Emissions repair
Seven easy ways to reduce emissions during your daily commute that won’t involve sacrificing your current lifestyle in any way.
You won’t have to join any groups, bicycle in the snow, or sell your soul just to get a decent seat on the bus/train. While
not all of these will bring a huge reduction in the emissions output of your vehicle, together you could be talking several
thousands of pounds in reduced CO2 over the course of just one year. Let’s start with some of the smaller tips and end with
the most substantial.
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Use Parallel Parking: 5 pounds of CO2 every 10 minutes it takes to find another parking space. This often forgotten skill
is an easy way to slash five to ten minutes off your daily city jaunts if you are lucky enough to find a space.
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Use More Right Turns: Several hundred pounds of CO2 over the course of a year. It makes complete sense if you think about it.
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Reduce Engine Idle Time: 4-cylinder to 8 cylinder. Reducing just five minutes of idle time each day. The next time you are waiting
for a train, dropping a friend off, or sitting in an unmoving traffic jam, shut your engine down until you’re ready to go again.
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Turn Your Air Conditioner off Before You Get Where You’re Going: Several pounds of CO2 over the course of a year. The extra gas
used for running the air conditioner on your vehicle does account for a slight increase in emissions.
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Switch to Four Day Work Week: 3,000 metric tons per week statewide, if adopted by 20 percent of companies. Many companies are
loosening their ties to the traditional five day work week and allowing their employees to adopt a four week schedule where appropriate.
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Slow Down and Smell the Flowers: 20% of your vehicle’s current carbon footprintIt is amazing to me that by just slowing down
and driving moderately, we can reduce our vehicle’s carbon footprint by up to 20 percent. Such a step involves linking your brain,
brake, and accelerator together. This is referring to becoming completely aware during your daily commute.
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Switch to a Hybrid or economical car if possible: Passenger vehicles account for 62 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in
the U.S. The average vehicle spews out more than 8,000 pounds of CO2 each year for every 12,000 miles it travels.
Some More Fun Emission Related Facts
Exhaust gas is poisonous. You don’t want it getting into the passenger compartment. For example, carbon monoxide can be deadly.
That’s why you should never run your engine in a closed garage. If you have a leak in the exhaust system, exhaust could get
into the passenger cabin and make you sick or even kill you.
If you smell exhaust in the vehicle, roll down your windows and get it inspected. You may smell or see exhaust coming from the
engine compartment or under the vehicle if you have a leak. Sometimes the sound from an exhaust leak is loud and obvious.
Sometimes it’s a ticking sound when you start the engine that goes away as you drive. That could be a small crack or a bad
fitting that leaks when it’s cold but seals up when the metal heats and expands.
Now, let’s address the environmental issues for our community. Exhaust gas contains a number of pollutants and particulates.
The catalytic converter scrubs some of those harmful substances. And diesel vehicles have systems to deal with soot.
Catalytic converters eventually wear out and need to be replaced. They’re expensive so you want to help them last as long as possible
by keeping the fuel system clean and replacing your air filter. These components need to be tested for function with an emissions test
from time to time.
And that leaves the muffler. The beauty of getting a new muffler is that you can suit your taste: Some want whisper quiet and others
like a little rumble. And some like a roar when they drive down our streets.
Our ASE-certified technicians use the latest technology available in the industry. If you failed your emissions test or, your Check
Engine light is on, you have come to the right place!