How To Take Care Of Your Car Tyres During Winters?

With the clocks ticking toward the end of the year signalling ‘winters are coming’, your car care practices should also witness a significant shift. The after-effect of a drop in temperatures has a different effect on your car and its various components, including tyres. 

Following are some of the tyre care tips which you should keep in your mind during winters:

Keep the wheels of the car clean:

On winter days, the wheels of the car, either steel ones or alloys, tend to accumulate with mud and dirt due to high moisture caused by morning dew and even snow in areas where snowfall occurs. The accumulation of these particles, along with moisture, can lead to corrosion of the wheels. It can damage their strength and performance in the longer run. So, it is advisable to clean the wheels and tyres at least twice a week. Ensure that the inner parts which are hard to reach are cleaned more often, as those are the areas where the accumulation of dust particles with moisture can remain for a long time if proper care is not given to them.

Inspect the depth of tread of a tyre:

This particular step is a given not only for winters but in every season. The thickness of the tread determines for how long the tyre is going to survive for the roads ahead. The best time to check the tread depth is just after you thoroughly wash the wheels and tyres. In winters, the snow or mist can make the roads slippery, and thus, the availability of an ample amount of grip is a must for safe driving.  In such cases, the tread depth of a tyre should be as much as possible. This is because you will need more amount of grip on those roads which are struck with snow over a long time. 

Check out for signs of tyre damage:

The increased levels of traction required to drive on roads during winters cause more wear and tear to the tyres. In such conditions, it is also important to look out whether the tyres are attacked by any other foreign particle or not. There are chances that sharp-edge particles like nails, screws or sharp stones can penetrate the tyre, which might be visible only in a closer inspection. So, make sure that your car tyres are devoid of such foreign things. 

Maintain optimum tyre pressure:

For every drop of 6-7 degrees Celsius, there is an eventual drop of 1 psi of air pressure in the tyres of a car. If you are living in areas where the impact of winters is much more than usual, it is advisable to check the tyre pressure at least twice a week. While it is a common practice to check the tyre pressure in all the seasons, it becomes more important in winters. It is because the tyres can deflate significantly over a substantial drop in temperatures if not paid attention to them. 

Drive with winter-ready tyres:

It might not be feasible for everyone to keep changing the tyres of a car with every new season. However, if your driving cycle includes extensive driving in winters, it is advisable to switch to winter-ready tyres. Such tyres are designed to perform better in low-temperature conditions where snowfalls occur frequently. The accumulation of snow on the roads do make them slippery, and it is where the winter tyres having a more advanced compound composition, deeper tread grooves and broader tread blocks can be hugely beneficial.

So these were the tips and tricks to keep your car tyres safe and happy in this upcoming winter season.