Drivers sometimes forget that the weather plays an important role in tire pressure. If your tire is leaking, most people jump to the conclusion that its an under inflated tire or there is a nail or puncture in the tire.
However, in the winter, when the temperature falls, air contracts as the molecules that make up the air compress and squish closer together and this reduced volume results tires to lose air and hence lose pressure. Now everybody knows that underinflated tires are not good. Therefore, it’s a good idea to check your tire pressure at least once a month during November to March especially and its also good practise to carry this out all through the year as it only takes seconds to check your pressure at the local gas station.
Drivers usually understand the importance of regular maintenance, and tires deserve just as much attention as that regular oil change !
Unfortunately, sometimes we forget about tires but we shouldn’t for the following reasons !
SAFETY:
Underinflated tires can affect steering and handling in winter conditions on wet or slick roads. They can also increase braking distances which isn’t good in an emergency stop situation ! Also, over inflated or under inflated tires can cause irregular wear meaning your tires won’t last as long as they normally should costing you time and money ! Blowouts can also happen if you are not driving with the correct tire pressure for your particular vehicle……………….also not a good thing !
SAVINGS:
Gas ain’t cheap, even with the oil price lows…………………..Canadians spend an average of $60 per week on gas……………….and vehicles with underinflated tires get poorer gas milage than their counterparts. Also if you can imagine, a tire with lower pressure than it should have will have more surface contact with the road increasing rolling resistance and friction on the road. You can waste hundreds of dollars a year when driving with under inflated tires……………………..save your money……………….check your tires ! We all work too hard to just throw money away unnecessarily when there are simply a few minutes we can spare to avoid that expense !
Newer cars come equipped with tire pressure monitor systems which cause a light on the dashboard to come on, making you aware to check the tire pressure. It kind of looks like a triangle with an exclamation mark on it in most vehicles. This helps to remind you but if your car doesn’t have this, just make a mental note to check your tires at least monthly !
To achieve proper tire pressure, you can look in your owner’s manual to check the proper inflation pressure recommended for your specific make and model car. Sometimes, you can even find it located on the drivers side door jamb also.
Most gas stations, have a manual tire pressure machine you can use for free or a nominal 50 cents charge!
Or if you prefer, come by to Best Deals Auto and we can usually check your tire pressure for you for a nominal charge or for free if its with any associated work
HOW DO YOU CHECK YOUR TIRE PRESSURE WITH A MANUAL GAUGE ?
- Remove the cap from the tire valve
- Insert the gauge measurement stick completely inside the tire gauge.
- Firmly and quickly place the open end of the gauge over the tire valve stem.
- The measurement stick will pop out and you can read the number on the far right of the stick which is your tire pressure measured in PSI or pounds per square inch.
- If you prefer you can repeat this a couple of times to ensure an accurate reading.
- Repeat this process for all 4 tires …………………….and don’t forget about the spare…………its good to check the spare yearly but necessarilyevery time it its unused.