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--Why do people
have cords hanging out from under the hoods of
their cars?
OR
Why are there electrical outlets in the parking lots? - Do you have
electric cars? |
Due to the extremely low winter temperatures
in Fairbanks and cities north of it, people must take
certain measures in order to keep their cars operable and
easy to start. While
some people use
these methods in southern areas such as Anchorage also, you
may get by without them. However in the Interior and
Northern areas, they are a must.
They include:
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Block
Heaters |
-- small
electrical heating device which warms the
coolant, thereby warming the whole engine. In
Alaska, these can be found in most any auto
parts store. While they can be installed by you,
its usually better to have them installed by a
mechanic. The heater itself is fairly
inexpensive - the installation will be the
greater expense.
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Battery
Blankets |
-- a blanket
style heater that wraps around the battery
and heats it to its core for quick, easy
startups
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Oil Pan
Heaters |
-- an alternative to block heaters, this
heater is fixed to the outside of the
oil pan and heats the oil. It can be
easily installed by anyone which saves
the time and money of having it
installed by a professional. It uses
less electricity than a block heater.
Some people use both the block heater
and the oil pan heater.
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Many
people even leave their cars running when they go into a
store to keep their car warm, though this disturbs many
people for environmental reasons and also because, if parked
close to a building, the exhausts waft into the building's
ventilation and smell up the place.
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