Cooling Wine Cellars in Los Angeles: What are the Common Problems and How Experts in Los Angeles Can Prevent Them?
Problems related to wine cooling are common in wine cellars built by a non-expert. What are some issues that can cause a significant expense and a waste of investment? How can wine cellar cooling specialists in Los Angeles help prevent and fix them? Increase your knowledge and understanding of wine cellar cooling and why hiring a professional is essential.
Wine Cellar Cooling in Los Angeles: What You Should Know About the Importance of Doing It the Right Way
High temperatures and humidity levels can be detrimental to the quality of your wines. Keeping the ideal conditions in your wine cellar is crucial to the proper aging of your wines.
Keep in mind that cooling a wine cellar requires knowledge and skills. Therefore, it is a smart idea to hire a professional who will ensure that your wine cellar is built correctly so it can be a safe place for your wine collection.
Custom Wine Cellars Los Angeles has been helping homeowners and entrepreneurs in creating wine storage facilities capable of aging wines properly. Our passionate and experienced team of builders and HVAC specialists always use their expertise to prevent problems that interfere with the cooling of wine cellars in Los Angeles. We use commercial grade wine cellar refrigeration units and install them correctly to avoid wine storage problems.
What are the Common Problems Associated with Proper Cooling of Wine Cellars in Los Angeles?
Many problems can occur if you chose to work with a non-expert. Here are the top five issues that can be prevented when you work with a master builder like Custom Wine Cellars Los Angeles.
1. Poor or Inadequate Room Insulation of Your Wine Cellar
Do not expect your wine cellar will function well because your wine cooling unit was chosen and installed by a professional. That is not enough! Achieving the perfect wine storage environment requires the wine room to be constructed correctly.
Before cooling a wine cellar, it is a standard procedure to insulate the room after framing it and the installation of electrical wiring. A lack of or inadequate insulation of the walls and ceiling will cause problems.
At Custom Wine Cellars Los Angeles, we have had clients who sought our help because they were experiencing the harmful effects of a poorly constructed wine room. Some of them had spoiled wines in their collection, mold growth on the racking, cork, and labels, and a malfunctioning wine cellar cooling system. The remedy for this problem will require removing the ceiling and walls, which can cost a lot of money.
How Custom Wine Cellars Los Angeles Installs Insulation
We always make sure that the insulation for every wine cellar we build has a sufficient R-value. We recommend a minimum of R-19 insulation value. What are the effects of poor wine room insulation?
If the insulation of your wine room is inadequate or poorly installed, there will be fluctuations in the temperatures inside your wine cellar. Unstable temperatures will cause the wine to become spoiled. We do not want this to happen to you.
Additionally, poor insulation will also force your cooling unit to overwork, which can cause its malfunction or breakdown. If your climate-control system malfunctions, you might need to have it repaired, or worse, you have to replace it with a new one if it cannot be fixed anymore. High–energy consumption is another problem caused by a cooling system that works harder than its normal operation.
The Best Type of Insulation for Preventing Wine Cellar Cooling Problems
Custom Wine Cellars Los Angeles and most professional builders use closed-cell spray foam insulation. It is the best option both for residential and commercial wine cellars.
It is well known for its higher insulation value compared to fiber batt and rigid foam board insulations. Your wine cellar will have an R-19 insulation value after applying 3-inch polyurethane spray foam. It expands, leaving no gaps between cracks and crevices.
2. No Vapor Barrier was Added Before the Wine Cellar Cooling Unit Installation
A vapor barrier is a requirement in cooling wine cellars because it separates the refrigerated wine cellar from the outside environment. It prevents the warm air from interfering with the cold air inside your wine cellar. Failure to add a vapor barrier will result in moisture build-up, which can damage the quality of your wines and the structural integrity of your wine cellar.
Another advantage offered by polyurethane spray foam insulation is its ability to act as a vapor barrier. Choosing it will eliminate the need for plastic sheeting as the vapor barrier.
For the rigid foam or traditional batting insulation, we ideally use a 6-mil polyethylene vapor barrier.
3. Wrong Choice and Installation of Wine Cellar Cooling Unit
After the insulation of your wine cellar, the installation of your wine refrigeration unit will follow. Your wine cooling system must be determined by an HVAC specialist like Custom Wine Cellars Los Angeles.
We always perform a heat load calculation. This process is necessary for determining the right type, size, model, and brand of wine cellar cooling unit that suits your needs. A large wine cellar will require a high-capacity wine refrigeration system. Otherwise, you cannot provide your wine collection the ideal environment.
When it comes to the installation of your wine cellar refrigeration unit, our team is reliable. We have extensive knowledge for doing it correctly. The installation depends on the type of wine cellar cooling system that will be utilized.
4. A Low-Grade Wine Cellar Door was Installed by Your Previous Wine Cellar Designer and Cooling Specialist
All of our doors are constructed from high-grade materials. Our wooden doors are exterior grade to help them withstand the humid conditions in refrigerated wine storage rooms. We use the LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) technology for superior durability. Our glass door panels are 5/8” thick and dual-paned.
5. Your Wine Cellar Door was Not Sealed
In addition to choosing a high-quality door, you must also make sure that it is equipped with essential sealing components. With many years of experience in the construction and in cooling wine cellars in Los Angeles, we always make sure that every door we install has weather stripping to seal all the gaps around it and prevent air leakage to and from the wine cellar.
For glass wine cellar doors, we use thermally insulated glass panels to help maintain the ideal humidity and temperature in the wine room.
Avoid Wine Cellar Problems by Hiring a Wine Cellar Cooling Expert in Los Angeles
Are you experiencing wine storage problems or are worried about experiencing them in the future? Custom Wine Cellars Los Angeles will help you. Please feel free to contact us at (323) 825-9846.