Checking Tire Pressure

 

When manufacturers make recommendations on tire pressures, their figures are based on cold tires. The best time to check tire pressure is after they’ve been resting overnight or at least for several hours. The ideal temperature to get the most accurate reading on tire pressure is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  And the best place to do it is somewhere near sea level.

A low-cost tire pressure gauge may not be your friend. You get what you pay for and the cheap ones often are not calibrated accurately. The better bet is to invest in a self-calibrating, electronic digital gauge. These hand-held units are reportedly the most accurate.

 

Tire pressure facts:
• Severe heat and extreme cold impact tire pressure.
• Increase the temperature from 70 degrees F to 100 degrees F and tire pressure goes up. Driving even short distances increases it even more.
• In cold weather, tire pressure automatically drops.  At around freezing, tire pressure will be at least a few pounds less, and when the temps hover closer to 0, even less.
• With less oxygen in the air, tire pressures change at high altitudes.  For every 1,000 feet above sea level, you will see a corresponding increase in your tire pressure of about half a pound. As an example, take your rig up to 5000 feet and your tire gauge – which was accurate at sea level – will now show your tire pressure to be 2.5 psi too high.

 

Tire pressure tip:
• Changing out a tire? Be sure to check its pressure right away and perhaps a day later. Sometimes a bead sets slowly and the tire gets overinflated or it could have a small leak and be underinflated.

Got any tips or tricks on how you keep your rig’s tire pressure at the right level or when you check it? Share them here:

 

 

 

 

When we set out to build one of the greenest buildings in all of Utah for our Insight Technology/FactorLoads headquarters, we wanted to make sure we would have little impact on our state’s natural resources. That includes our facility’s exterior and grounds, where we incorporated several important green elements.

 

First, we planted a row of Swedish Aspens along the building’s south side.  These attractive trees grow to become a perfect fence line that shades the building in the summer. When the leaves fall off in autumn, the southern exposure allows the heating warmth of the sun to heat the building for the cooler months of the year. They do not get too tall or too wide, which make maintenance easier as well.

 

Second, our facility has very little grass, which typically requires gas-powered motors to cut.  All of the plantings are watered through a drip system when needed. Now that the  lawn and plantings are nearly fully established, we need to use the drip system only rarely.

 

Third, we’ve installed a bike rack to encourage workers to ride to work rather than using gas-powered vehicles.