There is a rising trend amongst wine collectors. They are choosing to store and display their collections in modern glass wine cellars over traditional cellar designs. Glass wine cellars provide cellar owners with stunning visuals displays. However, many are unaware of the thermodynamic properties of glass and the problems this presents to an efficient cellar environment.
When you are cooling a glass cellar, the glass acts as a median between your climate-controlled cellar environment and the rest of your home. For example, if your cellar is at 55 degrees and your home is at 70 degrees, the glass will absorb this heat differential and cause your unit to cycle more often to maintain the desired temperature which puts extra stress on the system. Essentially, this glass paneling will cool a portion of your home.
Another issue for homeowners is glass’ inability to absorb sound efficiently. When selecting your cooling system, it is essential to understand that different system applications vary in sound levels.
Upgrading System Size –
A glass-enclosed cellar will require you to oversize your cooling system to almost 2 to 3 times the standard BTU rating of a traditional wine cellar without glass panels. We always recommend sizing a system based on BTUs rather than cubic footage for these applications.
Sealing Your Environment –
Oftentimes, when glass cellars are crafted, the joints that piece the glass paneling together is not airtight. This rift creates an inefficient cellar environment, and steps must be taken to seal these air leaks properly.
Selecting Proper Unit Application –
We recommend using fully-ducted cooling systems when you are cooling a glass-enclosed area to reduce noise levels and achieve the quietest result. Also, avoid mounting a unit where cold air is blown directly onto the glass in your cellar, as this can cause condensation to form inside your cellar.
If you have any more questions regarding the challenges associated with glass wine cellars. Please feel free to reach out to our customer service team at 1-(800)-343-9463 ext. 801, and we will be more than happy to assist.