Selecting the Perfect Wine Cellar Refrigeration System for Your Home

Ready to take your wine collection to the next level? Going beyond the typical under-counter or standalone wine refrigeration system can be overwhelming. The cooling system in your wine cellar is an essential feature to ensuring safe storage and protecting the flavor of your collection. Without proper and consistent storage, wine can degrade and flavor can suffer. To safeguard your collection, wine storage in the 50-55° F temperature range as well as adequate humidity levels around 60-70% are key. Rest assured, however, there are a number of great wine cellar refrigeration system solutions for you, perfectly designed to ensure the optimum storage environment for your collection year round to prevent any unpleasant uncorking surprises. However, which system would work for you would depend on a few different considerations.

What’s Your Wine Cellar Style?

• Economical & Easy Installation.
  Reminiscent of a window air conditioner, self-contained wine cellar temperature control units are affordable and simple to install, mounting through the wall, between your existing wall studs. In self-contained systems, cool air is blown into the cellar by one end of the system, while the other end absorbs heat, exhausting it into an adjacent indoor area. By design these systems take up bottle storage space and are inherently noisier than split or ducted varieties, so take heed if these are primary concerns.
• Quiet & Efficient Operation.
  Split systems installed by air conditioning experts offer the most efficient way to cool your wine cellar, regardless of its size. With split systems, characteristically noisy condensers can be located in an area suited to meet their significant space needs – as well as your needs for sound reduction – while allowing their quieter evaporator counterparts to be easily located inside or near your wine cellar. Working much like your home’s air conditioning system, splits systems offer a host of benefits, including the quietest operation, greater flexibility in installation design, and the most consistent temperature and humidity levels for the longevity of your prized wine collection.
• Good Looking, Flexible Design.
  For superior results following your wine cellar installation services, ducted systems are the way to go, allowing a wide variety of flexible installation options in addition to the ability to hide the appearance of the cooling system in your cellar. Depending on the design of the installation, noise can also be reduced or eliminated. Ducted systems also come in self-contained or split designs, and can be installed up to 25 ducted feet from your wine cellar. In ducted systems, cooled air is carried to your cellar via supply ductwork, while hot air is exhausted via return lines. Most systems are designs for indoor applications, however some, such as WhisperKool, allow for placement outdoors.

Ready to get started on your dream wine cellar design? The friendly, knowledgeable professionals at H & H heating and Air Conditioning Inc. are here to guide you on your journey. Sit back, grab a glass of wine, and give us a call today.

Building a Wine Cellar? Here are the Top Things to Consider

No longer for the uber-rich, planning a wine cellar can be fun and exciting. Tailor-made cellars are more affordable than ever before, a trend that can be seen in their increasing appearance in new home construction. Before investing in in your wine cellar and cooling unit, be sure to consider these important facets of your wine cellar design:

• Cellar Size and Type
  The purpose of your cellar will determine its size. Storage-only cellars are compact and pack maximum storage into minimal space. Moderately sized cellars can offer storage and improved display capabilities. On the other end, large, customized cellars can be very elaborate and provide storage, display, tasting areas, themed décor, and more.

 

