When tires are not inflated to their capacity, it takes more energy to get them moving and to help them to stay at the speed a driver wants.
But on top of that, under-inflated tires end up translating to higher fuel costs, which means more pollution filtering into the air. And that means more money out of your pocket, too.
Automobile specialists normally recommend checking tire pressure at least once a month, but checking the pressure twice a month is even better. It's easy to forget about this though since so many people are just so busy nowadays. But remembering to take the time to check tire pressure will be a better bet in the long run.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy branch says on www.fueleconomy.gov that gas mileage can be bumped upward by 3.3 percent if tires are properly inflated on a regular basis.
This translates to around 11 cents per gallon saved.
And gas mileage efficiency can drop by 0.3 percent for every single pound per square inch (otherwise known as PSI) lost in all four tires on a vehicle.
Even if these numbers don't seem that huge, they convert into several hundred gallons of gas extra used each year for a vehicle that would guzzle away around $300 to $500 more in fuel, says environmental journalist Larry West.
But on top of that, under-inflated tires end up translating to higher fuel costs, which means more pollution filtering into the air. And that means more money out of your pocket, too.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy branch says on www.fueleconomy.gov that gas mileage can be bumped upward by 3.3 percent if tires are properly inflated on a regular basis.
This translates to around 11 cents per gallon saved.
And gas mileage efficiency can drop by 0.3 percent for every single pound per square inch (otherwise known as PSI) lost in all four tires on a vehicle.
Even if these numbers don't seem that huge, they convert into several hundred gallons of gas extra used each year for a vehicle that would guzzle away around $300 to $500 more in fuel, says environmental journalist Larry West.
This is the case when a vehicle averages around 12,000 miles annually.
For each gallon of gas burned off while driving, around 20 pounds of carbon dioxide releases into the air.
Tires inflated to the proper pressure wear more evenly than ones with lower pressure and also tend to last longer for that reason.
Since 2008, automobile manufacturers have been required by Congress to install tire pressure monitoring systems on non-commercial vehicles so that people can keep a better eye on this from their dashboard.
To get a better idea of how tire pressure affects your wheels, read the sidewall information on your tires, check out your owner's manual, or talk to your mechanic.
Tires inflated to the proper pressure wear more evenly than ones with lower pressure and also tend to last longer for that reason.
Since 2008, automobile manufacturers have been required by Congress to install tire pressure monitoring systems on non-commercial vehicles so that people can keep a better eye on this from their dashboard.
To get a better idea of how tire pressure affects your wheels, read the sidewall information on your tires, check out your owner's manual, or talk to your mechanic.
"Automobile specialists normally recommend checking tire pressure at least once a month, but checking the pressure twice a month is even better."
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. We always check the tire pressure to ensure a safe drive :)
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