One of the reasons wine loses its desirable characteristics is choosing the wrong wine cellar cooling system. Keep in mind that a regular air conditioning system for homes should not be used to stabilize a wine cellar environment. Wine Cellar Specialists, a wine cooling expert in Texas, is dedicated to helping clients select the best wine refrigeration system that suits the requirements.

Why it is Crucial to Work with a Wine Cellar Cooling Expert in Texas

You cannot enjoy the true bouquet of your favorite vintages if you do not store them in a climate-controlled environment. Wine must not be exposed to excessive heat, direct source of light, odor, and vibration. It is a smart idea to invest your time and money in building a safe place for your precious collection: a wine cellar designed to achieve the optimum storage conditions.

The Ideal Environment Required for the Graceful Aging of Wines

The ideal temperature in a wine cellar is between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, while the humidity level must range from 60 to 70 percent. Excessive temperature fluctuations will accelerate wine’s aging process, which can result in off flavors and aromas.

High humidity levels also have a negative impact on the quality of your wines. If your wine cellar exceeds the ideal humidity level, the cork will shrink, become brittle, and eventually lose its elasticity.

The cork’s elasticity plays a significant role in sealing the bottle and prevents an unwanted amount of oxygen to enter. When it decreases in size, air will mix with the wine and cause wine oxidation. An oxidized wine smells like burnt fruit or wet cardboard.

Another effect of high humidity levels is mold growth on the wine racks, cork, wine labels, in the wall cavities, and ceiling. You can prevent these wine storage issues if you hire a reliable wine cellar builder who is also a cooling expert in Texas.

Wine Cooling System Options

While you need to make sure that the temperature and humidity in your wine cellar are maintained at the right levels, there are different ways you can do this. When you set out to build a wine cellar in your home (or have one installed), you will more than likely hear about different cooling options. The primary options include self-contained, ductless split, and ducted split systems.

Essential Tips in Choosing a Wine Refrigeration System for Your Cellar

Which system you go with will depend on your needs. Before deciding, consult with an expert. They can help you decide in which direction to go, and may be able to offer services with about putting the cellar in place. Most wine cellars, if done correctly, will need little long-term maintenance, so an initial expense may be worth it if your later costs are minimized.

As mentioned in a different blog post, a wine cellar is not going to keep any white wine you serve at a temperature desirable for serving. You must remember to take out the white wine and chill it before serving.

Never Put a Wine Fridge Inside Your Wine Cellar

So, while a cellar is the best place in which to store white wine, some people also install a wine refrigerator somewhere else in the home in which to keep white wine that you intend to serve and drink soon. You do not want to put a wine refrigerator inside the cellar itself. The motor will give off heat and combat the cooling system, making it take more energy to cool the room.

Buy a Wine Cooling Unit That Has a Humidity Control Feature

A wine cooler is not the drink you can buy, and it is not some type of cooler you take with you on a picnic or to the beach. A wine cooler, or cooling unit, is desirable because it will help keep your cellar at one steady temperature. For storing wine, temperatures should be close to a constant 55 degrees. Most wine cooling units you can buy will not come with a humidity control device on the unit.

However, they all will help to control the humidity by getting rid of the excess. There are some units, which claim to re-route the moisture and add it back into the cellar when needed. These units have “humidity control.”

In most parts of the country, low humidity is not an issue. When the room has a proper vapor barrier and insulation, and the unit is cooling the room, the humidity will naturally rise higher than the air outside of the cellar.

If humidity is a factor for your wine cellar, you can install a humidifier, use a unit that has humidity control, add a fountain, or try the poor man’s method of adding a container of water to the opposite side of the room as the cooling unit. The unit will draw the moisture up through the air adding extra humidity to the room.

Different Types of Wine Cooling System Offered by Wine Cellars Specialists in Texas

At Wine Cellar Specialists, we always make a careful assessment of our client’s needs to ensure that every component we install meets their aesthetic, functional, and financial requirements. There are several ways to keep your cellar cool.

We offer self-contained through-the-wall, self-contained ducted, ducted split, and ductless split wine refrigeration systems.  You and your chosen builder must understand the features of each of these climate-control systems.

Self-Contained Through the Wall Wine Cooling Systems

The most cost effective is a self-contained unit, which goes through the wall and into the next room. You have to have a room that is at least twice the size of the cellar for this type of unit. The exception is if you duct the exhaust out of the second room to another area. Some units allow for this option.

There is also a wine cooling unit made that can vent to the outdoors. It is meant for extreme conditions. Be sure that you have the correct unit if placing the unit in an outer wall. Anyone can install this type of unit. However, it is the noisiest of all of the systems, as the fan and compressor are both in the one unit.

Self-Contained Ducted Wine Cooling Systems

One of the most popular styles of cooling units today is the ducted self-contained system. If you have a room next to the cellar or an attic above it is a perfect way to cool your room. Both the evaporator and condenser are contained in one unit and is ducted to and from the cellar. This unit does not require an hvac contractor to install as it comes pre-charged with the freon already in the system.

Ductless Split System

Another unit is a ductless split system. With this unit, the evaporator, or fan coil is placed inside the cellar and is connected via two copper lines to the compressor which can be placed either in another large room in the house or outdoors.

Ducted Split System

The fourth type of cooling unit is a ducted split system. This is a system where the evaporator and the condenser are both located remotely and the cool air, and the return air are ducted in and out of the room.

The evaporator is indoors in a separate space and is connected to the condenser (which usually sits outdoors) with two copper lines.

Both the ductless and the ducted split systems must be installed by a licensed HVAC/R contractor. There are other types of units on the market as well.

Avoid Costly Mistakes by Working with a Wine Cellar Cooling System Specialist in Texas

Consult with a wine cellar specialist in Texas when choosing the type and brand of your wine cooling system. Purchasing the wrong unit can be a costly mistake. A well-built wine cellar can be located anywhere in your home where one of these units can be installed.

If you need help, please do not hesitate to call us at +1 (866 ) 646-7089.