Looking for ways to conserve dollars on energy? The average American home spends $1,290 on energy annually. Want ways to hold off major appliance repairs? On some models, a refrigerator compressor failure can cost $1,000 or more to repair. Sometimes simple inspection and maintenance can help greatly in both these areas. Such is the case with refrigerator coils. They circulate liquid refrigerants that are cooled when air passes over their surface. But over time they accumulate dust, dirt, pet hair and various other debris. This blocks air-flow and can cause the compressor to run longer -- and to work harder -- to cool things down. The result is wasted energy and extra work. To avoid this situation, remove the front air-vent grille and carefully vacuum the thin metal fins that dissipate heat from the coil. Vacuum the entire housing, as well. Inspect and clean your coils at least twice a year. Remember: clean equals cool equals savings. And that's the On The House tip for today.