The short answer
A tire that needs air every week has a slow leak — most often a nail or screw in the tread, a corroded wheel bead seat, or a leaking valve stem. Most tread punctures are repairable for about $35. Driving on chronic underinflation overheats the tire and can total it.
Likely causes, ranked
- 01
Puncture in the tread
most commonA nail or screw picked up in a Route 5 construction zone or a job-site lot in the Scotia-Glenville Industrial Park, plugging its own hole imperfectly. Found in minutes with a water dunk test, and properly repairable if it’s in the tread face.
- 02
Corroded bead seat
commonA brine-country special: aluminum wheels oxidize where the tire seals against the rim, letting air seep out slowly. Fixed by dismounting, cleaning, and resealing — no new tire needed.
- 03
Leaking valve stem or TPMS sensor seal
commonRubber stems age and crack; TPMS sensor grommets loosen. Cheap fixes that masquerade as mystery leaks.
- 04
Temperature drop, not a leak at all
commonTires lose about 1 PSI per 10°F — the first hard upstate cold snap “deflates” every tire in town and lights up TPMS dashboards across the county. If all four dropped together in October, that’s physics.
What to do right now
- 1
Don’t just keep topping off — underinflated tires flex, overheat, and wear their shoulders fast; they also brake and corner worse.
- 2
Look for the obvious: a screw head shining in the tread. Don’t pull it out — it’s currently the plug.
- 3
Bring it in for a dunk test. Puncture repairs run about $35 and take half an hour; bead reseals and stems similar.
What it typically costs
Proper inside patch-plug repair ~$35 at Fogg’s. Bead cleaning/reseal or valve stem similar. TPMS sensors $65–$120 if one is the culprit. All far cheaper than the tire that fails from months of low-pressure running. For fleet accounts, every puncture repair is logged per unit, so a van that keeps picking up screws on one route stands out.
Our diagnosis fee goes toward the repair.
Related questions
Can a tire with a nail in it be repaired?
If the puncture is in the tread face, smaller than 1/4", and you haven’t driven it flat — almost always yes, with a proper inside patch-plug. Sidewall and shoulder punctures can’t be safely repaired; anyone offering to string-plug a sidewall is gambling with your family.
Why does my tire pressure light come on every fall?
Cold air is denser: roughly 1 PSI lost per 10°F drop. The first cold October morning trips TPMS lights all over Schenectady County. Top up to the door-placard pressure — and if one tire drops faster than the others, that one has a real leak.
What actually fixes it
If it turns out to need real work, this is what usually does it — with pricing published up front, so there are no surprises.
Same symptom on a work van or truck? Fleet units get priority bays and one monthly invoice. Fleet repair →
Still not sure how serious it is?
This guide describes common patterns, not a diagnosis of your specific vehicle — that takes an inspection. If your symptom is marked urgent, treat it as urgent. When in doubt, stop driving and call (518) 348-7764.
