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With gas prices frequently reaching staggering new highs, we're all
starting to feel "pinched at the pump." When you pass by a filling
station, do you find yourself checking to see if prices went up even
more? It can be a powerless feeling, watching the rising prices and
knowing that they're something you can't control. However, while you
can't control gas prices, you can control how efficiently your
vehicle is using fuel. One of the best ways to do that is to keep
your tires properly inflated.
Many experts agree that keeping the correct air pressure in your tires
is as important as giving your engine a tune-up. In fact, the economic
benefits may be even greater. Keeping your tires properly inflated can
result in as much as 10% higher fuel efficiency. Another money-saving
benefit of correctly inflated tires is longer tire life. Finally,
keeping air pressure at the correct level also results in improved
handling of your vehicle.
Regularly checking the air pressure in your tires is an important task,
yet it is often overlooked. Because tires do so much without appearing
to need attention, it's easy to forget about them. However, the tires
on your vehicle do lose a little bit of pressure each day. In cool
weather, a tire will typically lose one or two pounds of air per month.
In warm weather, it's common for tires to lose air at an even higher
rate. So it's important to think of refilling your tires as being
similar to refilling your gas tank. Associating the need to refill your
tires with the need for refilling your fuel supply can also be a useful
reminder. Check the air pressure in your tires every other time you
stop to fill up at the gas station. That interval will allow you to
check your tire pressure consistently enough to maintain sufficient
air pressure.
We have a more in-depth article on
air pressure in our
Info Center. The article includes a guide to help you find the air
pressure information on your vehicle.
The web has a great deal of information regarding fuel conservation.
Here are some of our favorite conservation-related links:
Government Fuel Economy site:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov
Article by the Federal Trade Commission:
How to be Penny Wise, Not Pump Fuelish |
