Do you mean don't have it crammed/stuffed to the gills with food? I know you have to leave room/space where the vents are. If you block them you impede the performance of the freezer/fridge. We have 3! One in the garage belonging to the landlord who asked us to please use it. One in the dining area that we bought from Old School when he moved to Honolulu. And then of course one in the kitchen. Believe it or not in the summer with all the fruits available ( A watermelons takes up a lot of space) all three are functioning and full...not to the gills but still. Thank you for your reply m2c! :)