Tag Archives: Wine Cellar Cooling Units

Give Your Wines Optimum Care with the Right Wine Cellar Cooling System

Written by Comments Off on Give Your Wines Optimum Care with the Right Wine Cellar Cooling System

Wine tastes better when aged with the appropriate wine cellar cooling system. If you are a wine collector, it is essential to invest in a reliable wine cooling unit that will help preserve your finest wines properly.

Reliable Wine Cooling Unit

Preserve Your Wines with a Reliable Wine Cellar Cooling System

The main function of a wine cooling system is to protect wines from external factors such as temperature and humidity, thus it is the most important feature in a wine cellar. When choosing a wine cellar cooling system, there are certain factors that must be taken into account.

Through the Wall Wine Cellar Cooling System

Through-the-wall wine cellar cooling system is ideal for small wine cellars.

The space of your wine storage room or wine cellar must be determined before buying a wine cellar cooling unit. You can buy an economical cooling system if you have a small space without compromising quality. A through-the-wall, self-contained cooling system is best for small cellars.

In addition to your wine cellar space, the quality of the wine cellar cooling system must be prioritized. A wine cooling unit must be built with components that meet reliability and safety standards.

It should provide the right environmental conditions in your wine cellar for the graceful aging of your precious wines. The temperature in a wine cellar must be maintained between 55-57 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity levels must range from 50 -70 percent.

Safety features include timers, which are used to prevent short-cycling of the unit. To protect the compressor, the cooling unit should also feature high and low refrigerant switches.

Many wine collectors also prefer a quiet cooling system, so as not to disturb their home’s ambiance. Many manufacturers are creating quiet cooling systems to meet their clients’ needs.

The condenser of a split wine cooling system can be placed outside, thus reducing noise in your wine cellar. Through-the-wall systems are noisy, because they require mechanical equipment that needs to be placed inside the wine storage room.

Split Wine Cellar Cooling System

Split Wine Cooling System reduces noise in your wine cellar.

You can save extra money if you use a cooling system that is flexible and easy to install. Self-contained through-the-wall units can be installed without much difficulty, while split systems require a professional for proper installation, which will cost you more money.

Before the installation process of the cooling system, it is important to ensure that your wine cellar has the proper seal, insulation and vapor-barrier. You wine cellar door will affect the performance of your cooling system, so it is important that you choose a high-quality door with proper doorjamb, bottom sweep or threshold to ensure that it is properly sealed. An improper door seal will keep your cooling unit running, thus increasing energy consumption.

Wine Cellar Door

Your wine cellar door will affect the performance of your wine cooling system.

You invested a good amount of money for your wine collection so it is a good idea to protect them with a reliable and high-end wine cellar cooling system. This will help your wines age well and protect their desirable characteristics.

Proper Sizing of a Wine Cellar Cooling System is Critical to its Efficiency and Longevity

Written by Comments Off on Proper Sizing of a Wine Cellar Cooling System is Critical to its Efficiency and Longevity

Take Me Straight to the Wine Cellar Cooling System - Heat Load Survey Form

Take Me Straight to the Wine Cellar Cooling System – Heat Load Survey Form

Most wine cellar cooling systems companies offer only a few sizes of wine cellar refrigeration units. These are often matched to a sizing standard of cubic feet. A very useful starting point when determining the volume to be a climate controlled wine storage area. However, this does not include ANY details specific to the Custom Wine Cellar.

The cubic feet method assumes basic standards in construction, usage, and operation. It assumes minimal insulation is used. Not more or NONE. That is generally the only consideration included. It does not account for many very common variables that can be incorporated into a Custom Wine Cellar which are calculated when using an actual heat load survey.

What are these variables that affect a wine cellar cooling systems choice and why are they important?

– Glass

Windows, doors, or walls are NOT considered when sizing by cubic feet.

Any glass in a Wine Cellar or Wine Cabinet is hugely important to compensate for when sizing. The insulation value of dual pane glass is ~R2. This allows a good deal of the cooling to be transferred through the glass. Increasing the amount of equipment required to keep the temperature stable. If it is not considered and smaller equipment is used the chance it will keep up with the needs of the space are slight. However, it is very likely that the equipment will run all the time. This will cause additional problems of very low humidity, extremely high cost of operation, or premature equipment failure not covered by the warranty.

Single pane glass should be avoided like the plague! The slightest leak in a door seal can cause your beautiful cellar to look more like a restaurant pie case. When the cold and warm air mix the water vapor instantly condenses to water droplets. This causes a ‘fog’ on the glass and can eventually lead to staining of the surrounding areas if left unattended. It is not the fault of the equipment and cannot be compensated for. It is a construction issue.

