Summer Tyre Storage

More motorists than ever are switching to seasonal tyres. With several HiQ centres offering 'tyre hotel' facilities to store summer products during the winter season, we have you covered.

If you’re storing your tyres yourself, HiQ operations manager Barry Heron advises: "Tyres should be stored somewhere clean, dark, dry and moderately ventilated. Avoid damp conditions.

"Tyres are best stored at temperatures below 35 degrees and preferably below 25 degrees."

Do Car Tyres Deteriorate in Storage?

Yes, car tyres can deteriorate in storage. However, if you follow the steps below you should be able to avoid your tyres deteriorating. Instead, each tyre should retain its performance.

1. Tyres should be stored in a horizontal position. Be sure to stack symmetrically so they retain their shape.

2. Rotate the stack on a regular basis to maintain shape of the lowest tyre

3. Cover with a sheet of opaque or black polyethylene film to limit the exposure to oxygen

4. Avoid storing tyres where the area is wet and oily

5. Don't store your tyres anywhere near chemical agents like solvents, fuels, paints or disinfectants.

When Should You Change to Winter Tyres?

There’s no fixed date, but you should be thinking of changing to winter tyres in November through to March.

This is usually when the average temperature drops below 7°C. Winter tyres perform at their best at this temperature, whereas above this temperature, winter tyres do not perform as well.

Why Change your Tyres?

You should consider changing from summer to winter tyres for the following reasons:

• Winter tyres are made of a material that maintains flexibility when the temperature drops below 7°C. Your tyres won’t only be affected by the rain or snow in winter, but simply colder temperatures. Winter tyres will maintain optimum grip and traction at low temperatures, providing you with better handling and safer braking capabilities.
• In adverse weather conditions, winter tyres are extremely effective at braking. At just 18mph a car with conventional tyres will take an extra 11 metres to stop, which is the length of a double decker bus.
• Extra cuts in the winter tyre tread called sipes provide more efficient grip on wintry roads. The sipes are especially good at dispersing water, snow and ice that builds up in your tyre tread.
• Winter tyres are cost effect. It might seem counter-intuitive to invest in an extra set of tyres if you’re concerned about the cost, but if you’re a regular driver, your summer tyres will wear out a lot quicker in winter. A set of good quality tyres for both winter and summer will provide better safety and performance for longer than two sets of poorer quality summer tyres.
• The sipes and deeper grooves in winter tyres help to disperse more water and at a faster rate that summer or all-season tyres, helping to prevent aquaplaning.

Where to Store Tyres?

If you want to store your tyres yourself, a basement or a well maintained garage is best for storing tyres. You should also give your tyres a good clean with a basic detergent and water before putting them away.

How long to keep tyres in Storage?

You should be changing your tyres with the seasons, so summer tyres should be in storage for roughly 4-5 months of the winter months.