Wine Cellar Cooling and Humidification Systems – The Essentials for your Wine Cellar

Love your wine collection, but that portable wine cooling unit not getting the job done anymore? If you are up to your ears in wine bottles (not the empty kind), it’s time to step things up a notch with wine cellar refrigeration systems.

What Does a Cellar Do that Your Home Cooling System and Countertop Unit Can’t?
Noisy, and notoriously unreliable countertop refrigerators are extremely sensitive to the temperature of the surrounding environment, and simply cannot cool properly in an overly warm room. Their small size oftentimes both limits suitable storage, and provides only serving-temperature function – not long-term storage. This single-zone style cooling typically leaves either your reds or your whites in the wrong temperature zone. Adding insult to injury, in the effort to look pretty, glass doors on some units may result in the unwanted exposure of your wine collection to UV light, which can prematurely age light sensitive wine. Old systems with excessive vibration, as well as poor location of countertop coolers, can also lead to wines being repeatedly jostled, shaking up sediment and leading to wine that is unpleasantly gritty.

Cut the Clutter – and Keep Wine Tastier
Wine cellar refrigeration systems help keep your precious collection at the perfect temperature, no matter the weather or conditions in your home, providing the right atmosphere to ensure delicious wine and ensure proper storage. Keeping your cellar temperature between 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit, the ideal temperature for wine storage, or a cooler 45 degrees for those looking for long-term storage that prevents aging, wine cellar cooling systems offer precise wine storage control. However more than simple wine cellar temperature control is crucial to wine condition – humidity is also key.

Don’t Sweat It: Humidification
Because air in your home can get dry, especially in the winter, as part of your wine cellar cooling unit installation you should include a wine cellar humidifier. Wine cellar cooling in dry climates can be tricky, and humidification ensures success, keeping your collection in the ideal 60-70% relative humidity range to protect corks from drying and cracking, resulting in wine evaporation through the cork, and eventually spoilage. This temperature/humidity control combination gives you total control over your wine storage environment.

Air Things Out with an Installer You can Trust
You have a lot riding on your soon-to-be cellar. When selecting a fabricator for your wine cellar refrigeration system, ensure lasting, successful results with a licensed, insured, and experienced professional. Select a company that backs their work with honest, straight-forward pricing and an extensive warranty, ensuring they will be available 24/7 to address your unit in the event of an emergency to ensure the condition of your collection day and night.

For the ultimate in wine cellar temperature control, professionally crafted to protect your prize pinot, trust in H&H Heating & Air Conditioning. Don’t leave your investment – or your taste buds – at risk, ensure the perfect condition of your wine collection year-round. Contact us today.

This blog was originally posted at https://www.delcohvac.com/wine-cellar-cooling-and-humidification-systems-the-essentials-for-your-wine-cellar/.

Wine Cellar Cooling 101

If you’re like most wine connoisseurs, you have a lot invested in your wine collection. Unfortunately, with an improperly installed wine cellar refrigeration system, your long-stayed collection runs the risk of turning sour. How can you protect your prized collection and still realize the wine cellar of your dreams?

Go with a pro.
Each cellar faces a unique set of challenges during construction. A wine cellar HVAC professional will have the knowledge and experience necessary to help you identify and address each, ensuring the most effective and efficient storage environment.

Educate yourself on essential wine storage conditions.
This includes ideal storage temperature: 55 degrees Fahrenheit; as well as recommended humidity levels necessary to preserve corks against drying, shrinkage and cracks which allow for flavor destroying oxygen exposure, as well as mold and mildew proliferation on labels. In areas where relative humidity drops below 50%, built-in humidity control is strongly suggested.

Feel the heat.
Heat dissipation is critical to cooler performance. Improperly vented, the lifespan of your cooling unit can be put at risk. Ensure the temperature differential is adequate for the desired storage temperature (55 degrees). For example, exhausting your system in a 90 degree environment with a 30 degree temperature differential will only allow you the ability to cool to 60 degrees, making a higher temperature differential a necessity. Luckily your wine cellar professional can help you circumnavigate such installation quandaries.

Understand the nature of the beast, and design for it.
Cooling units are designed to keep things cooled 24/7, 365 days a year. Akin to a walk-in refrigerator, they will run 50-70% of the time to accomplish this – and will make noise while doing so. How much depends upon the location of your cellar and the cooling system exhaust, which will vary based on your chosen system (split or ducted). If noise is of particular concern, make this a predominant factor in the design of your system.

Don’t try to cut corners.
A vapor barrier, framed walls, and insulation are all necessities for proper wine cellar construction. Concrete walls are not appropriate, as they absorb cooling. Remember, the more water and airtight your cellar, the better your performance will be. This equates to less in energy costs, and less wear-and-tear on a unit that is forced to run more frequently to maintain temperature. Additionally, your cooler will also require a dedicated circuit, and properly connected and functioning drain line.

Realize you can’t “get it and forget it.”
Cooling units require annual maintenance and inspections, as well as the daily monitoring of temperature and humidity to ensure the longevity of your wine. If things are looking a little off, emergency service is strongly recommended.

At H&H Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer the widest range of temperature control systems in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and take the time to understand the intricacies of each unique installation. Protect your prized collection and your investment. Contact H&H and schedule your free wine cellar cooling unit installation quote today.

This blog was originally posted at https://www.delcohvac.com/wine-cellar-cooling-101/