How Can You Spot Minor Tire Damage Before It’s Too Late?
You probably don't spend much time thinking about your tires until you need to replace them. Unfortunately, routine wear and tear is far from the only threat your tires face. Road hazards can cause serious damage to your tire's tread or internal structure, increasing the likelihood of catastrophic failure and making your tires far less safe for daily driving.
A tire failure can be frightening and dangerous, but these sudden problems are also fairly costly. If your other tires are still in relatively good shape, replacing a single tire can be an unnecessary expense that will also leave you with uneven wear across your tires. Fortunately, spotting minor damage early enough can allow you to repair the problem, potentially heading off an expensive replacement.
Recognizing Typical Tire Damage
Tire damage comes in a few different forms. Most people are familiar with punctures, but tire damage can also include more severe problems. Potholes, bumps, debris, and other hazards cause tears or scratches that can impact your tire's structural integrity, increasing the likelihood of blowouts or other catastrophic failures.
While not all of these problems are repairable, it's still important to monitor them so you can avoid driving on unsafe tires. A good rule of thumb is to check your tires for damage at least once a month. If you take your car to a shop for oil changes or tire rotations, asking for a professional tire inspection during these services can also be a good strategy.
For minor damage, regularly checking your tire pressure can help you spot the warning signs of trouble. Your tire pressure will fluctuate due to changing temperatures, but these changes should be relatively consistent between tires. Adding air to one tire more frequently than the others is a sure sign of a slow leak.
Addressing Tire Damage and Saving Money
When it comes to your tires, deferring repairs is rarely a good way to save money. While adding more air to one of your tires every few weeks may not seem like a big deal, continuing to drive on a leaky tire can cause the leak to expand over time. Even worse, failing to add air and driving on a tire with low pressure can permanently damage the internal structure and make the tire unsafe for use.
Professional tire repair shops must follow strict guidelines when repairing a tire to ensure the repair is permanent and safe. The longer you wait to repair a problem with a tire, the more likely the tire will fail this inspection and require replacement. Ultimately, having an experienced tire repair shop inspect your tire as soon as possible will give you the best chance of repairing your tire and saving money.
For more information about tire repair, contact a local auto shop.
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