Regardless of the size or type of wine cellar you have, it is important that you use a functional refrigeration system to safely store your wines.
Custom wine cellars are a major investment for wine collectors and wine business owners in Miami. It is of utmost importance that they are designed and built with long-lasting functionality, great aesthetics, and high efficiency. One of the critical factors that affect the efficiency of a wine storage room is the wine cellar refrigeration system.
Why is it important to have a wine cellar refrigeration system?
Proper wine storage is not just about organizing your wines or showcasing them beautifully. It involves effective temperature and humidity control to achieve the ideal environment for optimum wine aging. This is particularly vital for long-term wine storage.
A refrigeration system regulates the optimum temperature and humidity in your wine cellar. It is essential in supporting the delicate aging process of your wines.
One common misconception is that it is okay to store wines at room temperature and just chill it before drinking or serving them. Another misconception is that an air-conditioned room or a cold basement is enough to keep wines safe.
This incorrect information and practices should be corrected especially when we are talking about expensive wines or a large collection of wine bottles. Wines are a delicate kind of beverage and can be significantly ruined if exposed to harmful and unstable temperature and humidity levels over a period of time.
Ideally, the temperature and humidity in your wine cellar should be 57°F and 50%-70%, respectively. A functional cooling unit should be able to maintain these optimum conditions.
To achieve the optimum wine storage environment, a temperature of 57 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels of 50% to 60% must be maintained.
Sources of vibrations and ultraviolet rays such as the sunlight and lighting system inside the cellar must also be eliminated or kept to a minimum because these can have harmful effects on wine.
What are the different choices of wine cellar refrigeration systems?
There are different types of wine cellar refrigeration systems. It is important that you choose the most suitable type for your wine storage and wine cooling needs.
Self-Contained Wine Cellar Refrigeration System
A self-contained wine cellar refrigeration system is the easiest to install and most affordable type of wine cooling system. This one-piece equipment is wall-mounted and vents through the wall.
If you choose this type of wine cellar refrigeration system, you need to determine which wall you want to install it on. Some choose to mount it on an interior wall that is adjacent to another room, where the hot air and fan noise can be exhausted.
This adjacent room needs to have at least the same dimensions as that of the wine room and very good ventilation to accommodate the heat released by the cooling unit. The most commonly used room for this purpose is a garage, furnace room, mechanical room, or basement.
Another option is to install it on an exterior wall. If this is the case, make sure to choose a model that can work effectively in temperatures up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
One disadvantage of a self-contained wine cellar refrigeration unit is that it has to be removed from the wine cellar and shipped to the manufacturer if it needs to be serviced or repaired. There are a few manufacturers though who don’t put a seal anymore.
Ductless Split Wine Cellar Refrigeration Systems
This type of wine cellar cooling unit has two components – the evaporator and the condenser. The evaporator is installed inside the wine cellar, while the condenser is placed in a different room, thus venting is not needed.
The evaporator and condenser are connected by a line set, which is composed of electrical wiring and small copper tubing.
The advantage of a ductless split wine cellar refrigeration unit is that it can be serviced or repaired on-site.
Ducted Split Air Handler Wine Cellar Refrigeration System
This type of wine cellar cooling system has the same advantages as that of the ductless split type. What makes this an even more ideal type of wine cellar refrigeration unit is that the equipment is not visible inside the wine cellar at all. The ducting system will simply serve as the passageway of the cooled air to and from the wine room.
What are the most popular brands of wine cellar refrigeration systems?
CellarPro
CellarPro is recommended by most wine cabinet manufacturers because they offer some of the most silent wine cellar cooling systems. They are recommended for small wine storage cabinets and up to 2,500 cubic feet of custom wine cellars. CellarPro offers self-contained and split-type wine cellar refrigeration systems.
CellarPro wine cellar refrigeration units are known for their low-hum features. If you hate mechanical noise coming from your cooling system, CellarPro would be a perfect fit for your custom wine cellar.
WhisperKool
WhisperKool wine cellar refrigeration units are also a great choice because of their power and cooling capacity. They are recommended for locations where temperature levels can be highly extreme.
If you want to maximize efficiency and cooling capacity, WhisperKOOL wine cellar refrigeration system would be your best pick.
Another useful feature of WhisperKool cooling units is the humidity control system which is designed to detect liquid temperature. If it senses a fluctuation from the ideal temperature, the system automatically cools the air to maintain the ideal wine storage environment.
Wine Guardian
Choose Wine Guardian if you are looking for a wide range of models and capacities for both residential and commercial settings. They offer through-the-wall, ducted, and ducted-split cooling systems with reliable temperature and humidity control features.
In terms of versatility, Wine Guardian cooling units have a wide number of products to cater to various needs. It is for this reason that many wine cellar builders and designers use this refrigeration system in their projects.
Planning your Custom Wine Cellar with Efficient Wine Cellar Refrigeration Miami
Wine cellar refrigeration systems come in all shapes and sizes. What cooling unit to install all comes down to the area of your wine cellar and your location.
If you are planning to build a wine cellar in Miami or add a wine cellar refrigeration system to an existing one, contact a trusted wine cellar builder. Custom Wine Cellars Miami is one of the experts in the wine cellar industry. They can help you plan your wine cellar project to achieve an efficient and effective wine storage facility.
