The First Day of Autumn is here in Sheffield! Time for Winter Tyres?

Today marks the first day of Autumn 2020, which means some of you may now be considering that all important Summer to Winter Tyre Swapover.

We have regular customers who come back to us twice a year, without fail, every March/April and September/October. This is because they've opted to swap from summer tyres to winter tyres throughout the winter months.

Should I bother with Winter Tyres in the UK?

Many people don't understand the benefits of winter tyres until they try them for themselves! Once they've felt the improved grip, shorter braking distances and better handling, they find it hard to go back to driving with summer tyres all year round!

One of the most common mistakes made by people is to assume that a Winter Tyre is a "Snow Tyre" and that the benefits are only there for people driving in snowy conditions, which seems a little pointless in the UK!

Winter Tyres have been designed to perform once temperatures drop below 7°C, when the temperatures are colder, rubber will harden. Winter Tyres have been designed with a softer compound to handle the colder temperatures. As well as this, they offer better traction on cold dry roads, wet roads, black ice, mud, slush and any other horrible winter conditions you can think of!

Plus the added benefit that, if it does snow, you're ready for it!

Why Do Winter Tyres Work?

There are 3 main ways that make winter tyres stand out against summers, the first of which is the tread pattern. Winter tyres tend to have more grooves (or sipes) meaning they're able to disperse more water, further reducing the chance of aquaplaning and helping the tyre to grip into that snow and ice.

Secondly, the compound of a winter tyre is different, it is made with more silica, this is the part of the compound that makes it soft. When it becomes colder, rubber will harden, meaning it will slip and slide around on the cold surface rather than grip to it. By keeping the rubber softer, grip on the road surface is increased.

Thirdly and finally, the rubber blocks in the tread of a winter tyre has been designed to vibrate when the tyre is rotating. This means that any snow and ice that has been picked up in the tread grooves will be shaken out, unlike those of a summer tyre which would become clogged up with snow and ice, giving a similar effect to a tyre with no tread - which means more of that unwanted slipping and sliding!

Can I Use Winter Tyres in Summer?

Strictly speaking, yes. There is no legal reason why you cannot keep your winter tyres on throughout the summer months. However, the warmer temperatures will result in the tyres wearing down MUCH quicker, meaning you'll end up replacing those tyres much more often than you would like to be! The best alternative is to safely store a set of summer tyres and pay a small fee to have them swapped over seasonally.

Here at Hometyre, we can come to your home address and carry out this swap-over on your driveway! Meaning we take any hassle out of changing them over, you can stay in the comfort and safety of your own home and we even offer an entirely contact free service if required.

Call us today on 0333 444 5454 to discuss winter tyre options for your vehicle - or alternatively you can order your winter tyres online and one of our team will be in touch to confirm details or your booking!