What Causes Slow Punctures And How Can I Locate Them?

by Patrick Walker Hi i am Patrick, Digital Marketing Expert

Any amount of leak is not good for your tyre, irrespective of its size. Behind any severe leak can either be problematic wheel elements, the tyre itself, or temperature fluctuations. Slow leak especially is hard to detect, mainly if you don’t see any nail peeping out of a hole or any damage to the rubber part of the tyre. But reaching the root cause of a slow leak and fixing it right away is crucial to your safety. Why? Because the tyres that are too low in pressure have a very high probability of causing an accident. Let's get to know about some major culprits behind slow tyre leaks, and a few helpful tips to fix the victim (tyre).

Major Causes Behind A Leaky Tyre

There may be three possible reasons why the tyre loses air slowly:

1. Wheel Damages

Lurking Valve Stem: Usually, a tyre loses its air approximately 1-3 PSI every month. However, if you notice it is going over this limit, there might be a chance that its valve system is not in a good shape. The solution is to get it changed. On the contrary, overly tight valve core may also cause leaks; so ensure that isn’t the case.

Crooked Or Injured Wheel: Road hazards and corrosion are the greatest enemies of your wheels due to which it may somewhat get deprived of its superbly round shape. Additionally, if the wheel is corroded at its surface (where the tyre is mounted), the air loss can be further significant. A flexed wheel may also shake the vehicle, which can probably spoil the bead which means greater air loss.

2. Tyre Injuries

Objects With Sharp Edges Or Nails: Your tyres run through a variety of road debris including rocks and tiny nails. A single nail after getting stuck into the rubber can make your tyre lose air by 2-3 PSI every day. Although the air loss is insignificant, it still requires to be taken out of rubber or else it could deteriorate the tyre and eventually result in a flat tyre.
Bead Issues: The narrow space between the tyre and the rim can easily catch the debris bits and cause an air leak. This thin seal can also break or wear over time as the rubber component decays gradually. That’s why we emphasise on checking the manufacturing date before buying tyres. Another cause behind the disturbed bead and slow air leaks can be an incompetent technician who improperly fixed the tyre.

Road Hazards: Running the vehicle over a big pothole or hitting a curb with it may kink the sidewall of the tyre which can open a small window for air. It is therefore recommended to thoroughly inspect your tyre-wheel section immediately after you encounter any road hazard. Furthermore, any sidewall bulges, cracks, and punctures are the obvious signs of internal or external damage that could lead to slow air loss.

3. Temperature Causes: Air expands when heated and contracts when cooled; no wonder a tyre can lose or gain its air up to 2 per cent with every 10°F fall and rise in temperature, respectively. However, the quantity of air remains the same. Therefore, keep the pressure the same way in case you see no other injuries.

Sniff Out The Air Leak

You can find the cause behind the slow leak in three ways:

1. Try to listen to the hissing sound and feel the air coming out of the tyre by touching that particular area. Also, if the air is hot you will easily sense it.

2. After covering the valve stem along with inside and outside rim edges, spray or pour soapy water on the entire tyre and edge of the rim to locate the leak. If there is any leak, you will see bubbles about 5 minutes later since it is a slow leak.

3. Separate the wheel from your car and dip it into the water to check the tyre from every side. The leak will show its presence through bubbles. Do not rush and wait for 5 minutes at least.

The soapy water procedure seems the easiest one as it doesn't need any tyre removal, and even small holes can be identified without much hassle.

Repair Hacks

Tyre leaks can be fixed by using various methods. Below are some tools and techniques used to repair tyres depending on the type, severity, and location of the puncture:

Pre and Post-Puncture Sealant (accompanied with an air pump and a pressure gauge)

Plug Kit (consisting of a set of plugs, rubber cement, reaming tool, and a plug tool): It is used to fix tread damages only, not the sidewall wounds

Aerosol Spray

Valve Stem Repair

Rim Restoring

The Final Word

It is not possible to repair every puncture and unfortunately, if this is the case with your tyre, you may be advised to replace your tyre/tyres. There are so many considerations worth noting while replacing your tyre. But most importantly, remember to check your owner’s manual for the most reliable recommendations, and select the best and trusted tyre dealer for your purchase. Buy tyres in Rotherham from ETS Auto Centre and forget about any vehicle ordeals.