Tips for keeping your car battery alive while self-isolating

File photo.

EDMONTON — Calls to the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) for vehicles needing a jumpstart have increased by 50 per cent over the last few weeks.

The association says this is mostly due to people who haven’t use their vehicles while they’ve been self-isolating.

AMA recommends that even while self-isolating, it’s good to get out and run your vehicle for at least 20 minutes.

“A lot of people have been sitting inside in quarantine, If you have the opportunity get in your car and just loop the Henday or something, it be a good chance to get out but also to charge your battery,” says AMA fleet manager Ryan Lemont.

Also recommended is a battery tender —a device that keeps a constant charge on your battery allowing it to stay healthy for months on end.

And although the AMA has seen an increase in calls for vehicles needing a boost, they have seen a drop in other calls, which to them is a good sign.

Lemont added, “We are down about 30 per cent in our regular roadside calls so that’s an indication that people are staying home trying to prevent the spread of COVID.”

And while you can boost your own vehicle, it could cause damage to it, and the AMA recommends calling a professional to do it for you.