Your car requires proper maintenance checks. Be it changing the oil on time to keeping the tires inflated properly, each component requires upkeep. The debate for many years is whether to inflate the tires with air or nitrogen and if nitrogen is a better option in terms of fuel efficiency and keeping tires in good shape.
Let’s go through this guide on inflating tires with air vs nitrogen to help you make better decisions on what’s suitable for your car.
Nitrogen Vs Compressed Air In Tires: What’s Good For Your Car Tires?
While compressed air was a choice for tires for many decades, nitrogen seems to overtake it. You can inflate your tires with either nitrogen or air. But, the important thing is to keep the tires inflated with the right pressure.
Here are the advantages of filling the tires with nitrogen or air which will help you make a better choice for your car.
Advantages Of Inflating Tires With Nitrogen
Nitrogen has larger molecules that move slower than compressed air. That said, Nitrogen inflated tires keep a better shape even when your tire gets punctured. That is because nitrogen will move out of the tire slower than the air.
Since nitrogen-inflated tires keep their shape for a longer period, filling it in the car tires can help drivers who do not check their tire pressure regularly.
Advantages Of Inflating Tires With The Compressed Air
While nitrogen has its advantages, inflating your tires with compressed air is not wrong either. The main advantage of compressed air is its availability plus the air is often free.
Moreover, inflating your tires with nitrogen or air mainly depends on your journey and whether you will be able to find nitrogen on that journey or not. Therefore, when you think of cost and convenience, the air has a slight edge over nitrogen.
Can You Mix Air And Nitrogen In Tires?
For instance, you have filled your tires with nitrogen and the pressure goes low on a long journey. It is a better option to inflate your tires with air because it is never a good idea to drive with underinflated tires. Using compressed air will do the job. But, it will dilute the nitrogen and its effectiveness in the tires.
Choosing Between Nitrogen Vs Air Inflated Tires
There is no definite answer to whether you should inflate your tires with nitrogen or air. Your car is good to go if your tires are inflated with the correct pressure. Underinflated tires have multiple disadvantages such as bad fuel economy and improper handling. Moreover, it compromises your safety too.
Therefore, it is always recommended to check your tire pressure properly whether your tires are filled with air or nitrogen. Besides, the TPMS sensor plays an important role in alerting the driver when the tire pressure is low.
Hence, it is important to keep the correct tire pressure to elongate the lifespan of tires. And the Porcsi TPMS sensors ensure to identify the low pressure and alert the driver to avoid any mishap.