– Insulation

R value, above or below grade, ambient temperature all makes a difference.

Cubic feet estimates R11 insulation as the only factor in the equation. Obviously if there is no insulation to be used this estimate will be wrong. No company ever suggests it is acceptable to use no insulation in a Wine Cellar. Just the same it happens all the time. If a wine room like this is insisted upon by the client, even against better judgment, at least plan for it. Just the same as underestimating glass a larger system will be required or there will be problems.

On the other hand, if more insulation is being used a smaller system may be recommended. This is especially true if the Wine Cellar is to be below grade. Ground temperatures tend to be considerably lower than normal “ambient temperatures” or the conditioned air surrounding the cellar. Therefore much less equipment is required to maintain a stable temperature.

Over-sizing can create problems of a different kind. If the refrigeration system is too large it will only need to run a fraction of the time it should to keep temperature. This may sound great at first but it is not. Commonly known as “short-cycling” will damage the equipment causing failures that may not be protected under the warranty. In addition, the equipment running a predetermined cycle is how the humidity is balanced in the room. If the equipment runs too little the wine cellar’s humidity will increase. Condensation could occur especially if there are defects in the construction. If left alone labels could fall off bottles, water staining wood surfaces, and mildew and/or mold will grow.

– Lighting

Type, # of fixtures, hours used impact the heat of the Wine Cellar.

It used to be quite common to use can lights in a Wine Cellar. Anyone who has ever changed a light bulb knows lights can get very hot, pretty quickly. Imagine you intend to leave these on so you can show off your beautiful Custom Wine Cellar at a summer dinner party lasting several hours. Maybe you just want to leave it on to enjoy it yourself for a few hours each evening after a hard day’s work. Now think of that heat that the refrigeration has to overcome. This is another question in the heat load survey that should be answered as accurately as possible.

If in doubt USE LED LIGHTING! It produces so little heat it does not need calculated into the heat load. Modern LED lighting is now available in many designs, colors, and shapes. It does not have to look like a disco or a Christmas tree. Bulbs can fit in standard fixtures and even work with dimmers or remotes.

– Set Point

Activity, recovery and thermal mass are all things to consider when committing to a “Set Point” temperature for a Wine Cellar.

It is agreed by most experts that 55f is the ideal temperature to store wine, red or white. Both are SERVED at different temperatures. White wines or champagnes should be served preferably below 45f and reds at room temperature. Long term storage warmer than this can accelerate or damage the aging process, colder can slow or even stop it.

Wine Cellar Cooling Systems – Whites Wines & Champagnes

Some Wine Cabinets are designed with the intention of using a serving temperature for whites and champagnes. This would not be allowable with a cubic feet estimate alone. Especially since most Wine Display Cases like this are primarily glass and in hospitality locations. In a restaurant it is very possible that during peak hours the doors will be opened many times per hour. This requires a careful choice of which system is best suited to improve the recovery time and bring the Wine Storage Unit back to normal temperature.

Wine Cellar Cooling Systems – Thermal Mass

Thermal mass describes the temperature of the liquid within the bottles, cases, or even barrels stored in a Cellar. Thermal mass adjusts about 75% more slowly than air temperature does. If there is a lot of room temperature wine loaded into a cellar at one time it is perfectly normal to take up to several hours for the refrigeration to gently bring the temperature to where it is set. Once that is achieved the thermal mass reacts to changes slowly and will assist the stabilization in the room. The equipment will return to normal operation. Setting the thermostat to go colder WILL NOT make it go FASTER. It will put unnecessary stress on the equipment especially if a lower set point was not used in the heat load survey.

Sudden and drastic changes to the temperature of wine are far more detrimental than having it too cold or too warm for a short while.

– Additional features

Refrigerators, TV, Electronics, Fireplaces

Many designers like to add unique features to custom cellar designs. It is important to note that all appliances and electronics give off heat. These things should be considered carefully and are strongly discouraged.

H2: The USCS Heat Load Survey Form

Click here to go to the USCS Heat Load Survey Form. This information should be collected as accurately as possible and sent to us for a free load calculation and estimate. It will help us provide to you the correct equipment options for each unique design.

It will save you the money, time, and aggravation of improperly sized equipment.

Wine Cellars Specialists Chicago Complete another Wine Cellar Cooling Project

Written by Comments Off on Wine Cellars Specialists Chicago Complete another Wine Cellar Cooling Project

Wine Cellars Specialists of Chicago Illinois, one of our more experienced wine cellar builders and wine refrigeration system installers, have just completed this stunning new residential wine room project for a client in Chicago.

