As the weather gets colder, and the snow starts sticking to the ground, lots of us ask ourselves the same question: Should I buy winter tires? The answer is: Absolutely.

Invest and install a set of winter tires, they contain design concepts to handle the weather coming our way. The design and technology behind winter tires make them far superior to all-season and summer tires during snowy, slippery road conditions. Winter tires are manufactured with certain design elements to handle specific winter road conditions that occur during our cold Canadian winters, such as:

Colder temperatures - winter tires are more flexible at lower temperatures than other types of tires, which improves their grip
*All-season tires aren’t as effective below 7 degrees Celsius

Snow - special thread designs help winter tires bite into and expel snow as the tires rotate

Slippery conditions - different grooves and deeper sipes help winter tires grip better

Winter tires can be mounted and balanced each season, or the option to run a winter rim is available for most vehicles. A winter rim allows for a quicker seasonal tire swap. An additional bonus of having winter and summer tires is that both your sets will last longer. By alternating your sets of tires, it gives you the chance to rotate your tires to ensure that all four tires in both sets wear evenly and you get the most out of them.

Care tips for winter tires to increase their lifespan:

Keep your tires inflated. Tires can lose air in the cold weather and driving on tires that are low on air can damage them. Keep a close eye on your tire pressures.
Switch back to your summer tires when it warms up again. Driving on regular, dry roads can deteriorate the tread relatively quickly so you shouldn’t use your winter tires after the winter season is over. Once the snow and ice is all gone, you should switch back to your set of regular summer or all-season tires.
Proper storage is important to keep your tires in good condition for as long as possible. Never stand the tires on their tread, avoid keeping them in moist conditions, and keep them in fairly neutral locations in terms of temperature. Tire covers are also a good idea to keep them guarded from dirt and moisture.

Most importantly, changing into a set of winter tires once the temperature drops will ensure that you and your passengers stay safe. There is no need to take any risks with your safety, install winter tires so that you have traction even on ice.

You will notice the difference; all seasons can get you moving
but winter tires will help you stop.

If you have any questions about installing, buying, or storing winter tires - give us a call!

Interesting fact: Winter tires are mandatory in Quebec! All motorists in the province must have four winter tires installed on their cars from December 15th to March 15th at least. It doesn’t apply to visitors to the province but it has led to a reduction in road accident injuries and deaths.