windows to keep contaminants out and recirculate the air that’s already in your cabin by pressing the button on your A/C controls that looks like a recycling symbol or arrow turning around inside a car.

5. Your seat isn’t properly adjusted

Your driving position could be causing more strain on your body than you realize. If you deal with neck, back, shoulder, or sciatic pain, an improper driving position could be to blame!

How to fix it: Check out our tips on how to maintain a comfortable, safe driving position, and remember to take breaks and stretch your body throughout the day, especially if you’re traveling long distances.

Via: https://blog.directauto.com

No matter your reason, if you’re looking for a gratifying career and are not afraid of getting your hands a little dirty, you’re in the right place. Learn how to become an auto technician and the perks of starting your career in the automotive industry at Firestone Complete Auto Care.

How to Become an Auto Technician at Firestone Complete Auto Care

You may think that you need to know all about cars to work for Firestone Complete Auto Care. However, that’s not always the case! At Firestone Complete Auto Care, we know that all journeys have a starting point, and that applies to the journey of joining our team too!

Accordingly, we provide paid training, pay for ASE certification tests, offer bonuses for certain ASE exams that you pass, and there are many advancement opportunities fo rpassionate individuals across all experience levels, even beyond an automotive technician. In other words, don’t assume that you don’t have enough car knowledge to be considered. Instead, read the steps below to learn how you can become a Firestone Automotive technician yourself.

1. Find job openings near you. 

One of the many perks of working in the car care industry is that auto maintenance and repairs are always in-demand, which means job opportunities in the field are always available! The first step to landing one of these opportunities is to find an opening at a Firestone Complete Auto Care near you. You can call your nearest store to verify if they’re hiring or search online for positions in your area. Alternatively, you can fill out our online form and get opportunities sent directly to your email.

2. Apply to your desired position. 

Take some time to read through the different job openings near you to determine which position is most suitable. If you love cars, have little to no automotive experience, and aren’t an ASE-certified technician yet, consider applying to an entry-level Automotive Maintenance Technician position.

On the flip side, if you already hold multiple certifications and know the ins and outs of a vehicle like the back of your hand, you may be better suited for a Lead Technician position. Alternatively, if you want to work face-to-face with clients, one of our retail or store management jobs may be the perfect fit for you. And if you’d like to diversify your skillset, try your hand at one of our SSS positions where your time will be divided between automotive work and client-facing retail.

No matter where your qualifications lay on the spectrum, we have a position for you! Jump start your automotive career with Firestone, and apply today!

3. Go through the interview process. 

We’ll let you know if and when we’ll begin the interview process once we’ve carefully considered your application. Once you get a call back from us, our recruiting team will provide additional details about our opportunities and if it’s a match, we’ll get you set up for an on-site interview. Typically, this means you’ll get to meet the store manager, the supervisor who will be overseeing the position, and a few of your teammates. Be prepared to answer common interview questions such as, “can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your experience in the industry?” and “why do you want to work at Firestone Complete Auto Care?” 

4. Get ready for onboarding. 

After the interview, we’ll let you know if you’ll be moving forward. In which case we’ll get you started with the onboarding process and on your way to your first day at work! 

During your first day, you’ll learn more about how we operate as a company — from our values and company mission to how we go above and beyond the competition to best serve our customers! We’ll outline a tailored training plan for you. These may include automotive courses to help you perform our core services, leadership training, learning journeys and modules to help prepare you for ASE exams, or sales workshops, depending on your experience and the position you applied for.

5. Drive your career forward. 

After a few training sessions and work shifts, you’ll find yourself getting into the groove of being a Firestone Complete Auto Care teammate. From there on, the possibilities are endless! With plenty of growth opportunities, you can decide how and where you want to take your career, whether that’s working up to an Automotive Lead Technician role or getting the training required to lead one of our tire and care centers yourself. 

We pride ourselves on promoting internally, and starting in the store is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many opportunities beyond our retail stores for passionate and hardworking teammates such as Area Managers, Region Managers, Region Operations Managers, Division Education Partners, and more! 

Benefits of Working at Firestone Complete Auto Care

Now that we covered how you can become an auto technician at Firestone Complete Auto Care, we’ll explain why you should go for it! Below, we summarize a few of our crew’s favorite perks. 

Competitive Pay: Sometimes, it’s hard to find part-time or entry-level jobs that pay well. However, at Firestone Complete Auto Care, we strive to compensate each role competitively, paying you what you deserve and require to advance professionally and personally. 

Formal Training: We understand that not everyone has the opportunity or resources to become an ASE certified auto technician on their own, which is why we provide formal training opportunities for aspiring technicians. We also offer paid training to retail employees, sales managers, and technicians who wish to develop their skills or learn more about other sides of the business. 

Paid Vacation and Holidays: Competitive pay is excellent, but having the time to use that pay to treat yourself and your loved ones is even better. Unlike some other car care shops, Firestone Complete Auto Care gives employees paid vacation and holidays!

Accessible Healthcare Packages: “Care” is in our name, and that’s not limited to just car care! We know that it’s hard to do your best work unless you’re healthy and happy, so we make sure to offer competitive healthcare packages to full- and part-time employees, which begins on Day 1!

Retirement Plan: The difference between a job and a career is that a job is good “for now,” and a career allows you to plan for the future. At Firestone Complete Auto Care, we enable career paths for teammates who want them, complete with a 401K plan that allows you to build towards the future. 

Overhaul Your Career with Firestone Complete Auto Care 

Are you ready for a change? Shift your career into high gear by applying to a job at a Firestone Complete Auto Care near you! We’ll empower you with the training and team to grow in and outside of work. Visit our jobs page for more information on available positions, required qualifications, benefits, and more!

Via: https://www.firestonecompleteautocare.com/

Avoid Traffic

Avoiding traffic is easier said than done, especially if you drive during rush hour. Talk with your boss about adjusting your work hours so you are working on a flexible schedule that puts you on the freeway before or after rush hour. Also, purchase a fast pass if you navigate over toll roads so you don’t have to slow down and stop to pay the toll.

Avoid Idling

Did you know that one minute of idling uses up more gas than restarting your automobile? As such, it’s important that you turn the engine off while you are waiting. It takes less gas to restart the engine than it does to sit at an idle, so save gasoline or diesel fuel by shutting off your motor.

Time Traffic Lights

Adjust your speed so you can time the traffic lights properly. What we mean by timing the traffic lights is driving at a pace that allows you to hit each light when it turns green. This prevents you from having to stop at the red light and sit at an idle. Traffic signals are programmed so they can be timed. You just need to figure out at what speed you need to drive.

Avoid Multiple Stops

One of the worst things for your vehicle’s fuel economy is a day filled with errands that require short stops all over town. This uses up excess gasoline. Plan your errands so that you are making fewer stops. If you can, park your car conveniently and walk to your multiple errands so that you aren’t running your automobile.

Cruise Control It

Finally, driving at a steady speed improves your vehicle’s fuel economy. Driving slower also improves your vehicle’s fuel economy. As such, set your cruise control at a reasonable speed to get more miles out of a full tank. Also, keep in mind the slower you drive the less gas you use.

An additional tip is that you should keep your car maintained in order for the engine to run as efficiently as possible. York Tire & Auto Service in Red Lion, PA, can help with that. Set up a service appointment today.

Via: https://yorkautoservice.com/