Avoid tyre failure: Check your tyres and valves

Tyres often get damaged or go flat, but in some cases this can be avoided. Checking tyre pressures and making sure that the valves and tyre wall aren’t damaged can help prevent accidents and inconvenience.
Tyre failure can be a stressful and frustrating experience. As well as the possibility of having an accident if you have a blowout, there is the expense of having the tyre replaced and the inconvenience of not being able to get where you wanted to go. Tyre problems account for around 10 per cent of all breakdowns, but there are some simple things you can do to avoid them.
Tyre pressure
One of the easiest ways to keep your tyres in shape is to make sure the pressures are correct. It is recommended to check once a month, as both over and under inflation can cause damage. Under-inflated tyres increase fuel consumption and tend to overheat, causing damage to the structure of the tyre. Over inflation causes uneven wear and reduces grip. Buying a pressure monitor or gauge is a simple way to check tyre pressures at home.
Valves
A common cause of a flat or underinflated tyre is a faulty valve stem. Valves can be damaged by dirt or get worn out, but are surprisingly simple to replace. A wide variety of valves are available online, including angled, chrome sleeve and tubeless varieties, as well as tools for fitting them.
Damage
The most obvious cause of a flat tyre is a puncture. Glass, nails and other nasty things can easily damage the rubber. While this can be difficult to avoid at times, it is best to drive around any objects you see in the road – if it is safe to do so. Fortunately, this sort of damage can often be repaired with patches, so it might not be necessary to buy a new tyre.
Aluminium wheels
Aluminium alloy wheels can cause tyres to leak occasionally from the ‘bead’, where the tyre meets the wheel. This makes it even more important to check the pressure of the tyres. In most cases leakage will not be a huge problem as the wheels can be cleaned up and re-sealed, but if the problem is not caught early enough the tyres could be badly damaged.
Overall, the best solution is to check your tyres regularly for problems and go to a reputable company for repairs and replacement parts.