When it comes to cooling wine, we often get questions from customers that are in various stages of development in their wine cellar. One of the biggest challenges in creating a successful wine storage room is sealing off the space entirely from its surroundings.
Sealing off a room entirely means taking in to account every spot where air exchange occurs and plugging the hole. Some of the easiest targets are: doors (under and around them), windows (around and through them), recessed lights and light switches.
In this blog I won’t address the vapor barrier, suffice to say that without one all of the following tips won’t really help. Contact us or consult our web site www.wineracksamerica.com for questions about vapor barriers.
Wine Cellar Doors: Weather strip around the door jambs & threshold. Use exterior doors only, as interior (hollow core) doors will not provide sufficient R value to keep the cold air in.
Wine Cellar Windows: Same as door, weather strip around the jambs. Use insulating glass with at least two panes that create an insulating air pocket.
Recessed Lights: Particularly tough to seal. Make sure to seal the “lip” of the canister where it meets the ceiling material, and use closed or thermally fused canisters that will not allow air to go up and out of the fixture.
Light Plates and Power Outlets: Same as recessed lights. Pack insulation around the boxes to decrease air flow through seams in the plates. Better yet, place outlets and wall plates outside of the cellar rather than in. This allows an easy way to light and view your wine without having to open the cellar door at all.
Wine Racks America has assisted thousands of home owners, restaurants, business and wineries with the constuction of their ideal wine storage rooms. If you have any questions about cooling your wine cellar please contact me at 1-888-373-6057.
Happy cellaring!
Christian Hancock
Wine Racks America
Wine Storage Specialist