The wine cooling unit they selected for this project was an RM 2600 split system. The main benefits of using these types of systems for a wine cellar refrigeration project is that less space is typically taken up in the wine room itself. They are also significantly more efficient than the self-contained wine cooling systems as well having a quieter operation.

Wine Cellar Specialists also manufactured a special housing and a custom louvered grill cover for the wine cellar cooling unit. As they used the same wood the wine racks were constructed with, they were able to make the cooling system virtually invisible.

See the full story of this Chicago residential wine cellar project and or watch the video version below.

Custom Wine Cellars Chicago Illinois White Under Staircase Project
Good job Wine Cellar Specialists!

Wine Cellar Cooling Units – How Do They Prevent Mold Growth?

Written by Comments Off on Wine Cellar Cooling Units – How Do They Prevent Mold Growth?

 

Mold growth in wine cellars? That is a big no-no.

Wine cellars typically have a cool and dark environment, a condition that molds love as it favors their growth.

Molds rapidly grow in moist environments, most especially indoors, and they create a foul odor within their surroundings.  In wine cellars, they commonly thrive on carpets, wooden fixtures, ceilings and even on wine labels.

Wine cellars must maintain an environment which is ideal for the optimum aging of wines. Environmental factors such as temperature, lighting and humidity are the most important considerations in building and maintaining wine cellars.

Among the three factors, humidity has the most major influence on mold growth. This means that humidity must be controlled to prevent molds from accumulating inside the wine cellar.

Humidity levels must be maintained at 60-75%, an ideal range for optimum wine aging and best to prevent mold growth as well. If humidity goes too high the moisture will peak as well, and this can trigger the growth of molds. If humidity goes too low, the cork may be damaged which can lead to air entering the bottle and cause oxidative changes to wine.

Thus the relative humidity must not fluctuate beyond these levels in order to ensure that your wines, wine labels and wine cellar furniture and accessories are well protected.

This is one of the reasons wine cellar cooling units are critical for every wine cellar. The type of wine cellar cooling unit that you choose for your wine cellar must be able to constantly maintain the ideal humidity levels.

Here at US Cellar Systems, we offer wine cellar refrigeration systems that are highly efficient in creating an environment that favors proper wine aging while simultaneously preventing the growth of molds. Our wine cellar cooling units are designed to complement the style of every wine cellar and function with high efficiency to ensure that your wines are well protected from different environmental factors.

Consider, for example, our High Static Series Wine Cellars Cooling Units.

High Static Wine Cellar Coolers

High Static Series Wine Cellar Cooling Units

 

It is featured with a factory installed automatic expansion valve that ensures humidity balance. Humidity balance is one of the most important features to look for when planning to purchase a wine cellar cooling system for your residential wine cellar or commercial wine storage.

To check out other wine cellar refrigeration systems with this kind of feature, visit these sites:

http://www.winecellarrefrigerationsystems.com/dq-wine-cellar-cooling-unit-spec.aspx

Wine Cellar Cooling Units – How To Choose The Best

Written by Comments Off on Wine Cellar Cooling Units – How To Choose The Best

Wine is a beverage that needs to be stored properly if you want to enjoy it at its best. Wine needs to be stored in ideal conditions with minimal fluctuations so that it can age tastefully. Besides a well-built custom wine cellar, you need a quality wine cellar cooling unit in order to achieve these ideal conditions. By making sure that your wine storage conditions are well-controlled, you can be sure that your wines will age properly so that you and your family and friends can enjoy them at their best.

There are lots of wine cellar cooling units available on the market. The challenge is finding the right one for you. In this post, you will learn a few of the qualities to look for when purchasing a wine cellar cooling unit.

Capacity To Cool Your Wine Room
When choosing a wine cellar unit that can effectively cool your wine cellar, it is important to consider the size of your wine storage room. The size of your cellar cooling unit is dependent on many factors including the size of the wine room. If you have a large room for instance, you will need a unit with a larger compressor and more BTUs. A cooling unit needs to be more powerful in order to properly cool a large room. Remember the ideal temperature for wine storage is 55 to 58 degrees Fahrenheit.

No matter how capable the wine cellar cooling unit is in cooling your wine storage room, there are other factors that can affect the temperature in the room. Other factors include such things as the way the room was insulated. If the storage room is not properly insulated, the temperature will never be kept within the ideal range all the time. Therefore the custom wine cellar should be properly insulated and ideally have a good vapor barrier in order to keep excess heat or cold out of the room.

Capacity To Control Humidity Effectively
Temperature is only one of the many variables that need to be controlled effectively in order for wine to be stored properly. Another variable that a good wine cellar refrigeration unit should be able to regulate is the humidity. The ideal humidity for proper wine storage is between 60% to 70%.

