One of the biggest mistakes one can make when planning their wine cellar is forgetting about the variable that is temperature. Choosing the best wine cellar cooling unit for your wine room can seem daunting at first, but WineRacks.com is here to help you along the way.
As we discuss in our guide on How To Build a Wine Cellar, most experts recommend an average temperature of 55°F for all wine storage with an ideal humidity of between 60-70%. Wine stored below 50°F will hardly age while wine will literally cook at temperatures above 80°F.
If the space you have chosen for your wine racks & cellar is absolutely ideal in all but temperature than your best bet would be to buy a cooling unit. Most modern wine cellar cooling units monitor and control both temperature and humidity which allows your wines to age wines under perfect conditions.
After all, without the ideal elements of storage, your wine collection could be greatly affected.
Of course, the choice of a wine cooling unit is not a one size fits all matter. Wine cellar cooling units must be made to exact standards in order to perform the important task of protecting your investment.
There are quite a few variables that one should consider before choosing the size and type of cooling unit that they will place in their cellar. These factors include the location of the room, the climate of your location, the total dimensions of your wine cellar, and the manner of insulation.
As it stands, there are three types of standard units. Through the wall, ducted units and split systems.
Through the Wall Wine Cellar Cooling Unit
Through the wall systems are exactly what they sound like - a unit that is designed to be placed through the wall to cool the wine cellar. These units are designed to exhaust warm air into another, larger room though duct work can also be installed to help exhaust it further away.
In the case of a Whisperkool Extreme series with an exterior grill, the unit can even be exhausted to the outdoors if the conditions are right.
Ducted Wine Cellar Cooling Unit
Next up are the ducted systems which are designed to be stored in another space such as an attic, crawl space or rarely used room and then ducted into the cellar. An advantage of this type of unit is it won't directly be in the cellar which can cut down on noise. Also, the visual footprint in the cellar is almost nonexistent which is a huge plus for many.
The last option is a split system. These are offered in a ducted and ductless variety. Much like a central AC, these units have a separate condenser that is typically placed outdoors. One benefit of this style of cooling unit is the condenser can be stored further away from the wine cellar than it can be with either of the other two options. However, these units require installation by a certified HVAC technician.
As it stands, we at WineRacks.com offer two options for environmental control.
The first, Wine Guardian, has been designed by environmental control experts to create an optimal storage environment for your important investment.
Wine Guardian is the only wine cooling system that incorporates cooling, heating, filtration, humidification, ducting, internal safety devices and low ambient control. Wine Guardian also has commercial grade parts that can be serviced in the field.
We also offer Whisperkool cooling units. Whisperkool has some of the smallest through the wall wine cooling units on the market which is great for someone with a moderate sized space who is still looking to keep their bottles chilled. The Extreme series also allows the units to be vented outside.
If all of this seems like a lot to take in, don't worry! A member of our experienced staff can assist you in determining which wine cellar cooling unit is best suited for your needs.
We also have a handy dandy wine calculator which can help determine the best unit for your needs
No matter what, remember that deciding on a conditioning unit is an important part of your investment. Spending some extra money now can save you tons in the long run.
