Tag Archives: Wine Cellar Air Conditioning New York NY

Should I heat my wine cellar?

An uncommon question we get from time to time, about wine cellar cooling systems, that we believe is very important to address is: Should I heat my wine cellar?

The short answer is NO.

While this issue does not come up much in California in some parts of the US and Canada such as Maine, New Hampshire and New York all of which are prime wine cellar markets it can be a real concern.

It should be noted that the above answer and the explanation below are heatedly debated in the Wine Cellars Cooling Equipment industry.

Any outdoor components of a wine cellar refrigeration system should always be protected from weather.  For most of the country an outdoor enclosure is sufficient.  It keeps out foliage and critters like rodents or lizards in search of a warm place when the temperature dips.  In areas that will see temps below 40°F for more than a couple days at a time a Low Ambient kit should be added.  We install it prior to shipping and it will protect the condensing unit from harsher conditions.

For indoor components, some companies offer heating elements to go along with their wine cooling equipment.  This is an easy way to short cut genuine issues with the construction of a Residential Custom Wine Cellar or Commercial Wine Display Cabinet Enclosure.  Issues that can threaten the longevity of your investment in both a wine collection and the long-term operational cost of your cellar.  Northern areas with basement wine cellarsthat have little or no insulation can see temperatures below what is optimal for storage in the colder months of the year.  These wine rooms are likely to not have a vapor barrier.  In the long run not installing a good vapor barrier is far more risky.  Adding a heating element or “re-heater” is a band-aid on a gunshot.

Adding a “re-heater” does not address the very real problems associated with lack of insulation or a missing vapor barrier.  It may initially be cheaper to add a heater but in the long run it is very likely to cost significantly more.  Insulation will keep the temperature more consistent, consistency is more important than the temperature itself.  Temperature variance can be more damaging than absolute temperature.  The great thing about basements is they have so much thermal mass the liquid temperature barely budges!

For more info on temperature measurement see our wine cooling systems tech page.

Some experts go as far to say that cooler temps merely slow down the aging process, not change it or stop it.  This is more of an argument with white wines than it is reds.  Whites are slightly more fragile at very cold temperature for long term storage.  Even still it is widely agreed upon that sudden changes and stability matter far more than the annual gradual dip and slowing of the aging process.

Wine Cellar Cooling Units – DC & Evaporator – Training & Our YouTube Channel

Hi all, we just finished adding a new video series “Training for HVAC Contractors – Wine Cellars Refrigeration Digital Controllers” all about how to wire, install and set-up wine cellar cooling unit digital controllers. We also cover how to connect the controller to the evaporator coil. we hope you find these videos helpful!

You can watch all the videos below or the first one in the series here Wine Cellar Cooling and Refrigeration Units – Installation Digital Controllers Wiring

If you click here Wine Cellar Cooling it will take you to our YouTube Channel where you can “SUBSCRIBE” and be automatically be notified when we add additional videos!

Wine Cellar Refrigeration Units by US Cellar Systems LLC

Tech Brief Page – Wine Cellar Cooling Units – Volts & AC

Wine Cellar Air Conditioning can be tricky to get just right. Visit our new Technical Briefing Pages Wine Cellar Refrigeration Systems Voltage, Herts & International.

Get It Right First Time – Wine Cellar Refrigeration Systems Voltage Considerations

US Cellar Systems, Serving North America with Quality Custom Wine Cellar and Wine Cabinet Cooling Units From Seattle to New York.

Wine Cellar Cooling Units Installed by Coastal Santa Monica

Stable Wine Cellar Climate Control is a critical part of any Custom Wine Cellar. Custom Wine Cellars by Coastal chose the RM Series – Wine Rack Mount Cellar Cooling Units for their recent Custom Wine Room Santa Monica installation in Pacific Palisades in Santa Monica and many others for numerous reasons.

Here you can see the RM Series Wine Cellar Cooling Unit Concealed behind a wooden grill

Rack Mount Wine Cellar Cooling Unit Pacific Palisades Hidden

It is the only split system we are aware of that can be concealed in a wood grill box and louvered grill cover to match the wood species of the cellarage without voiding the manufacturer’s warranty. This is a desirable feature as it eliminates unsightly equipment in the wine cellar. We also recommend and prefer to install, split wine cellar cooling systems as they do not need to mount through the wall to vent heat and noise that self-contained wine cooling systems tend to emit. This makes for a quiet and peaceful environment in the owners home. This is especially important if the wine cellar is also used as a wine tasting room and for entertaining.

The RM split system is also a particularly versatile unit as it can be ceiling or wall mounted. In our experience we have found it to be one of the most reliable, long lasting and quiet systems on the market. In addition and unlike self-contained wine cooling units, it can be serviced on site. This makes for simpler and less disruptive long term maintenance.

Rack Mount Wine Cellar Cooling Unit Exposed

Rack Mount Wine Cellar Cooling Unit Exposed

See the two photos in this post of the Wine Rack Mount Wine Cellar Cooling Unit. One of the evaporator exposed, the second shows how well the unit can be concealed behind the louvered grill cover.