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Tips for Removing your Winter Tires

Tips for Removing your Winter Tires
It may not feel like it given the current weather conditions, but spring is officially set to arrive in less than two weeks’ time.  With the warmer weather inching its way into Southern Ontario, now is the perfect time to figure out the ins and outs of removing your winter tires.
When should I take them off?
A general rule of thumb is to remove your snow tires once the temperature has risen into the double digits for at least a week’s time. However, some insurance policies require you to keep your tires on until a certain date (usually sometime in April) so you’ll want to check with your insurance provider before removing them.
While it’s important not to take them off too early, winter tires wear much quicker in the warmer weather, which is why it’s also crucial that you don’t wait too long before swapping them for your summer or all-season set. Of course, there’s always the risk of a snowstorm and/or temperature dip occurring after you take them off, so take that into consideration as well.
Give them a good scrub
Before you even think of storing them, you should give your tires a thorough scrub before storing them for the summer. Getting rid of all the gunk and debris that has accumulated over the past several months is an important step in preventing any damage going forward.
This is also a good time to inspect the tread of your tires to determine whether you can use them for another winter.
Make sure they’re properly inflated
Be sure each of your tires are at the correct pressure prior to storing them, as this will help to lengthen the tire’s life.
Bag each tire
In order to ensure your tires don’t dry out and crack, you should cover each one of your tires using either a garbage bag or any other type of plastic bag. If you want to play it safe, you can vacuum seal each of the bags to make them as airtight as possible.
 Find a spot indoors
Whatever you do, do not leave your winter tires outside. Even if they’re properly sealed, they can still wear from the rain and sun, so you’d be wise to find a spot indoors to store them.
When finding a spot indoors, it’s important to keep them in a cool place where the temperature can be controlled, and you don’t have to worry about any fluctuation in humidity. Even somewhere like a shed would likely be too hot for them in the warmer months, so you should really store them in your basement if possible.
If you simply don’t have the space to store all five of your tires, you can always take them to a nearby storage facility or you can simply contact your local dealership.  Each of our NewRoads Automotive Group dealerships offer tire storage services.