Seal the swing set

• Clear sealers on your wood play equipment work great if the wood is in good condition. But if it's weathered or faded, it might require a wood stain.

• Stains provide protection from deterioration and, just like your deck, will look a lot better after a fresh coat.

• If possible, try to get the wood feet or bases out of contact with dirt, or in areas where they are constantly in contact with water.

• The exposed ends of wood absorb the most moisture and rot the quickest, so pay particular attention.

• Painting outdoor wood will only lead to maintenance headaches in later years, so only paint if you want to paint and scrape next year. And the next. And the next.

Big-tool tune-ups

• Besides tuning your lawnmower, draining the gas and changing the oil before storing it, this is a good time to sharpen the mower blade, too. To sharpen it, you can do it yourself with a grinder and file, or have it done professionally. Actually cutting the grass next year rather than beating it into submission with a blunt object will make all the difference in the world.

There are two schools of thought about draining the gas tank: Long-term gas-storage products such as Sta-Bil allow you to keep the gas tank full, reducing condensation and rust in an empty tank. Yet come next spring, the gas is fresh, no varnish has formed on fuel system parts and it is ready to be used.

Clean gutters are important, but even more important is your health. Gutter cleaning can be risky — and can be done professionally for less than the deductible on a hospital admission.

That said, depending on the roofing material, slope, equipment, roof access and your abilities, you can clean the gutters from beneath while standing on a ladder, or while up on the roof.

Gutters come in many different shapes and sizes:

• Integral style is seen on homes with lower-slope roofs built in the 1950s and '60s. These are a piece of cake to clean and require nothing more than a broom and an arm to swing it.

But due to their low capacity, these gutters are more prone to overflow if tree debris is significant. They will need frequent cleaning.

Integral gutters require regular sealing with Sno-coat or similar material to prevent the spider-cracking in the rubber or tar surfacing. Typically older, these downspouts and scuppers are prone to rust and need to be inspected regularly for leakage and damage. The top flashing also can come loose and create leakage issues.

• Wood gutters are slightly deeper and less prone to overflow than integral style, but because they are made of cedar or redwood, they require more maintenance and repair at joints. They are simple to clean; typically a hand-broom will suffice.

• Galvanized steel gutters are becoming rare. Rust is the big concern. Of course, there's no point in repairing a rusted gutter; simply replace it.

A gloved hand seems to work best at cleaning these gutters. Gutter shovels or scoops also are available and work on other gutter styles as well.

• Plastic and vinyl gutters made a splash on the market several years ago but have proven mostly unsatisfactory for structural reasons. They resemble galvanized steel gutters in shape.

• Continuous (non-seamed) aluminum gutters come in many sizes and styles and are the standard today.

Again a gloved hand and a scoop are the most common methods for removing crud. Leaks will occur only at outside and inside corners.

My favorite shortcut for cleaning any gutter is the ubiquitous leaf blower.

Blowing laterally, away from the downspouts, I can get a dry gutter cleaner than any amount of scraping and grinding with my fingernails. Plus, it's a clean job and very fast.

If you can walk along the gutter line safely (I cannot emphasize the safety aspect enough here!) and operate a blower, you are in business.

All gutters need to be inspected at least annually and at the area where they abut the house. Leakage behind the gutter usually is a result of loose gutters, damaged roofing at the drip line, tarpaper tucked behind the gutter and regularly overflowing gutters.

In many cases, this leakage can cause structural damage. Look for stains, tree debris and bubbled paint. Divots in the soil and splashed dirt on the house siding are sure signs of gutter leakage.

Duct work

Dogs and air conditioning are the prime suspects in duct systems that need routine cleaning. There are times, however, when duct cleaning can do more harm than good. Routine cleaning is not always necessary, and many firms use unethical tactics to convince consumers to purchase services.

But when needed, it is an invaluable service.

Heating elements

• Changing the filters regularly is important. Consider a professional furnace servicing, particularly if it is gas-fired. During a servicing, the technician will clean the burners, check the gas pressure, the heat output and several safety features, and inspect the critical heat exchanger. Every other year is the recommended service interval for most gas furnaces.

• For an oil furnace, service is needed every year. The burner orifices are replaced, the exhaust draft is checked, carbon monoxide is checked and the fan and motor bearings are lubricated, among other things.

• If you have a heat pump or air conditioning, schedule an annual service call to have a professional inspect the wiring, check belts and coolant levels, and oil the moving parts.

• Forced-air electric wall heaters and baseboard heaters need cleaning, too. Turn off the power at the thermostat and breaker, remove the cover and get busy with an old toothbrush (or a new one, if you don't think anyone will notice). Get the dust bunnies and hardened crud off those fan blades and electric fins for cleaner, more efficient operation.