United Tire and Service News

It won't be long before the snow will begin to fall in Philadelphia and hopefully, you’re prepared with winter tires. They are your best option for severe weather this time of the year. As we get further into the season, you may wonder if it's okay to use your winter tires year round. Or perhaps you never removed them from last year. Is there an advantage or disadvantage to driving on winter tires all year? 

 

Winter tires are manufactured to provide you with better traction on the road. They are essential during icy, snowy, or slushy conditions. The tires are specifically designed to handle colder temperatures and the typical winter precipitation year after year. The biggest difference in winter tires and all-season tires is the rubber and the deeper tread depth. With winter tires, the rubber has the ability to remain softer, which creates much more flexibility and better conformability while navigating the above conditions. And the deeper tread depth is capable of handling those conditions with greater ease than all-season tires.  

 

Aside from the above benefits, winter tires have no other benefit once the temperature gets warmer, like in the summer. It’s not recommended to drive on winter tires year round for several reasons, including decreased vehicle performance. When the weather is warmer, winter tires don’t provide the type of handling capability that you need once the conditions on the road have improved. Due to the softer rubber, there is a decrease in maneuvering. Would you wear boots on the beach? Probably not. Flip flops are much better to navigate through the hot sand. Additionally, because you’re driving on dry and warmer pavement, and due to the pliable tread, winter tires wear down faster. If they wear down prematurely, you will need to replace them sooner than expected. Winter tires also help to prolong the lifespan of your all-season tires, since they’re not in use for the duration of an entire season. 

 

Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to have your winter tires mounted and dismounted every year. An alternative to constantly changing your all-season tires, or driving on winter tires all year, is to make a one-time investment and purchase wheels to have winter tires mounted on. During the off-season, keep them in your garage, shed, storage or even the basement of your home. A technician can easily exchange the wheels each winter. The service is less expensive and it’s also a time-saver.  

 

The bottom line for choosing to drive on winter tires all year is that there simply aren't any advantages. There isn't a gray area on this particular choice and it's wise for your safety and others on the road if you remove them when appropriate. United Tire & Service is your best resource for determining when to make the change before and after winter. The timing is key for having peak performance tires once the severe cold weather begins and removing them when they're no longer necessary. Contact one of our 13 independent locations and let us help!