There are few things in life as distressing as a flat car tyre. While it may be little more than a mere annoyance when it happens while you’re at home or at work, it can be quite another thing if it happens in between places. Although the proverbial nail in the tyre is what most people think of when they think of flat tyres, there actually several common causes of tyre punctures.
5 Most Common Reasons for Flat Tyres and Punctures
There will always be the nail or screw that ends up in one your car tyres eventually. And this can lead to either a fairly sudden tyre deflation or, as often happens, a slow leak that may go unnoticed for days.
However, these five common causes of tyre punctures are the main villains responsible for most of the flat tyres that occur across England.
Puncture By Sharp Object
A puncture due to a sharp object, such as a nail or shattered glass, is one of the most common causes of a flat tyre – and one of the most obvious. This can be a puncture from a sharp object on the road or a parking area and these objects can be surprisingly diverse. Items such as a nail, piece of glass, a screw, an industrial staple, or other even a bit of scrap metal can easily puncture a car tyre.
In fact, one woman arrived home only to hear the tell-tale hissing of leaking air from a tyre after getting out of her car. Her husband came out to investigate and discovered a single edge razor blade neatly imbedded in the centre of her tyre treads!
Valve Stem Damage
Your tyres’ valve stem, that small bit that protrudes from your vehicle’s tyre with a cap screwed on the end, can become damaged or corroded. When this happens, air can begin to leak out of the tyre until it’s completely flat. Also, clogged or loose valve stems, as well as leaks in the tyre bead, can also be the cause of a flat tyre.
Road Hazards
In addition to debris on the road, particularly poor road conditions such as potholes, road construction, and uneven or damaged roads, can damage your car tyres. These types of road hazards can also be difficult to navigate while driving, making your tyres susceptible to damage.
Temperature Changes
Because the air in your tyres shrinks when cooled and expands when heated, this can lead to tyre damage. In freezing weather, there is a higher likelihood of your tyre going flat. That’s because it loses about two percent of its air with every drop of minus 12 degrees Celsius.
In especially warm weather, there is an increased chance of tyre damage due to the air expanding from hot temperatures. This causes the tyre to lose air pressure and potentially become flat. Fortunately, the UK rarely experiences the temperature extremes that can affect your tyres, but you should always check the air pressure of your vehicle’s tyres in extreme temperatures.
Improper Tyre Pressure
Another reason for a flat car tyre is excessively low air pressure. Driving with low air pressure in your tyres causes a larger amount of your tyres’ surface area to touch the ground. This can lead to a weakening of your tyres’ sidewalls and possible tyre damage.
Overinflation can also lead to sudden and dangerous tyre damage since too much air pressure creates excessive pressure on the tyre structure. In addition, the tyre footprint is reduced in size when it is overinflated.
Both of these extremes can be avoided by consistently checking the inflation of your tyres, which can help you avoid a few causes for flat tyres.
Common Causes Of Tyre Punctures and the Dreaded Blowout
And although a blowout is not particularly common, any of these common causes of tyre punctures can certainly lead to one if not repaired first.
And improper tyre inflation can lead to the same. According to experts at Halfords,
“Research from the firm has shown that 23 million road users are driving on the roads with underinflated tyres with many unable to determine what level is too low.
But crucially this extra pressure will dramatically increase the risk of drivers suffering tyre failures including blowouts. This would not only put yourself at risk but could endanger other road users who are near your car at the time of the incident. A blowout would likely cause your car to suddenly lose control and slide across the road which could lead to a multi-car pile-up.”
In addition, it was found that:
• 40 percent of drivers in the UK could identify the low tyre pressure warning light.
• 50 percent of drivers said they have simply ignored it despite the risks.
• 68 percent of drivers said they know the correct tyre pressure for their vehicle.
• 23 percent said they would not feel confident enough to put air into their tyres.
For Tyre Puncture Repair, Expert Tyres Can Meet You Where You Are
When you find yourself stranded on a roadside with a flat tyre, it’s good to know that you don’t have to swap it yourself with your spare. Instead, we can come to your rescue and repair your tyre right then and there!
And, in addition to tyre puncture repair, we now offer mobile new tyre installation as well as convenient seasonal tyre swaps. Being a mobile tyre service means that we’re able to meet you where you are – regardless of whether that’s at your home or your place of work – or on the side of the A61.
Expert Tyres Ltd. Proudly serves all the surrounding Sheffield region including the Rotherham and Chesterfield areas. You can have all your tyre services carried out by our mobile Expert Tyre specialists and we regularly check our prices against our competitors.
Our mission is to always provide our customers with the best quality tyre service at the best price.
Expert Tyres – We service your tyres at your convenience!