• System type
  • Self-contained:
    Self-contained systems are economical and easy to install between existing wall studs without the help of a licensed HVAC installation technician, however they are noisier than other systems.
  • Split system:
    Split systems are the most efficient, however their condensers are noisy and require significant space for ventilation. Luckily they allow for condenser placement away from the cellar when installed by a licensed heating and air conditioning company allowing for better heat dissipation/noise reduction.
  • Ducted:
    Ducted systems offer greater installation options/flexibility, can reduce/eliminate noise with proper installation, and be installed up to 25 ducted feet from the cellar so you won’t have to see the wine cooling unit in the cellar.
• Location
  Choose a room with as little exposure to direct sunlight for temperature control. Consider compressor noise when determining placement. The system will run 24/7, 50-60% of the day to maintain temperature.
• Venting
  Adequate ventilation is the key to climate management. Your unit will cool your wine only within a 30-55 degree F temperature differential of your exhaust room, depending on your chosen system. In a system with a 55 degree temperature differential, for example, the exhaust room must not exceed 110 degrees F to prevent wine from being compromised.
• Insulation 
  The better insulated the cellar, the less your cooling unit run to maintain climate. This makes garages and uninsulated spaces a poor choice. Concrete walls are also inappropriate as they absorb cooling. Framed walls with insulation are necessary: R13 for interior walls, R19 for exterior – though R30 is recommended. Glass cellars are poorly insulated and require larger systems.
• Humidity
  A vapor barrier protects your cellar from excess moisture and mold, as well as too little moisture that can result in dried corks and oxygen damage. It is imperative to choose a wine cooling system that maintains both temperature and humidity.
• Lighting
  Low voltage LEDs or fluorescents paired with a motion sensor are recommended to prevent unwanted heat buildup and light exposure.
• Wall covering
  Choose from standard drywall, green board for moisture resistance, tongue-and-groove wood paneling in redwood or cedar, or PVA paint.
• Flooring
  Slate, marble, tile, and vinyl are all excellent choices for the flooring of your cellar
• Racking
  Choose from rot-resistant mahogany, redwood, or cedar to protect your collection.
• Redundant cooling systems
  For high-value collections, a second cooling system such as your home’s air conditioner may be used as backup. A dedicated circuit is essential, and a backup generator a wise investment.

Ready to build your cellar but don’t know where to start? H & H Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. can help. Contact us today.

Storing Wine: 6 Things You Need to Know

You have a lot of time and money invested in your wine collection. Don’t throw caution to the wind and turn a winning wine into vile vinegar. Investing in efficient wine cellar cooling units installed by a air conditioning contractors will ensure optimum flavor and quality with proper wine storage so wine will taste delicious, no matter how long you keep it, with these wine storage essentials…

1. Temperature is crucial.
   The ideal temperature for wine storage is 50-55°F. What happens beyond this range?
   • Lower temperatures
     Lower temperatures may cause wine to go dormant. Fridge storage, which is near freezing, may result in flat flavors. Actually freezing the wine (for instance, storing wine outside in the garage), could result in expansion that expels the cork.
   • Higher temperatures
     Above 75°F and wine will slowly cook, developing off, stewed or raisin-like flavors.
2. Consistency is key. 
   Temperature fluctuations must be kept to a minimum to prevent air from drawing in through the cork, resulting in oxidation or seepage from the expulsion of the cork. Don’t make yourself crazy, however, wine commonly survives temperature fluctuations in transit from the winery to the store – and your home.
3. Humidity can take its toll.
   Ideal humidity levels for wine storage are around 60-70 percent. Too damp and mold may form on the exterior of the bottle. Too dry and the cork could dry out, causing moisture inside the bottle to evaporate through the cork. A hygrometer can help you monitor these levels, and storing wine bottles on their sides can help keep the cork moist, protecting the seal.
4. Sunlight is the great saboteur of long-term storage.
   Wine is extremely light-sensitive. UV light can degrade and prematurely age wine – a major reason it is typically stored in tinted bottles. Protect precious wines by keeping them under cover in a dark location until it’s time to pop the cork.
5. There are no “good vibrations.”
   Vibrations can speed up chemical reactions in wine, or if significant, result in an unpleasantly gritty consistency in older wines whose sediment is disturbed. To ensure a pleasant sipping experience, keep wine away from motors and heaters, and choose an alternate storage location if your home is located near the metro or train tracks. Also, organize your wines to minimize movement, placing plastic name tabs around the neck of each bottle so for easy identification of wine without the need to pull bottles off the rack.
6. Control equals quality.
   Adding a cooling system and a humidifier offers total control over your storage environment. Avoid uncorking surprises with proper wine storage techniques.

Looking for the ultimate in control and storage capabilities? H&H Heating and Air Conditioning offers more than HVAC repair services, with the widest range of wine cellar temperature control systems in Delaware County and years of experience working with area wine connoisseurs. Ensure the protection of your prized wine collection with one of our custom wine cellar cooling units. Contact us today.