Demystifying Your Wine Cellar:
In this issue of Wine Guardian Application Notes we launch a column related to the design and construction of wine cellars as well as to the selection, installation, operations and maintenance of wine cellar cooling equipment. We hope this will help you make informed decisions that will lead to the preservation and enjoyment of your wine investments for many years to come.
Myth #1 "The cooling unit in my wine cellar doesn't need to have a UL label."
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has developed minimum safety standards for most electrical appliances, including refrigerant cooling units, to avoid bodily injury. To comply, a manufacturer must design, manufacture and certify that the product meets the safety standard; the manufacturer is subject to fines and/or de-certification for non-compliance. The UL label is the minimum safety standard a manufacturer would be held to in a court of law. Any manufacturer, distributor, retailer or contractor who sells or installs products that do not have the UL or equivalent certification would be held liable for any death or injury that might occur.
Fact: Wine Guardian products are ETL certified to UL Standard 1995 and Canadian Standards Association Std. C22.2 No 236 to ensure safe and reliable equipment operation.
Myth #2: "All cooling unit BTU/H ratings are the same and offer comparable capacity."
The term British Thermal Units per Hour (BTU/H) is used to express the thermal capacity of cooling equipment. There are several industry standards for the most widely distributed cooling units such as window and home air conditioners. These are expressed as the expected operating conditions for the equipment. For example, a window air conditioner BTU/H capacity is rated at normal room conditions of 72°F. However, at different room conditions, such as at lower room temperatures, the capacity can be much less. For example, a cellar cooling unit might have a cooling capacity of 5,000 BTU/H when operating at 72°F but only 3,000 BTU/H when operating at the 55°F conditions of a wine cellar.
Fact: Wine Guardian rates its capacity based on 55°F operating conditions so you can be assured of accurate and consistent cooling.
Air Innovations are registered by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
