| If you have a growing collection of wine, it may | | | | and other electrical issues. |
| be time to think about constructing a wine cellar. | | | | Insulation and Vapor Barriers |
| Once upon a time the custom wine cellar was a | | | | The wine cooling system is only part of your |
| rarity; today more and more wine lovers are | | | | climate control plan for a custom wine cellar; you |
| learning about wine cellar construction or | | | | also need a vapor barrier made of plastic sheeting |
| contracting the work out to those who know | | | | used on the "hot" side of the wall. Some people |
| how to do the job well. | | | | enclose the interior of the wine cellar before |
| Wine storage rooms are more than a dark, cool | | | | placing the insulation, leaving the plastic loose so |
| place to store a collection of wine bottles. Today's | | | | that insulation can be put between the studs in |
| custom wine cellar is a controlled environment | | | | the wall. Wrap the ceiling and the walls, or your |
| where humidity and temperature are regulated to | | | | vapor barrier will be incomplete. Once the barrier |
| allow wine to correctly age without harm to | | | | is put in, the insulation will come next. |
| corks, labels or the wine itself. | | | | Good wine cellar building needs the right kind of |
| There are two styles of wine cellars. One is a | | | | insulation for your walls and ceiling. For example, if |
| room that has been specifically created to stock | | | | you are building a 2x6 wall, R19 insulation is |
| wine in the perfect conditions and the other is a | | | | recommended, but if you have a smaller wall of |
| stand-alone system that duplicates those | | | | 2x4, R13 may be your best bet. (The "R" |
| conditions. A stand-alone wine cellar is not as | | | | designation represents the heat resistance of the |
| valuable as a custom-built version, but some | | | | insulation.) Ceilings require R30. Custom wine cellar |
| people like the aesthetics of a small cooled | | | | builders should never set up the insulation loose |
| refrigerator over a custom wine cellar. Those who | | | | without packing the substance into the sections, |
| do choose a custom cellar have three simple | | | | as this decreases the insulation's effectiveness. |
| considerations for proper creation. | | | | The next step is to install a kind of drywall called |
| Temperature Control and Venting | | | | green board, which is moisture-resistant, making it |
| A wine room is used to store and age the wine in | | | | a bit more expensive than regular drywall. Install |
| the bottle rather than maintaining it at a serving | | | | an exterior-grade door to the wine cellar and your |
| temperature. (A stand-alone wine chiller is | | | | climate control plan is finished. |
| excellent for carrying wine out of the cellar to | | | | Lighting and UV Exposure Control |
| store at serving temperatures.) Maturing wine is a | | | | Wine is spoiled by UV exposure, which is why the |
| balance of time, temperature and the chemical | | | | bottles are most often constructed out of dark |
| reactions that take place as an effect of the two. | | | | glass. Abstain from installing fluorescent bulbs in |
| Wine should be aged in conditions ranging between | | | | the wine cellar room, as they give off UV |
| 55 and 65 percent humidity and a steady 55 | | | | radiation. Control the intensity by using recessed |
| degrees Fahrenheit, give or take one degree. | | | | lighting on a dimmer and avoid shining light straight |
| Wine kept at higher temperatures will age sooner | | | | on your wine bottles for long periods of time. |
| and wine experiences chemical reactions at higher | | | | Some wine display racks are made with sections |
| temperatures that devalue the flavor over time. | | | | that hide bottles from the light which can help |
| In some parts of the country, homeowners with | | | | lessen the exposure, but if your bottles are |
| basements often discover that conditions are | | | | stowed in clear view, try to avoid the "spotlight" |
| right for basic wine storage, but seasonal | | | | effect on your bottles. |
| temperature and humidity variations ought to be | | | | Other Concerns |
| avoided. The ideal storage solution is a | | | | Almost any sort of flooring can be used in your |
| custom-built or DIY-construction wine room with | | | | custom wine cellar. If your home is big enough for |
| climate and humidity control using a wine cellar | | | | a wine cellar tasting room to complement your |
| cooling component to maintain the temperature at | | | | cellar, you may want to give them both a |
| a steady 55 degrees. | | | | matching look, but never use carpet and rugs in |
| These components come in a range of sizes and | | | | the cellar space. They simply can't hold up to the |
| the dimensions of your wine cellar room will | | | | required humidity levels without giving away to |
| dictate what size you need to get. Never select a | | | | mold. Mold growth will destroy your wine, as can |
| wine cooling unit too small for your room; you | | | | any potent odor from chemicals or cheeses. A |
| may never get a steady, optimal storage | | | | wine cellar should be used only to hold wine; keep |
| temperature and the cooling system will become | | | | food in a separate space. |
| overtaxed trying to keep up. | | | | At all times monitor the temperature and humidity |
| Wine cooling units demand proper venting, and | | | | in your wine cellar with an external sensor or |
| your wine cellar construction project requires | | | | gauge. By no means guess that the wine cooling |
| either a hole in the wall to permit venting | | | | component will always function correctly. A quick |
| outdoors or enough vent space to mix warm air | | | | look at the external gauge can offer you early |
| out of the room. Check the specs of your wine | | | | notice if the wine cooling unit is having problems, |
| cooling component; most require a venting space | | | | or if the unit is giving a faulty readout because of |
| at least two times as big as the wine room space | | | | a bad sensor or other technical troubles. |
| itself. | | | | Creating a custom wine room may call for some |
| Electrical power is also a concern. Custom wine | | | | attention to the design demands of proper wine |
| cellar builders recommend a devoted power | | | | storage, but once properly built, you may |
| source to run a wine cellar refrigeration system. | | | | discover that your collection grows quickly; it's |
| Those who choose to use a shared power source | | | | easy to invest more money in wine when you |
| often find the unit overloading with blown fuses | | | | know it will be held securely for maximum delight. |