If the humidity is too high in the wine cellar room, wine corks will have the tendency to mold and this can lead to contamination of the wine inside the bottle. On the other hand, too little humidity can lead to wine cork shrinkage. If the wine cork shrinks, air can get into the bottle and spoil the wine inside.

Other Features Are A Bonus
Even if you live in California, once your wine cellar cooling unit is installed, you will want to be able to check the temperature and humidity inside the room. It’s not a good idea to constantly open the wine cellar room because this can cause fluctuations in the temperature and humidity levels. It would be a bonus if the cooling unit you buy has an accessory wherein you can check the temperature and humidity levels from outside the wine cellar room.

Another good feature would be something that would allow you to change or adjust the temperature and humidity settings from outside the custom wine cellar.

Updated Trade Discount Pricing Wine Cellar Cooling & Refrigeration Units

Written by Comments Off on Updated Trade Discount Pricing Wine Cellar Cooling & Refrigeration Units

Updated Discounts for Volume Dealers, Trade and HVAC Contractors. Changes across the board, MSRP’s and Costs for April – May 2012.

We are trade only innovative wine cellar refrigeration suppliers providing Wine Cellar Builders with highly configurable cooling equipment for custom wine cellars, commercial wine displays and cabinets.

Our pricing is volume based and highly competitive. Get your copy of the latest TRADE ONLY pricing catalogue today. Simply call +1 (562) 513-3017 or complete a contact request form.

Wine Cellar Cooling Trade Pricing

While a few products have increased in price we would like to thank our regular trade partners for an excellent year in 2011 and pass on some of our new lower rates which we were able to negotiate due to increased sales volumes.

In particular we have been able to create better trade prices for our HS (High Static) cooling units & LPQ (Low Profile Quiet) cooling system, CC Cabinet & Closet Wine Cooling Units, three of our highest volume sellers for 2011.

Call us today and get the latest TRADE ONLY Discount Pricing.

Wine Cellar Cooling and Playing with Physics in New England Massachusetts

Written by Comments Off on Wine Cellar Cooling and Playing with Physics in New England Massachusetts

Anyone who buys active wear these days is familiar with the phrase “moisture wicking”. What does that have to do with Wine Cellar Cooling Units, we hear you ask?

Unlike cooling systems in wine cellars, modern fabrics can pull moisture off the skin, pass it through the clothing, and dry it quickly. It’s a certainly great improvement to comfort and the effectiveness of the clothing in sports and extreme conditions.

Playing with the physics of a wine cellar does just the opposite. A custom wine cellar can actually promote moisture migration, this effect is actively compounded by the addition of wine cellar refrigeration equipment. This is why protections like a vapor barrier are vital and not just precautionary.

Mold and mildew are a possibility in any basement. Wine cellar cooling units installed in custom wine cellars which have not been constructed properly dramatically increases those odds.

We were recently working with a wine cellar builder in the New England area in Massachusetts. In this case contractor’s project was to add a HS (High Static) Wine Cellar Cooling System to a finished room in a basement that has been serving as a wine cellar for several years. The average temperature in the room is just a little higher than the customer wants. The customer is happy with the look of the room as it is. He does not mind the investment of adding refrigeration equipment but is resistant to the expense of adding a vapor barrier.

This is the point the builder / contractor needs to become 1 part salesman, 2 parts expert.

The customer wants their wine cellar builder to be expert, so the sales part should be simple, right?

Not really. To sell the customer on the complete idea turned out to be challenging. Should the builder just do what the client wants, install the cooling system without a vapor barrier? Then when problems arise down the road they can at least say “well, we told you so”!

Mold and moisture problems build up slowly over time, look ugly, do not smell good and are difficult to get rid of.

On the other hand, doing the job correctly and including critical details the customer doesn’t think they want but still giving him the finished product can clearly take some finesse.

The customer may not understand why details like a vapor barrier are important. Therefore it is not valuable to him. This is why being “perceived” as an expert is doubly important. The best way to prove to yourself or others you are an expert is to be able to explain the topic in understandable and relevant terms to someone else. The customer needs reassurance that he is making the right choice without feeling up-sold.

Need help with issues like this? Wine Cellar Refrigeration Systems are always here to help you. Simply call us at +1 (562) 513-3017 or complete a wine cellar cooling simple contact request form and we will be happy to contact you.

We will keep adding relevant topics to our wine cellar cooling technical pages and on our YouTube Channel. Making them your go-to place for reference data and sales support. We are also just a phone call away for direct support.

What do wine cellar cooling systems in New England, Massachusetts have in common with “Active Wear“? The physics of wine cellar cooling units – The answer is… Nothing, they are opposites!