Wine Cellar Refrigeration System Replacement in Orange County

The most crucial role of wine cellar cooling units is to create a stable environment so wines can age gracefully before it is consumed. Working with a knowledgeable contractor will ensure that the ideal wine storage conditions are achieved in your wine room. Arctic Metalworks, an HVAC specialist, recently completed a project in San Clemente, Orange County, California. The homeowners needed an expert in installing and repairing wine cellar refrigeration systems to fix the issues with the installed wine cooling unit in their existing wine storage room located in a basement.   

Innovative Solution to a Wine Cellar Refrigeration Problem in San Clemente, Orange County Home  

Arctic Metalworks, one of our partners in wine room construction and a member of the Wine Cellars Designers Group, recently completed a wine cellar refrigeration project in Orange County. With many years of experience in HVAC refrigeration, they have proven their expertise and reliability in providing wine cooling solutions. The Arctic team was contacted by the homeowners in San Clemente because the wine cooling unit installed in their existing wine room in the basement was having issues.   

Arctic Metalworks Understands the Benefits of Installing the Ideal Wine Cellar Refrigeration Systems Correctly 

Wine storage issues are primarily caused by poor wine cellar construction. Choosing to work with unreliable or inexperienced contractors because of the low-cost service is not a good idea. As a top-notch HVAC contractor in California, Arctic Metalworks has built a good reputation in providing innovative wine cooling solutions. For two decades, they have helped homeowners fix minor and major refrigeration problems.  

The main enemy of wine is too much heat exposure. Therefore, your wine room must be equipped with the ideal wine cooling unit installed correctly. Regular air conditioning systems are not designed to achieve the ideal temperatures (55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit) and humidity levels (60 to 70 percent).

The incorrect sizing, type, and installation of your climate-control unit will result in costly problems. To avoid this, a heat load calculation must be performed to determine the required BTUs based on essential factors such as the location and size of the wine room, the amount of glass used, and the nearby heat sources.   

Replacement of the Wine Cellar Refrigeration System Installed in a Basement Wine Room 

The existing wine room of the client was located in the basement of a 5,000-square foot home. With sofas and dramatic lighting, the luxurious-looking space would impress anyone who sees it. The bottles were cradled in metal wine racks with the labels facing out.  

The homeowners encountered problems with their WhisperKool LRC system, which lasted only for a year. Their previous contractor did not install the unit correctly and did not suit the requirements, causing wine storage problems to occur. They bought the unit online and built it into the structure of the home wine cellar. It was difficult for the owners to get into the equipment for cleaning and maintenance.  

Installing the Ideal Wine Cellar Refrigeration System by Orange Count HVAC Specialists   

Arctic Metalworks replaced the old wine cooling unit with the Arctic 0050 ducted refrigeration system. With a ducted system, no equipment can be seen inside the wine room, resulting in a quiet operation. The condenser can be placed in a location away from the wine cellar without compromising the cooling performance of the system. Air ducts were used to create proper air circulation.   

In this project, the Arctic team installed the coil in a mechanical room where the other two conditioning systems and a water heater were located. In this home, all the rooms have smoke detectors and fire sprinkles, which meet the safety requirements, so looking for an exhaust room was not a problem.   

The climate control system has a capacity of ½-horsepower, enough for the size and location of the wine room. Proper sizing was done correctly by performing a heat load calculation. The wine cooling unit also has a 134-A system (ozone-friendly refrigerant). Ozone-friendly refrigerants are safe and highly recommended because they help prevent global warming. 

Arctic Metalworks did not cut the existing wood to create new vents because it would be a difficult job. Therefore, they kept the vents as is and made them look better. The supply vent is higher than the return vent because of cold air.  

The New Thermostat  

One of the client’s requests was to be able to walk by the cellar and see the temperature in it from the outside. Initially, the thermostat was located behind the supply and return vents. Arctic Metalworks replaced and placed the thermostat outside the wine room to allow for monitoring and adjusting the temperature without having to enter the wine cellar.  

The thermostat has Wi-Fi capability, a feature that would allow the owner to check and monitor the wine cellar conditions anywhere, anytime, as long as there is an Internet connection. The homeowners will have peace of mind that their collection is safe. They will be able to know whether the temperatures and humidity levels in their refrigerated wine cellar fall at a normal range.   

Work with Our Wine Cellar Refrigeration Experts in Your Next Project 

Custom Wine Cellar Orange County collaborates with HVAC experts like Arctic Metalworks in building functional wine storage rooms. In this wine cellar refrigeration project, the Arctic team replaced the existing wine cooling unit in the client’s wine room because it was not working correctly as intended.  

If you have any wine refrigeration needs or questions about wine room construction, please call us at +1 (714) 202-0989.