HINTS AND TIPS
Normal Operating Sounds
•You may hear faint gurgling or bubbling sounds when the refrigerant is pumped through the coils or tubing at the rear, to the cooling plate/evaporator.
•When the compressor is on, the refrigerant is being pumped round, and you will hear a whirring sound or pulsating noise from the compressor.
•A thermostat controls the compressor, and you will hear a faint ’click’ when the thermostat cuts in and out.
Food Storage
To obtain the best performance from your fridge- freezer
•Do not store warm food or evaporating liquids.
•Avoid buying frozen food if you cannot store it straight away. The use of an insulated container is advisable. When you arrive home place the frozen food in the freezer immediately.
•Keep the time between buying chilled food and placing it in your refrigerator as short as possible.
•Do not push food together too much, try to allow air to circulate around each item.
•Do not store food uncovered.
•Ensure that food placed in the freezer is dated and labelled and used in date order to ensure that food is consumed at its best.
•Remove suspect food from your refrigerator and clean, refer to Maintenance and Cleaning.
•Lean food keeps better and longer than fatty food, salt reduces the storage time.
•Wrap the food in polythene or aluminium freezing bags or foil so that they adhere to the food and provide an airtight seal .
•Packaging which is swollen or has traces of refrozen water droplets on the pack could indicate that the product has not been kept at a suitable temperature and that it may have lost its original quality. Partially thawed food must not be refrozen, it must be consumed within 24 hours. Never exceed the storage times indicated by the manufacturer.
Energy Saving Advice
•Do not install the appliance close to sources of heat, such as a boiler or radiator.
•Locate the appliance in a cool well ventilated room and make sure that the air openings of the appliance are not obstructed.
•Avoid unnecessary frosting in the cabinet by packing all foodstuffs into airtight packages before placing them in the freezer.
•Always leave warm food to cool down to room temperature before placing in the fridge.
•Food which is to be frozen (when cool) should be placed in the fridge before being transferred to the freezer.
•Thaw frozen food in the fridge. This will ensure safer defrosting of foods and reduce the work of the refrigeration unit.
•Try to avoid keeping the door open for long periods or opening the door too frequently as warm air will enter the cabinet and cause the compressor to switch on unnecessarily often.
•Ensure there are no obstructions preventing the door from closing properly.
In the Event of a Power Failure
If there is a power failure during the storage of frozen foods, keep the door closed. If the temperature within your freezer should rise, do not refreeze the food without checking its condition. The following guidelines should assist you:
Fruits & Vegetables: If soft should be cooked and used up.
Breads & Cakes: Can be refrozen without danger.
Shellfish: Should be refrigerated and used up quickly.
Cooked Dishes: i. e. casseroles should be refrigerated and used up.
Large Pieces of Meat: Can be refrozen providing there are still ice crystals remaining within them.
Small Joints: Should be cooked and can then be refrozen as cooked dishes.
Chicken: Should also be cooked and refrozen as a fresh dish.
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