Flat tire and puncture repair in Calgary

Calgary roads collect construction debris. Screws from new builds, roofing nails, bits of metal on the shoulder of Stoney Trail. Sooner or later one ends up in your tire, and you usually find out from a slow leak or a pressure warning on the dash on a cold morning.

Bring it to our shop in NE Calgary. We'll find the leak, tell you whether the tire can be safely repaired, and fix it if it can. If it can't, we'll show you the damage and quote a replacement so you can decide what to do.

Plug, patch, or both

A plug is a rubbery cord pushed into the hole from the outside. It's quick, and it's what roadside repair kits use. The problem is that nobody looks inside the tire, so damage to the inner liner goes unnoticed, and a plug alone doesn't fully seal the liner. Moisture and road salt can work their way to the steel belts over time.

A patch is bonded to the inner liner from inside the tire, so the tire has to come off the rim. On its own, a patch seals the inside but leaves the hole through the tread open to water. Tire industry repair guidelines call for combining the two: a one-piece plug and patch that fills the hole and seals the liner. That's the repair tire makers treat as permanent.

When a tire can't be repaired

Some damage can't be fixed safely, no matter who does the work. In these cases the tire has to be replaced.

• The puncture is in the sidewall or the shoulder, where the tread curves down into the sidewall. That area flexes too much for a repair to hold.
• The hole is bigger than about 6 mm (a quarter inch), or it's a gash rather than a round puncture.
• The tire was driven flat or very low. That crushes the sidewall from the inside, and you'll often find a ring of grey rubber dust inside the tire. Even if it holds air, it's weakened.
• Two punctures sit too close together, or a new one overlaps an old repair.
• There's a bulge, exposed cords or separated belts.
• The tread is already near the wear bars, so a repair isn't worth paying for.

What to do when you get a flat

If the tire is losing air slowly, leave the nail in. It's partly plugging the hole. Top up the pressure and drive straight to a shop, keeping your speed down.

If it's flat, don't drive on it, even for a block. That's how a repairable tire turns into scrap. Put the spare on. Temporary spares are usually limited to about 80 km/h and short distances, so read the sticker on yours.

Used a can of tire sealant to get home? Tell us when you come in. It's fine as a stopgap, but it leaves a mess inside the tire that has to be cleaned out before a repair, and it can gum up tire pressure sensors.