As we roll into the dog days of summer, it’s important to keep an eye on your tire pressures. The ambient temperature will increase tire pressure by about 2 PSI for every 10º increase. The key is setting your pressures so that it is the optimal setting for your environment.

“Reasonable increases in pressure may alter tread wear but will also improve fuel economy. Most of the tire manufacturers quote that a 10% increase in pressure improves fuel economy by 1%,” said Kevin Hennig, vice president of product development for Pressure Systems International. “Tires are designed to run over a wide range of pressures. The recommended tire pressure is based on the worst-case load the tire will see. Load/inflation tables will show these recommended tire pressures for your load and are based on ambient conditions of 70ºF. Tire pressure will increase approximately 15% when running on a fully loaded vehicle under highway speeds. Remember: Never take air out of a hot tire.”

For the full scoop on the importance of maintaining your tires’ inflation and pressure, click here.