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How To Reduce Humidity In A Wine Cellar

  • 5 min read

Humidity plays an important role when it comes to properly storing and aging your wine. Even though it’s just as important as light and temperature conditions, many new wine collectors underestimate its importance. Not doing so could lead to dire consequences for your beloved wine collection. 

To effectively control yourwine cellar temperature and humidity levels, you need appropriatewine cellar dehumidifier equipment. To create theideal humidity for a wine cellar, you also need to first understand what that ideal is, and how you can go about achieving it.The following is all you need to know about how to reduce the humidity in awine cellar.

What Is the Ideal Humidity for a Wine Cellar?

The ideal humidity for wine is between 50% and 70% relative humidity. The sweet spot is around 60% relative humidity. It is the best humidity to keep wine healthy and to assist in the aging process.

The best-aged wine is kept consistently under the right conditions, including humidity, temperature and light. Of course, for most rooms, the humidity will naturally change throughout the year, so it’s important to find ways to keep the right humidity the same over time. 

How Humidity Affects Wine

The wrong humidity will disrupt the delicate aging process for wine. Humidity less than 50% can lead to cracked corks which in turn can lead to degraded wine when air enters the seal, as well as evaporation. Humidity above 70% can lead to mould and mildew build-up, causing the wine to break down and even become foul-smelling. Too much mould can even lead to negatively affecting the integrity of the cellar itself.Thebest humidity for a wine cellar can be achieved through the careful implementation of temperature and humidity control technologies.

How to regulate temperature and humidity

The best way to ensure that you keep your wine at optimal temperature is to make sure you have effective temperature and humidity gauges — known as a hygrometer. A hygrometer is an essential component to operating an effective wine cellar. For any serious collector or connoisseur, it is vital to have constant control and surveillance of internal temperature and humidity levels within a cellar. Fluctuations are bound to occur, so that’s why you need a way to accurately measure important temperature stats. A smart hygrometer can even notify you of any significant changes and allow you full control from wherever you are. 

How toreduce humidity in a wine cellar

Controlling the temperature and humidity levels in your cellar can be a multifaceted task.The best way to combat humidity is to have an air-tight room for your wine. You can use a vapour barrier, a plastic enclosure around the room to prevent condensation and mould build-up. By installing a vapour barrier, you can prevent the condensation build-up that can arise from containing vastly differing temperatures in separate areas of the house. These barriers also work to stop any cross-contamination between separate air sources — no air will come in or out that doesn’t need to. Ideally, a professional would install this, as the barrier needs to cover the whole cellar, including between the walls, to create optimal insulation.

Cooling system

A wine room or cellar should be well insulated. It helps to have a wine air conditioning system to keep the room at a consistent temperature, thus helping to keep the humidity consistent as well.The three factors you must consider are the size of your cellar, your budget, and how much time you’ll be spending in the cellar.  

Smaller cellar

Depending on the size of your wine cellar, you can opt for either self-contained through-the-wall cooling units or ducted cooling systems. You can go for a self-contained through-the-wall unit for a smaller cellar as it is a cost-effective and convenient way to regular temperature and humidity levels for the space. Like all sophisticated cooling systems, this type comes with adjustable humidity settings and drain pans and lines to effectively manage condensation distribution. However, these units can be rather noisy, so you have to decide whether you want an internal or external installation. After all, you don’t want to hear the cooling system while you’re enjoying your wine.  Internal tends to be noisier, so it’s perfect for cellars on a budget or for those that are used purely for storage. 

Larger cellar 

For a larger space, or if you are not on a budget, a ducted cooling unit is perfect. Regulating yourwine cellar temperature is easiest with a ducted system as it is quiet, and the cool air goes directly into the cellar. The evaporator and condenser units are placed externally and need to be installed by a professional. With more advanced units, you will have access to sophisticated integrated humidifier controls. The price of these units is reflective of their quality, so for a serious collector, this is the option to consider. 

Compromise between size and budget

A ductless split system may be preferable if you are looking for a budget-friendly option that does not contain as many drawbacks as the self-contained cooling units. These are not usually upgradable and not as sophisticated as ducted systems. However, they are suitable for both smaller and larger wine cellars and are suitably quiet when running.  

Once you have an air-tight, insulated room with the right temperature and humidity conditions, you can be confident that your wine is stored well. And if you are dealing with low humidity, you can also use a humidifier as necessary.

Ideal Conditions For a Wine Cellar

Now that you know the right humidity to keep your wine cellar or wine room in, here are some other things to keep in mind when storing wine. 

  • Temperature

Aim to keep your wine room’s temperature between 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. (50 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit). It can help to get a Wine Cabinet/Wine Refrigerator or a wine cellar conditioning system. 

  • Light Conditions

A wine room should be kept dim. Avoid having any big windows which let in lots of sunlight. A fluctuation in lighting conditions will only make things worse. 

  • Vibration Free

Vibrations can disturb the chemical processes happening in your wine bottles. Wine should be kept somewhere still and away from foot traffic and vibrations (think washing machines, garages etc.)

Our range of reliable wine racks can solve this problem with ease. 

  • Store Your Wine On Its Side

Have you ever wondered why wine bottles are stored horizontally? Well, the main reason for this is that it prevents corks from drying up and degrading. This isn’t as much of a problem for bottles that have screwcaps on them. 

Where to Find Custom Wine Cellars for the Perfect Wine Aging Conditions

AtWine Stash, we providebespoke wine cellars that are custom-made for all your specifications and requirements. We build wine cellars from the ground up and provide climate control systems, glass panels and UV lightning to keep your wine in pitch-perfect condition.

If you are in the market for a wine cellar, cellar kits, or any other products that will help you create and manage an effective cellar,get in touch with us today. You’ll be able to speak to a professional that can guide you through the whole process. 

 Let us help you achieve your dream wine cellar setup —learn more about ourbespoke wine cellars today.

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