When to Change to Winter Tires

Snow tires, always called winter tires, are a pretty amazing invention in the world of wheels. They’re not all that different from the typical all-terrain tires that most automobiles come equipped with, though they have a wider tread pattern and were created specifically to grip onto the snow and ice on roads. This makes them very safe and reliable to use when there’s bad weather out there, and yet you still have to drive. Though just knowing that these tires are available to you might not be enough. You may be wondering when it’s the right time to make the change and put these tires on your automobile.

 This is what we’re going to cover below. You don’t have to always wait until you go in for tire repair at goodtirecalgary.ca before you have them changed out. At any time you’re ready, you can have the tires switched out so that you’re much safer driving in more dangerous conditions.

How You Can Tell It’s to Put on Those Winter Wheels

Obviously, when the Weather Changes

 Okay, so this one is really obvious, but we would be remiss if we did not include it. When the snow falls on the ground, and there’s ice on the roads, this is the ideal time to get those winter tires! Though while some people might be reading this and believing it’s too obvious to even mention, you have to understand that plenty of people don’t even know about snow tires. They think that their typical all-terrain tires can hold up to the rigours of rough, icy roads, and unfortunately, many of these people end up having accidents. The worst part is that most of these accidents could have been easily avoided if only they switched out to the proper snow tires. So, yes, we’re going to strongly reiterate here that when that blistery winter season rolls around, it’s a sign that it’s time to change.

When You Have Longer to Drive

 Many people end up going in for tire repair because they’re putting many thousands of kilometres on their tires, going to and from work. Well, if you’re driving on the interstate and aren’t dealing with much debris, then you may actually be able to get a longer tread life from your tires and even a little better gas mileage if you make the switch over to snow tires. This is something you want to discuss with your car care professional first, but having winter tires on open interstate may be a better move for your car overall.

When the Roads Are Rough

 Rough roads may require you to change your tires, not only snow and ice. The cool thing about winter tires is that you can still drive on them on most terrains; you’re only getting a lot more gripping action. So they’re not ideal if you’re driving over a lot of gravel, for instance. You’ll end up with a bunch of stuff constantly stuck in your tires. Though for roads that are generally bumpy, though absent debris, they’re actually going to handle a little better for you. So, keep in mind that snow and ice aren’t the only reasons you may want to switch over. Depending on where you’re driving, winter tires just might make more sense for your vehicle.

Depending on your Climate

 Your climate will play a huge part in when it’s the right time to slap those snow tires onto the vehicle. Especially with the geography of Canada, you will be looking at some serious swings in the weather. For instance, the nation’s northern parts get a lot colder and a lot sooner than the southern parts. You could be dealing with snow and ice as soon as September rolls around, perhaps into April. Conversely, southern parts of the nation typically hold off on that bad weather a little bit longer. Though not much, the entire nation is pretty cold compared to its neighbour to the south. The point we’re trying to make here is that there is no set time that you’re going to mark on your calendar to give you an exact idea about when to switch to your winter wheels. It’s going to depend on the sort of climate you live in and how the weather’s doing that year. It can change at any time. So you need to focus on how things are going and be ready to change your tires.

If a Professional Suggests It

 There might be a time when you’re going in to have your tires repaired, and the mechanic suggests to you that winter tires would be a better fit for your vehicle. This could happen for quite a few reasons, some of which we have already gone over above. But, for instance, if you’re driving in an area that deals with a lot of rain, a mechanic may suggest to you that getting snow tires on your vehicle is a wiser move for your safety. This will be especially true if you drive a truck or an SUV and more likely needed if you live in cold-weather areas where the roads can begin to ice over in the early autumn months. Not every climate is the same, as we already touched on, and so there’s no one size fits all approach to this. It’s something your mechanic or tire specialist may bring up. If so, it may be the smarter move to go ahead and ensure that you have snow tires on your vehicle.

 Overall, the only real difference between a regular all-terrain tire and a snow tire is that the latter was specifically designed with a tread that can grip on more of the road with a wider pattern to hold onto the ice snow better. As you might imagine, the practical applications for this in all sorts of situations may work out better for you, depending on where you live, how often you drive, etc. just remember to contact the professionals if you need to change your tires.