What size and style of wine cellar cooling unit do I need?
First you need to decide where you are going to put your cellar and how big it is going to be. Once you know that you have to see what options you have for a cooling unit, do you want a unit that is visible in the cellar? If you don’t like the looks of the cooling unit then you want to go with a ducted unit because covering the unit with a grille or racking will cause the unit to ice because it causes the cold air coming out of the cooling unit to get drawn back into the intake which is too cold. Then consider the climate that you are in, if you live in a area that is hot in the summer and very cold in the winter, you need to have a unit that can handle hot and cold temperatures or you need to have a well ventilated enclosed area that the unit can exhaust to. Make sure that you know what proper ventilation is for the unit that you are considering.
To size your cooling unit properly make sure that you measure your cellar properly, most units are designed to cool cubic feet not square feet. Glass, stone, brick, tile, concrete/cement will all reduce the efficiency of a cooling unit and should have the cooling unit one size larger than a unit rated for the amount of cubic feet of your cellar.
Cooling units are made in many different sizes and shapes. The most common is the through-wall style generally used in smaller cellars where the cooler is mounted into a wall opening and blows directly into the cellar. Another popular style is the remote, ducted unit. They are generally quieter and offer more flexibility in design and installation. They also come in larger capacities for larger cellars. The split system type coolers are used when ducting is not feasible or when the condenser must be installed outdoors. Unlike the first two styles that can be installed by the homeowner or contractor, the split system must be installed by licensed electrical and refrigeration technicians.
