HOW TO SAFEGUARD YOUR TYRES IN HOT SUMMER WEATHER

One basic rule of science is that substances, like air, contract in the cold and expand with heat. As temperatures rise, it can cause the air pressure in your tyres to increase - even when the vehicle is stationary. Just a few extra bars of air pressure in your tyres can cause serious damage to them - the most extreme being the potential for your tyres to pop.

Here, we explain how the phenomenon works and how you can prevent it from happening to you.

How does extreme heat cause tyres to expand?



When your vehicle's tyres are exposed to hot temperatures, they are susceptible to wear and tear, over-inflation and even popping. There are several factors involved in this.



Firstly, your tyres are made of rubber, which while designed to have a high resistance to heat build-up, has a breaking point. Think of your tyres as being like rubber balloons. They can only withstand a certain amount of air being put into them before they overinflate and burst.



Your tyres contain a quantity of compressed air. Like all materials, this is made up of atoms and molecules that react to heat. When molecules heat up they begin to vibrate, which causes them to expand. The hotter things get, the more the compressed air pushes against its container - your tyres.



Another reason why heat can damage your tyres is friction. When your vehicle is moving, the rubbing of your tyres against the road generates a good deal of friction. Friction creates heat, and so naturally makes your tyres hot. During a heatwave, friction will cause your tyres to become even hotter than usual.