Design My Cellar
9 Things to Avoid When Designing a Wine Cellar
A wonderful wine cellar is a source of pride for a wine enthusiast. It's also the best way of storing your wine as safely, efficiently, and attractively as possible. There are several critical factors in creating a wine cellar that will work for you.
You can have electric lights installed in your storage area to use when you need to see your wine. For this purpose, choose LED lights that don't create heat. Keep the lights off when you are not using the room.
You can manage the temperature of your wine storage area through the use of insulation and an wine storage cooling unit specifically designed to keep temperatures steady and consistent.
You will want to install a humidity monitor for your wine storage room, so you can keep track of changes in humidity levels. You can also use air purifiers or dehumidifiers to regulate the humidity levels surrounding your wine.
If water gets through the insulation and into the room where the wine is kept, it will create an environment where the humidity is too high. It can also cause mold and mildew to grow in your cellar and on your wine labels and corks.
The reason for creating separate spaces for organizations is that it will help you find the wine you want quickly and efficiently. Many wine collectors have a few rare or very expensive bottles of wine that they reserve for a special occasion. Creating an area for important wine that is a little bit out of the way will help to keep those special wines separate and protected from someone accidentally reaching for them without knowing what they are.
When you design your wine storage area, be sure that you are designing some space where you can store large wine bottles or wine bottles that are an unusual size. Wine storage professionals can help you determine the type of shelving you will want for your wine collection.
The minimal amount of security you will want for your wine is a good lock with a key or lock with a keypad on the door. You can also get locks for individual wine bottles. You may also want to consider motion sensor detectors or security cameras.
You are proud of your wine collection, and you want an attractive and secure wine storage space where you can keep and display it. Contact us at Wine Cellar HQ for more information on creating the perfect space for keeping your wine safe and at its optimal quality.
9 Things to Avoid When Designing a Wine Cellar
Allowing Too Much Light
One of the most important factors in storing wine appropriately is keeping the wine in the dark, You do not want your wine exposed to any light, especially natural light from the sun or UV light. Choose a dark location if possible with no windows to the outside world. If you must have a space with a window, cover it with a protective coating.You can have electric lights installed in your storage area to use when you need to see your wine. For this purpose, choose LED lights that don't create heat. Keep the lights off when you are not using the room.
Airtight Enclosure
Your wine room should be airtight to keep the wine at its best quality. This means choosing a door that will seal completely and keep air from moving into and out of the room. You will want your wine storage room door to be beautiful, of course, but also make sure that it is properly installed and sealed with weather stripping and a barrier underneath. Also, choose a door that is adequately insulated (exterior grade).Not Creating the Right Temperature
Temperature is key when it comes to the proper storage of your wine. A wine that is kept at an incorrect temperature can easily be ruined. An optimal temperature will be 55 degrees, but anything from 45 degrees to 65 degrees is usually considered acceptable. You do want to make sure that the temperature is as consistent as possible. Fluctuation in temperature will cause problems.You can manage the temperature of your wine storage area through the use of insulation and an wine storage cooling unit specifically designed to keep temperatures steady and consistent.
Ignoring Humidity
Wine corks can easily dry out if the wine is not stored at the proper humidity. Humidity levels in your cellar are very important, and you should consider this before you choose where you will place your wine collection. The ideal humidity level for wine is between 50 and 70 percent.You will want to install a humidity monitor for your wine storage room, so you can keep track of changes in humidity levels. You can also use air purifiers or dehumidifiers to regulate the humidity levels surrounding your wine.
Do Not Overlook a Vapor Barrier
Too much moisture means high humidity and is dangerous for wine storage. Your wine storage area should be surrounded by a vapor barrier that is installed on the outside of the insulation. The barrier should be made of at least a 4-millimeter plastic sheet, and care should be taken to secure and overlap the seams. A popular alternative to plastic sheet vapor barrier is closed cell spray foam which provided both insulation and vapor barrier.If water gets through the insulation and into the room where the wine is kept, it will create an environment where the humidity is too high. It can also cause mold and mildew to grow in your cellar and on your wine labels and corks.
Failing to Consider Odor
When you are designing your wine storage, pay attention to its proximity to places where there is an odor. For example, you may not want to install your wine room next to an area where you store onions or other fragrant foods. Odors can get into your wine bottles through the corks and contaminate the wine.Not Organizing Properly
When you design your wine storage, think about how many different sections you will need to keep your collection organized. Many people like to organize their wine shelving by the type of wine or the winery. If you have an extensive collection of one type of wine or wine from a particular winery, you may want to designate several areas within that one space for different bottles.The reason for creating separate spaces for organizations is that it will help you find the wine you want quickly and efficiently. Many wine collectors have a few rare or very expensive bottles of wine that they reserve for a special occasion. Creating an area for important wine that is a little bit out of the way will help to keep those special wines separate and protected from someone accidentally reaching for them without knowing what they are.
Forgetting Different Sizes
Wine bottles can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. While most of your wine is probably a similar size, you will also want to consider storage for bottles that are larger or smaller than normal. Most wine collectors will, at some point, purchase bottles of wine that are not traditionally sized or that are particularly large.When you design your wine storage area, be sure that you are designing some space where you can store large wine bottles or wine bottles that are an unusual size. Wine storage professionals can help you determine the type of shelving you will want for your wine collection.
Dismissing Security
You have invested a great deal of time and money in your wine collection, so you need to be sure that you are keeping it safe from theft. Home burglars will break into a wine room and steal your wine, especially if they know you have particularly expensive varieties in your collection. Consider installing a traditional home security system with extra security to protect your wine storage space.The minimal amount of security you will want for your wine is a good lock with a key or lock with a keypad on the door. You can also get locks for individual wine bottles. You may also want to consider motion sensor detectors or security cameras.
You are proud of your wine collection, and you want an attractive and secure wine storage space where you can keep and display it. Contact us at Wine Cellar HQ for more information on creating the perfect space for keeping your wine safe and at its optimal quality.
Randy is a true wine storage aficionado and expert in wine cellar design. He gained construction experience as a partner in a general contracting business before niching into and passionately focusing on creating wine storage solutions for clients in 2016. He takes great pride in bringing these designs to life, and is dedicated to ensuring that every wine cellar he creates is not only functional but also a beautiful addition to any home or business. The Wine Cellar HQ team also includes refrigeration sizing experts and licensed HVAC technicians to ensure optimal climate control for your wine cellar, so that your wines can age to perfection.
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