how to inflate car tires at home

Grab a decent tyre gauge and a portable compressor, then check pressures cold before you’ve driven anywhere.

Find the door-jamb placard—most cars want around 220–250 kPa (32–36 psi), and the sticker beats guesswork every time.

Unscrew the valve cap, seat the chuck squarely, and add air in short bursts while checking the gauge.

Overshot? Bleed a little with the gauge nub until you’re bang-on, and repeat for all four plus the spare.

Recheck later the same day or next morning, and bump pressures a touch for heavy loads or long highway runs.

If a tyre won’t hold air or sits below about 140 kPa after topping up, suspect a puncture and get it repaired properly.