If you’ve ever climbed in your car on a sweltering hot day, you know what’s coming when you sit down — hot seats! And while leather has many benefits; the upgraded look and feel, the ease of care and cleaning, the improved resale value when you go to sell your car; leather seats can get hot in the sun. Fortunately for you, we’ve got some easy solutions for how to cool down leather seats on the hottest days.
What are the Best Ways to Keep Leather Seats Cool?
There are lots of things you can do to help keep your leather seats cool when temperatures start to soar. Here are some of our top tips:
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#1 – Add ventilated seats to your Katzkin leather interior!
Our number one solution to those hot Summer car seats, is our ventilated seating option, Degreez. We offer the only OEM quality seating temperature control system that can be added to your premium leather interior during your leather installation. This exclusive, state-of-the-art heating and cooling system has 3-levels of air-conditioned comfort. Plus, when the temperatures do dip down on the other side of the thermometer, 3-levels of seat heating, all with one simple switch. The Degreez system isn’t just fans pushing ambient air around. The cooling technology inside actually cools the air, lowering the temperature by as much as 15 degrees. This is by far the best option to combat those soaring Summer temperatures and is available on most vehicle interiors.
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#2 – Choose a lighter interior color for the seats.
This may be of no surprise, but the darker the interior color, the more heat it absorbs. If you live in a hot area like Phoenix, Houston, or Las Vegas, you may want to replace that black or dark grey cloth with a lighter color leather when you replace it with a new interior. You can design leather seats with lighter colors here that won’t retain as much heat as your black leather seats. Our design specialists are happy to work with you to find a solution for your vehicle if this is one of your main concerns. Light brown/burnt orange is a very popular option right now and it won’t retain as much heat as black. Many people are also choosing red or white seats as well.
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#3 – Keep your windows cracked open just a bit
When heat gets trapped inside your vehicle, the dark surfaces can begin to absorb the heat. By leaving your car windows cracked even just a little, you provide airflow through which the heat can escape. If your car has a sunroof, you can also leave this slightly open to encourage a cross breeze and some cooler airflow inside your vehicle.
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#4 – Utilize solar fans
Solar fans work in conjunction with slightly opened car windows to help drive hot air out and propel cool air in. Since most solar fans also run on batteries, you have a backup source of power if needed. This is one opportunity for you to make the sun work to your advantage: by powering a fan that can help keep your leather seats nice and cool.
Solar fans are designed for easy mounting on a car window. The fan should be attached so that it faces the inside of your car. The window on your car needs to be lowered by a minimum of an inch to work most effectively. As an added bonus, the air in your vehicle will be far fresher since it is constantly being circulated by the fan.
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#5 – It may seem obvious, but turn on your air conditioning!
When you first get in your car, you should turn the air conditioner on its highest setting then immediately lower your windows for about 15 seconds. This allows the trapped hot air to leave your vehicle, making the cooling process faster. Once your car’s temperature is starting to feel cooler, roll up your windows. Then change your air conditioner setting to its circulation most comfortable for you.
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#6 – Avoid parking your car or truck in direct sunlight
Unfortunately, it’s not always possible for you to find a shady spot to park your car, but if you can, you should definitely do it! It’s one of the best ways to keep your leather seats cool. Direct sunlight on any of the car’s interior surfaces, leather or cloth, is one of the main factors that contribute to those spikes in temperature in your vehicle.
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#7 – Use a windshield shade or window visor
Adding a shade to your windshield can help protect and keep the sun off of all of your interior surfaces; seats, dash, and consoles. This is a great way to keep your leather seats nice and cool when the sun is scorching hot. Many windshield shades are reflective, ensuring the heat of the sun’s rays bounces off the screen and preventing heat from being trapped inside your car.
Window visors are another great option when it comes to keeping your leather seats cool. These visors are typically made of acrylic or plastic. And they can be added directly to your windows to keep intense light from penetrating your car. That prevents raising the temperature of your vehicle and your seats.
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#8 – Consider tinted windows
Be sure to check with your state’s regulations on window tinting before deciding on this option, but in areas where tinted windows are permitted, they are well worth considering. They not only cut down on the heat that enters your car, but they also provide protection for all of your interior surfaces from the sun’s UV rays.
How to Keep Leather Seats Cool Conclusion
So, while hot weather will always be a challenge we face, you’ve got plenty of solutions to make your drive as comfortable as possible. Be sure to ask about Katzkin Degreez ventilated seating option when you call us. It’s just one more way you’ll definitely love your drive! Start designing your new leather seats today!
