SYRACUSE -- We woke up to near-record lows in Syracuse Thursday and that has people thinking about getting their homes ready for winter. It's a busy time of year for companies that cater to winterization. With winter weather just around the corner, David Doherty from Chimney Services Etc. is staying busy. "Most people wait until the last minute to have their chimneys swept," Doherty said.

He's been in the chimney sweeping business for 20 years and this is his prime season. From August through January, the phones are ringing off the hook. He says homeowners should not just get their chimneys swept, but also inspected. "Brushing a chimney along does not make a chimney safe. It's inspection of a chimney of its original construction, clearances to combustibles, that we really need to look for," he said.

And with temperatures dipping down to the 30's this morning, people are already getting ready for winter. And it's not just chimney companies staying busy. Roger Lallier with Cooney Air Conditioning and Heating is working non-stop too, putting in a new furnace at a home in DeWitt. "Oh yeah. Once the temperature goes below 40 degrees or so, everybody turns the furnace on and finds out the furnace doesn't work," Lallier said.

He recommends getting your furnace checked and cleaned once a year. "The number one thing I can tell everybody to do is check your air filters...it keeps it running smoothly," he said. They're just a few simple things you can do before real winter weather sets in.