Why Your Tire Keeps Losing Air

Since tires provide the base function of your vehicle, it’s essential to keep an eye on the integrity of their components and amount of air pressure they hold. Just like any other area of your vehicle, wear accumulation causes tires to sometimes lose air unexpectedly. Unfortunately, many drivers think that there’s not much of a chance to maintain the health of their tires before a blowout happens and they need a tire replacement. Such a mentality won’t serve your travels because there are, in fact, many ways to implement tire repair before you need further servicing. Let’s breakdown a few of the reasons your tire keeps on losing air, and when it’s time to visit a professional for tire repair.

Debris

One of the most common occurrences that cause your tire to lose air slowly is running over hazardous debris on the road. The usual suspects are nails that often can remain in your tire until extracted, allowing a small amount of air to escape. The moment I feel or visibly see a nail in my tire, I visit a Jiffy Lube near me so that it can be taken out and my tire can be patched up. If noticed early enough, damage done from road debris won’t need to result in a tire replacement. For drivers living in areas with a ton of potholes or poorly cared for roads, the chances of debris being a cause for lost psi is doubled.

Wheel Damages

When it comes to protecting the precious air inside of your tires, it’s important to understand the different points of the wheel that can be breached. The valve stem isn’t necessarily delicate, but it has the tendency to deteriorate due to exposure to harsh weather elements, chemicals on the road, and general wear. While this part is typically renewed during a standard tire replacement, the valve stem may accrue damage faster than normal or maybe overtightened, causing air to escape. In any case, when the valve stem looks beaten up, or I notice that I’m losing over 3 psi a month, I take my vehicle in for an inspection at a Jiffy Lube near me.

If the valve stem isn’t causing any leaks, then the next culprit would be the wheel itself. Through corrosion or road damages, the wheel can bend or warp in ways that can cause leaks. Depending on where the wheel damage is located, the resulting leak may be tiny or massive. If I’m ever unsure about where a leak is happening in any of my tires, I visit a Jiffy Lube near me to figure out what component needs repair or replacement. If left unchecked, wheel damage particularly can cause many more issues down the road.

Climate Effects

One of the lesser-known reasons why tires fluctuate pressure is due to the temperature surrounding the vehicle. It’s common that most tires will lose about 2% of air for every 10-degree drop in temperature, and they’ll gain that 2% back with every 10-degree rise. It’s handy to keep this fact in mind so that you don’t jump to immediately add or adjust pressure after a long cold night or a scorching afternoon. By the time the day is done, your vehicle will most likely regain the lost psi, so unless you see significant pressure loss, tire repair isn’t necessary.