Wine cellars are becoming a common feature in new homes and renovations. These rooms are more than just a place to store your bottles – they can also double as a social space to entertain friends and fellow oenophiles.
Many Australian home wine cellars become far too hot during the summer, effectively cooking the wines. When the temperature varies again in winter, this can damage cherished vintages. Here are a few ideas by The Brisbane Club wine professionals.
Customisation
A wine cellar is an excellent way to keep your bottles of fine wines safe. It can also be a place to host wine tasting sessions and other events. If you’re thinking about installing a custom home wine cellar, you can choose from several options to suit your needs. For example, you can choose from a variety of different racking systems to fit your space. These range from simple metal racking to solid rosewood joinery. You can also choose from different finishes for the cellar.
A custom wine cellar is a great way to enjoy your favourite wines, and it can even increase the value of your home. However, it is important to know that not all wine cellars are created equal. A true wine cellar is a carefully designed space, and it should be constructed to the exact measurements of your collection. It should also be properly insulated to maintain the right temperature and humidity.
Many Australian homes are too warm in the summer and can cause the wines to cook, while the winter temperatures are too cold, making it difficult for wine to age. This can ruin your valuable collection, so you should look for a specialist wine cellar installer to ensure that your wine cellar is properly insulated.
A good choice for insulation is double glazing, which will help to retain the temperature and stop condensation. You can also use plywood to cover existing walls and acoustic tiles for additional soundproofing.
Design
A Queensland wine cellar designer can help you plan the location, size and configuration of your cellar based on the number of bottles you wish to store. They can also work with you to determine the right materials for your cellar. They can even help you create a custom design for your space that complements the style of your home and reflects your aesthetic preferences.
A custom wine cellar can be installed in almost any room in your home or business. However, it is important to remember that wines require specific temperatures and humidity levels. This can be a challenge to achieve in your home, but a professional wine cellar designer can help you find the best solutions for your space.
The right wine cellar brisbane design will include adequate insulation to keep the temperature constant. A cellar without proper insulation will become far too hot in the summer, essentially ‘cooking’ your wine. It is vital that you factor in the correct insulation at the initial planning stage of your cellar renovation. It is also important that you ensure that your cellar doors are double-glazed and feature argon gas between the panes to further improve the insulation of your cellar. A good insulation will also reduce the load on your wine cellar conditioner and save you money in the long run.
Installation
As Australia grows increasingly enamoured with wine, cellars are becoming a popular addition to new homes and some builders specialise in converting rooms into these cellars. The right space can be a great place for entertaining friends and family or simply to store your favourite wines. However, it is important to understand that your cellar needs specific components to maintain optimum storage conditions. These components can include the right insulation, vapour or moisture barrier and an airtight seal. A Brisbane wine cellar builder will be able to help you choose the right components and install them correctly.
A good cellar will also be adequately insulated to keep temperatures stable. This is particularly important in Queensland where it can be very hot during the summer months, resulting in your precious collection of wines being ‘cooked’ and losing their taste. This can be avoided by choosing the shadiest room in your home and thoroughly insulating it. Cellar builders often start by erecting stud walls to ensure adequate insulation and then installing a cellar conditioner in this space.
If you’re building your own cellar, consider investing in a digital thermometer and hygrometer (to measure humidity) so that you can monitor the temperature and humidity of your wine collection. It is also a good idea to keep your wine bottles horizontal, as this will help them to age well.
Maintenance
Like any other feature in your home, a wine cellar requires proper maintenance to function correctly and protect its contents. Wine cellar professionals have the knowledge and tools to inspect your cellar and make the necessary repairs to ensure that the wine storage features work effectively. Regular maintenance services will help keep your wine cellar in good working order and prevent costly cooling system issues.
A wine cellar conditioner is a vital component of a custom cellar because it recreates the consistent, cool temperatures and humidity that wines need to mature properly. Standard air-conditioners are not designed to do this and can ruin your investment.
When a wine cellar is designed by specialists, it will include proper insulation to keep the temperature in the cellar stable and regulate humidity. However, these insulation installations will eventually need to be replaced. If the insulation is not regularly inspected and maintained, moisture can leak into the cellar and damage your wines.
Wine cellars also require a specific type of cooling system called a Freon cooler. This halocarbon gas cycles between liquid and gas phases to cool the cellar. Freons are a consumable item that must be refilled periodically or replaced entirely. When Freon is not available, a wine cellar may experience problems such as icing up or inability to maintain the proper temperature. A professional will conduct a regular inspection of the cooling system and determine whether it needs to be serviced for Freon refill or replacement.
