UNION COUNTY, Pa. — Snow was falling in Union County on Tuesday morning, a reminder of what's to come this season.
As the temperatures drop, business goes up at many garages, including Kost Tire and Auto near Lewisburg. Automotive shops say winterizing your car is necessary.
"None of it takes a long time or is really costly, but you don't want to come out that morning and hit your key and all of a sudden, nothing," said Randy Strouse, a manager at Kost Tire and Auto near Lewisburg.
Strouse says lately, they've had a lot of customers come in with tire pressure concerns.
"Tires drop a couple of pounds, and that's really all it takes to make that light come on on your dashboard. You come in, and we pump them up a little bit for the customers, and then the light will go out," Strouse said.
Strouse says it's also the time of year when batteries start dying.
"If your battery is weak at all, the first cold spell we get, it's going to show up. It might be good all summer, but we get that first cold snap, but then your battery will show up that it's weak, or your car doesn't start quite as fast," Strouse said.
Crews also check the wiper blades and fluid levels on everyone's vehicles. Services like these become even more important as the weather continues to get colder.
"Get your car checked out under the hood for winter, the belts, hoses for any kind of leaks, breaks, age if they're cracking, especially belts. Most cars today only have one belt on them, so if you lose that one belt, you're really in trouble," Strouse said.
Strouse says preventative maintenance is the key to avoiding big problems later.