You know what they say about the weather in the Chicago area; if you don’t like it, wait a while, it will change.

After a ruggedly cold winter, with more than frequent snowfalls, we’ve had a few nice spring days lately. This week, however, the Chicago area seems to have reverted to that cold and wet trend. Next week, who knows? One thing is for certain though; it will get hot at some point this summer. The heat may come sooner than you expect or later, but it will come.

When the heat comes, your job is to be prepared. And that includes making sure your car is prepared.

Preparing your car for a Chicago area summer means ensuring that the oil is changed and the cooling system is in working order. That’s essential in terms of avoiding unplanned and extended stops on the side of the road with your hood up and smoke rising from the radiator. But, what about your personal comfort?

For personal comfort, the issue is air conditioning. When your car’s air conditioning works properly, the heat is almost an afterthought.

One way to check your car’s A/C is to put the knobs on full and turn the fan on. Then, after a minute, put your hand in front of the vent. Is it blowing cold? Hopefully. Unfortunately, that’s not a truly accurate way to check your car’s air conditioning.

When it’s cool outside your car’s air conditioning doesn’t have to work as hard. But, as the weather grows warmer, your car’s A/C has to work harder. There is a big difference in how well your car’s air conditioning will work on a 56-degree day and a 96-degree day.

Air that blew frigid from the vent in the spring may hardly feel cool at all in midsummer. That’s because, to properly test your car’s air conditioning you need the proper equipment and a qualified automotive technician. In other words, to ensure your car’s A/C is ready for the summer ahead, bring it to a trusted auto repair shop. One such auto repair shop is Performance Unlimited (http://www.4performanceunlimited.com) in Ringwood, Northwest of Chicago.

“We’ll check your car’s air conditioning to make sure everything is working properly,” said Denny Norton, the owner of Performance Unlimited. “And we’ll make sure the Freon is fully charged.”

When your car’s air conditioning is checked by a qualified auto repair technician, you’ll ether know it’s working to its full potential or you’ll know what it needs to get there. Either way, when the work is done, you’ll spend the summer driving in comfort.