A wine fridge is a refrigerator-like appliance that is designed to store wine bottles at a certain temperature and humidity level. The constant temperature and humidity level of a wine fridge enables the stored wine to age and maintain its flavour and quality. As with any appliance, your wine fridge may need repairs if you notice problems such as excessive noise or if it simply doesn’t turn on. With a few simple do-it-yourself maintenance tips and checks, you can reduce the risk of your wine fridge breaking down. Ensure that your wine fridge is installed correctly, kept in a cool place away from sunlight and with adequate space around it for ventilation, is not overloaded, and maintains a stable temperature and humidity setting. Avoid situations, such as opening the fridge door frequently, where the temperature inside the wine fridge increases or decreases too much. This can cause excessive moisture to build up inside and outside the unit. You can keep your wine refrigerator repair-free and running smoothly for many years by implementing these easy maintenance tips.
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Here is a maintenance checklist that can reduce the need of repairs and
keep your wine fridge running without any problems:
- Installation: Ensure that the wine fridge is installed as per the manufacturer’s installation
guide. All parts, including the door, must be installed correctly. Keep the
wine fridge upright for up to 24 hours before plugging in the unit. Check to
make sure all wiring is intact and that there are no loose connections.
- Location: Place the wine fridge away from direct sunlight, as the UV rays can alter the
quality of the stored wine, and away from any heat source, such as an oven. The
ideal location of a wine fridge should be in a cool place with plenty of space
around it for ventilation.
- Capacity: Do not overload your wine fridge with too many bottles. The capacity of a wine fridge is based on 750 ml Bordeaux-type bottles. If you have larger bottles, you may still be
able to store them on the lower levels or adjust the shelving to accommodate
these bottles. Keep in mind that if you exceed the fridge’s capacity, it may
create hotspots in the unit that may ruin the quality of your wine. In
addition, an overloaded wine refrigerator may start making excessive noise.
- Temperature
and humidity: Set the
temperature and humidity level based on the wine you are storing. Generally, it
is recommended that wine be stored at:
- 15 – 19 degrees Celsius for red wine;
- 8 – 14 degrees Celsius for white wine; and
- 6 – 8 degrees Celsius for champagne and
sparkling wine.
To maintain the optimum temperature and humidity level, make sure that
the fridge door is shut tight and avoid opening it frequently. Check to make
sure that there are no gaps in the gasket around the door. Small air gaps can
cause cool air to escape outside and increase the temperature inside the unit.
This in turn can create condensation. If the temperature inside the unit becomes
too low and the humidity too high, the fridge door can fog or frost up.
By following the above maintenance tips, your investment in the wine fridge
will pay off with a cool glass of quality wine!