Picking up a nail or screw in your tire is one of the more common and frustrating things that can happen to any driver around Columbia. The good news is that many punctures can be safely repaired, saving you the cost of a new tire, but not all of them, and knowing the difference matters for your safety.

Whether a tire can be repaired depends mainly on the location and size of the puncture. A small puncture in the central tread area, the part of the tire that contacts the road, can usually be repaired properly. However, a puncture in the sidewall or near the shoulder cannot be safely fixed, because those areas flex too much and a repair will not hold. Large punctures, or damage from driving too long on a flat, also typically mean the tire needs to be replaced.

It is important that a repair be done correctly, from the inside, using an industry-accepted method rather than just a plug from the outside, which is meant only as a temporary fix. A proper repair restores the tire’s integrity and safety. Driving on a damaged or improperly repaired tire is a real risk, especially at highway speed in summer heat.

At Exhaust Plus in Columbia, we can inspect a punctured tire, tell you honestly whether it can be safely repaired or should be replaced, and take care of it either way. If you have a nail in your tire or a slow leak, bring your vehicle to our Columbia shop.