For the first episode of Ask Steve!, Tim and Josh of the Wine Cellar Designers Group sat down with lead designer, Steve Pantalemon, to discuss the importance of having regular maintenance in order to avoid costly wine cellar cooling system problems.
If you’re a wine cellar owner that isn’t getting annual or bi-annual system maintenance for your wine cooling unit, you may want to change your perspective after watching the video linked below. After servicing countless wine cooling issues from different parts of the country, Steve points out that owners don’t spend enough on maintenance. One costly problem that he often sees is Freon leakage. Depending on the type of your cooling unit, a simple leak can lead to replacing the entire cooling unit with a new one.
To learn more about Freon leakage and regular wine cellar maintenance, take a look!
Early Prevention Tips for Wine Cellar Cooling Issues Through Regular Maintenance
A team from Wine Cellar Designers Group gathered to discuss with lead designer, Steve Pantalemon, the importance of regularly servicing wine cellar cooling units to keep them well-maintained, fully functional and prevent cooling system problems in the long run. Get into the details as they summarize the interview to help you stay informed on how to keep your own commercial or residential wine cellar cooling system running.
Why Do Customers Request for Service and What Type of Service are they Asking For?
Like any other machine that operates, wine cellar cooling systems require regular maintenance to ensure long-term functionality and effectivity. Owning a wine cellar with spectacular cooling systems is not enough to keep the unit running. It requires a thorough maintenance program that services the cooling unit to keep it running and assess any dysfunctionality that could alter its cooling performance. Companies like WC Designers Group make sure they are able to provide such maintenance services to their clients to offer a well-rounded and exceptional customer-service experience.
Read the full transcription of this wine cellar maintenance discussion here.
Most customer inquiries request for services on their cooling system that are not working properly or have cooling issues. These issues can include cooling units making strange noises, temperature irregularities, and leaking. Our team starts off by probing questions that lead to the root cause of the problem. Questions such as finding out their last maintenance service allows us to assess the reason for any cooling malfunction. The most common problem customers normally ask is on Freon leakages. A good example was when a customer with a split-system cooling unit noted his last service was about two to three years ago, which means the need for Freon or R134a refill to allow his unit to continue running.
What does a R134a or Freon Do to Your Cooling System?
To put in simple terms, Freon is the key component responsible for cooling your wine cellar system. It is a halocarbon type of gas that cycles through the liquid and gas phases of the cooling system. It also works to regulate the cooling temperature of the wine cellar unit. Circumstances, like a freon leakage, cause cooling problems to a wine cellar cooling system, and thus, requires servicing either for refill or replacement.
First, it is important to note that R134a or Freon is serviced differently depending on the type of cooling system installed. For split-system cooling units, the halocarbon is refilled once there is maintenance required. As for self-contained cooling units, once the system is out, a replacement has to be conducted. Now this is the tricky part since it is our team’s job to provide which type of replacement suits best to the current wine cellar cooling unit. These cooling units under repair usually range between three to seven years old so finding the suitable part can be challenging and we should be readily available to supply these parts.
How Many Times Should You Have Your Wine Cellar Cooling Unit Checked?
For split-system cooling units, leaks happen due to numerous reasons. It’s normally due to holes in the condensing unit caused by long hours of usage. Generally, it happens after a year or more. It’s a similar concept with a car running out of gas. Freon refills are necessary to keep the cooling unit running overtime.
For self-contained units, leakage also happens. However, since these types of units have all its elements compacted in the same unit, the freon leakage can affect other parts, and thus, may usually require replacement rather than refill.
Normally, leakages can be determined without the need for servicing yet. As long as owners are regularly checking the running condition of their cooling units, it is easy to detect any malfunction and prevent any major leakages beforehand. Moreover, it is important to have the Freon checked and tested at least every six (6) months to make sure the cooling unit is still in its optimal condition. Our services include being able to assess whether the condensing unit is still in perfect condition or requires replacement.
What to Do When A Leakage Happens?
Assuming a customer has purchased a house with a built-in wine cellar that’s been there for more than five years. The customer checks to find out how the cooling unit is doing and whether it is properly maintained. He checks on the condensing unit to find out if there are holes and leakages before testing it. This is the part where our experts handle the business. Upon discovering any form of leakages, our team physically checks and determines the model of the cooling unit. This is very crucial because there are cooling units that are very old and any form of fixing cannot salvage the unit. It can also be because their running parts have gone obsolete due to its old variant. For Freon leakages, it can either be replacement of condensing unit or in some cases, replacement of the whole cooling unit, or as simple as refilling of the R134a.
The Freon acts as a fuel to help run the cooling system under electricity. A leakage in the refrigeration unit is like running out of fuel. And this results in the icing up of the condensing unit. Our team then tries to defrost and clean it before filling more Freon in it. It is also important to note that Freons are consumable parts of a cooling unit, and thus, require regular maintenance. In the same way cars require regular preventive maintenance services, wine cellar cooling units need to be regularly checked and serviced of at least every six months to ensure it is running in perfect condition.
Following the Six (6) Months Regular Maintenance for Your Wine Cellar Cooling Unit
The solution is pretty simple if you want to keep your cooling unit running for a longer period of time. Just as a car has a good record of regularly serviced check-ups which results in perfectly running condition amidst its mileage or year model, the same goes for cooling units who have been properly maintained by following the regular servicing of every six (6) months. We have testimonials of customers who follow through regular maintenance and have had their cooling units last for up to 20 years or sometimes longer. At WC Designers Group, we provide yearly servicing contracts to achieve hassle free and convenient maintenance check-ups.
Thinking of Having Your Wine Cellar Cooling System Checked? Contact us Now!
Whether you have a commercial or residential wine cellar, have your cooling unit regularly maintained. Make that call today at (702) 475-5399 and let us check on your cooling unit to see what we can do to help.
Got Questions About Wine Cellar Cooling System Maintenance? We’re Here to Help!
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