Air vs Nitrogen

In the old days, tires were all inflated the same way; with regular air through the use of a simple air compressor. Today, there is an alternative to air-filled tires, and that’s nitrogen. And while nitrogen has been available for use to fill tires for many years now, most people still scratch their heads wondering why we use nitrogen vs air and what the benefits are.

Nitrogen is a naturally occurring gas and makes up about 78% of the earth’s atmosphere. In fact, human beings couldn’t exist without nitrogen. It’s also non-flammable, which makes it safe to use.

Ok, now we’re sounding like a chemistry text book and about now you’re saying to yourself, “That’s all great but what’s all that got to do with tires?”

Nitrogen molecules are larger than normal air molecules, and that’s where tires come in. Tires naturally leak over time as air escapes their rubber walls, usually at a loss of about 1 psi per month. Because nitrogen molecules are larger than regular air molecules, nitrogen seeps out at a much slower rate, allowing tires to maintain their pressures longer.

Regular air is also subject to changes in pressure due to rising and falling temperature, which nitrogen isn’t. That means that nitrogen maintains its pressure despite warming and cooling tires.

The end result is a tire with a more stable, longer-lasting tire pressure. The results of that are better fuel efficiency, better over-all performance and handling and longer tire life.

But one question we often get is, “Can you add regular air to tires filled with nitrogen?”. The answer is, yes!

Air and nitrogen mix fine. However, when you add air to tires filled with nitrogen, you’ll be diluting the benefits of the nitrogen in your tires.

So, there you have it. Now you know all you need to know about nitrogen-filled tires. If you have more tire or auto-related questions, don’t hesitate to give our expert team at Big O Tires on Broadway a call!