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Summer Driving Tip:Save $200 in Gas by Checking Tire Pressure!

By: Scott Siegel

One of the quickest ways to rob a car of efficient gas consumption is to neglect the tires. There are a number of different ways tires can affect your car's fuel saving performance. Making sure you are riding on properly inflated tires is probably the easiest way to save money on gas.

Energy Information Administration and EPA statistics support the fact that it is possible to save between $100.00 to $200.00 per year by maintaining properly inflated tires. Your individual savings will be unique based upon how many miles you drive and how much your tires may be under inflated.

According to the Canadian Office of Energy Efficiency twenty-three per cent (23%) of vehicles have at least one tire under-inflated by more than 20%. Not only do under inflated tires on your vehicle hurt your fuel consumption it can also lead to poor or delayed braking, steering and acceleration. In other words, under inflated tires can be dangerous. Under-inflated tires may squeal when stopping or cornering even at moderate speeds, particularly on warm pavement.

Driving a car with just one tire under inflated by (8 psi) or 20% can lower the car's fuel efficiency by 4%. In addition under inflation may reduce the life of the tire by more than 9000 miles. Tires are permeable. That means that air can and does pass through the tire walls. A tire could lose up to 2 pounds of pressure per month. This is more important in summer as more air permeates through the tire in hot weather as the pores in the tire material get larger in the heat.

To repeat that was just stated heat can accelerate air loss in tires. When a tire is under inflated, the sides of a tire flex and bend more than normal. This builds up heat in the tire. With that additional heat an under inflated tire will to lose air at faster and faster rate.

Under inflated tires and gas consumption are related in another way. Under inflated tires tend to have increasing rolling resistance. Because of the increased resistance the engine has to work harder to push the car and that increases fuel consumption. Extra flexing and bending in the tire can damage the tire walls and that could lead to tire failure.

Measure the air pressure in your vehicle's tires at least once a month in order o maintain proper tire inflation levels. When you do measure your tire pressure you need to do it when your tires are cold. "Cold" means that a car has not been driven more than 1 mile or has been stationary for at least three hours.

It is a great idea to keep a pressure gauge in your car. Check the air pressure of the tires often. If you can keep your tires at the correct inflation levels you should realize a savings of between $100.00 and $200.00 per year in fuel. Although proper tire pressure will save you gas and money, it could also prevent tire damage that could lead to accidents. Not only will you be contributing to your fuel economy you will be maintaining the safety of your vehicle.

Article Source: http://www.realestate2u.net/articledirectory

Scott Siegel has written a 143 page manual of industry insider information on saving gas and money at the gas pump. Visit us to learn how you can get better gas mileage. Find out how to increase gas mileage.
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