Heartland HCFDR23BLK Owner's Manual

21

•  Keep the fresh food compartment between 34°F and 

40°F with an optimum temperature of 37°F.

•  Avoid overcrowding the refrigerator shelves, which 

reduces air circulation and causes uneven cooling.

•  Store fruits and vegetables in crisper drawers, where 

trapped moisture helps preserve food quality for longer 

time periods.

•  Wash items and remove excess water.

•  Wrap any items that have strong odors or high moisture 

content.

•  Wrap raw meat and poultry separately and securely 

to prevent leaks and contamination of other foods or 

surfaces.

•  Use the deli drawer or Select Temp drawer and set to 

meat/poultry setting for short-term storage. Any meat to 

be kept longer than two days should be frozen.

•  Keep the freezer compartment at 0°F or lower.

•  A freezer operates most efficiently when it is at least ⅔ 

full.

•  To minimize food dehydration and quality deteriora-

tion, use aluminum foil, freezer wrap, freezer bags, or 

airtight containers. Force as much air out of the pack-

ages as possible and seal them tightly. Trapped air can 

cause food to dry out, change color, and develop an 

off-flavor (freezer burn).

•  Wrap fresh meats and poultry with suitable freezer 

wrap prior to freezing.

•  Do not refreeze meat that has completely thawed.

•  Prior to grocery shopping, activate “fast freeze” so that 

on your return you can ensure your newly purchased 

food designated for the freezer will be preserved as 

quickly as possible.

•  Activating “fast freeze” also will help your freezer more 

efficiently maintain the selected temperature after plac-

ing new purchases with pre-existing frozen foods.

•  Avoid adding too much warm food to the freezer at one 

time. This overloads the freezer, slows the rate of freez-

ing, and can raise the temperature of frozen foods.

•  Leave a space between packages, so cold air can 

circulate freely, allowing food to freeze as quickly as 

possible.

•  Locate the refrigerator in the coolest part of the room, 

out of direct sunlight, and away from heating ducts or 

registers.

•  Do not place the refrigerator next to heat producing 

appliances such as a range, oven, or dishwasher. If this 

is not possible, a section of cabinetry or an added layer 

of insulation between the two appliances will help the 

refrigerator operate more efficiently.

•  Level the refrigerator so that the doors close tightly.

•  Refer to the “Controls” section for procedures on tem-

perature settings.

•  Avoid overcrowding the refrigerator or blocking cold air 

vents. Doing so causes the refrigerator to run longer 

and use more energy.

•  Cover foods and wipe containers dry before placing 

them in the refrigerator. This cuts down on moisture 

build-up inside the unit.

•  Organize the refrigerator to reduce door openings. Re-

move as many items as needed at one time and close 

the door as soon as possible.

•  Do not place a hot container directly on a cold shelf. 

Remember, such an extreme temperature change may 

damage the glass