When it's time to switch to winter tires for your car, you have to figure out where to store your old tires. You want the tires to survive the winter and still be in good shape next spring, so storing them properly is essential. When you store tires properly, you prolong their life, and that saves money over time. Here are some tips for storing tires until you're ready to put them back on your car.
Consider Climate-Controlled Storage
The ideal conditions for storing tires are in an area that gets no sun and that is in a controlled temperature and humidity range. That eliminates places like your garage, attic, and crawl space. Since you probably don't want to keep the tires in a bedroom closet, consider renting a self-storage unit with climate control.
A self-storage unit is handy to have for storing all sorts of excess belongings and seasonal supplies, so you'll get good use out of it. However, a climate-controlled unit provides the best protection for your tires and other belongings because it keeps them from getting too hot, too cold, or damp from high humidity.
Clean The Tires First
Use a gentle cleaner, such as dish soap, and a tire brush to get rid of road debris that could cause damage by being in contact with the tires while in storage. Once the tires are clean, set them aside so they can dry thoroughly. Don't put anything wet in storage or you may return to find your things growing mildew.
Wrap The Tires
You normally don't wrap things in plastic when placing them in a self-storage unit because fabrics and other materials need to breathe. Tires are different. The oils in the tires can evaporate over time, so it's best to wrap each individual tire in plastic. A thick vacuum bag works well since you can suck all the air out, but you can use trash bags and get as much air out as possible before taping them shut.
Rotate The Tires If You Can
Even though the tires won't be on a vehicle and under pressure, you may still want to rotate the way they are stored, especially if you visit your storage unit occasionally anyway. You can stack tires or stand tires without rims on the edge. You can also hang tires with rims, but you might have a hard time doing that in a storage unit. By flipping the tires occasionally, you'll keep the pressure distributed so the tires don't develop any problems caused by being in the same position for months over the winter.
Fo rmore infromation, contact a self-storage facility.
