Why inflate tires with nitrogen

In relation to the number of vehicles on the road and the total number of tires sold annually, the occurrence of tire and wheel damage caused by moisture is not sufficiently widespread to justify any special concern.

Share this site! By AAA Automotive. Search More Facilities. Understanding the differences between the two can help you make an informed decision and possibly even save you money. Related Articles. Heroes Never Hesitate Christian was just a few hours into his shift for United Towing when four women ran up to his truck and frantically began yelling for help. His heroic actions saved the lives of two people that night. The inflation pressure rises and falls according to changes in temperature; every 6 degrees Celsius results in a shift of almost 1 PSI pound per square inch.

Cold air pressure readings are going to be more accurate. Compared with ambient air — which contains roughly 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, plus miscellaneous gases — pure nitrogen is an inert, non-flammable gas.

Thanks to these inert properties, tires inflated with nitrogen are beneficial for highly specialized service applications in demanding environments, such as aviation, mining, or construction.

Dry nitrogen mitigates tire pressure variations, so nitrogen-filled tires are also used in professional race car driving, where even the smallest changes in pressure can impact ultra-high-performance vehicle handling at extreme speeds. So, now we come to the big question: is nitrogen right for your tires? The fact of the matter is that inflating tires with nitrogen is not necessary for typical everyday use on a passenger car. It might even be considered a frivolous waste of money.

To be clear, inflating tires with nitrogen is not harmful. Moreover, the PSI stays steady in the long term. Tires filled with regular air lose pressure through permeation a little more quickly. But for the most part, nitrogen makes absolutely no difference when it comes to a loss of pressure caused by tire punctures, tire bead leaks, valve leaks, or other mechanical leaks. To emphasize the point once more, check your tire inflation pressure regularly.

If the pressure is below the manufacturer recommendation, the tire must be inflated again — either with air or, if you so choose, with nitrogen — to the proper inflation pressure. For your safety, you must not drive with tires that are either underinflated or overinflated. This could create excessive strain and heat build-up and lead to catastrophic tire failure, and the risk of serious injury or fatalities.

Tyre Finder. Nitrogen in tyres. Retailer Locator. Tyre pressure. Our guide to measuring tyre pressure. Read More. Tread depth tyres. Why you should check tread depth regularly. Continental in numbers. First choice for leading vehicle manufacturers Almost every third car in Europe is delivered with tyres from Continental. Multi award-winning tyres. New test results.

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