Winter Tires vs. All-Season Tires

It can be hard to determine which set of tires you should put on your vehicle if you don't understand what to look for. Despite the many tires that are available to customers, two of the main types of tires are winter tires and all-season tires.  Winter tires and all-season tires are both great options for you to use on your vehicle, but only depending on the conditions that you are using them in. There are a few things that you need to know about winter tires and all-season tires before you make your decision between the two types of tires.

 

What are Winter Tires?

Winter tires are tires that are designed to be used in colder climates and in the snow, especially. Winter tires are also referred to as snow tires due to their intended use. The construction and design of winter tires make them very useful in the snow. Firstly, winter tires are made of special rubber compounds that allow the tires to remain soft and flexible as the weather gets colder, allowing the tires to grab onto the surface of the road better. Additionally, manufacturers design winter tires with an increased amount of siping so that the tires can grip surfaces more effectively. 

 

What are All-Season Tires?

All-season tires, despite their names, can only be used for three seasons in many areas; spring, summer, and fall. All-season tires are designed to expel water from their treads while providing quiet and comfortable ride qualities for drivers. The siping of all-season tires allows them to efficiently dissipate heat from the tires' surfaces as well. As the weather gets colder, all-season tires get stiffer and more rigid. However, all-season tires can be used to drive in conditions with light amounts of snow.

 

Why Can't I Just Keep One Set on My Vehicle?

Drivers should not keep winter tires on their vehicles during the whole year and vice versa. Keeping all-season tires on your vehicle throughout every season places you at risk during the winter months when you may need the additional traction for your vehicle that winter tires provide. In contrast, keeping winter tires on your vehicle throughout the year will ultimately cost you more money, as the soft rubber of winter tires wears out more quickly, meaning that you will need to replace your vehicle's tires more frequently.

 

If the temperature of your area doesn't drop below 45-degrees Fahrenheit, or it doesn't snow much, then you can keep a set of all-season tires on your vehicle throughout the year. You must keep the all-season tires well-maintained throughout the year so that they are ready to perform when you need them to.

 

Tire Maintenance

Whether your vehicle is equipped with winter tires or all-season tires, you will need to keep the set of tires on your vehicle maintained properly. Performing routine maintenance on your vehicle's tires will prevent you from experiencing unexpected tire issues, like blowouts or an inability to get traction. Several services will keep the tires of your vehicle in good condition.

 

A tire inspection is a maintenance service where the air pressure of a vehicle's tires and the depth of the tires' treads are assessed. Air pressure allows the surfaces of tires to make contact with the road properly. A tire's tread depth allows the tire to grip the road more sufficiently, which is why winter tires also tend to have deeper treads than all-season tires.

 

A tire rotation is a service that will allow you to prolong the set of tires that is on your vehicle, which is especially useful if you want to reuse a set of all-season tires. Tires, due to a variety of factors, wear unevenly as a driver drives their vehicle. During a tire rotation, a vehicle's wheels and tires are rearranged so that the tires can wear down more evenly.

 

Visit the Service Center at Glockner of Ashland

Winter tires and all-season tires are both great types of tires for you to have on your vehicle under the right conditions. Using the right tires on your vehicle will help it perform its best while also keeping you safe during your travels. At Glockner of Ashland, we take pride in the products and services that we have to offer to our customers and the residents who live in the area. Visit us if you would like to learn more about all-season tires, winter tires, or the tires that will be the best for your vehicle.