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Message |
    
xavier67
Citizen
Username: Xavier67
Post Number: 374
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 3:52 pm: |     |
Any winos out there who have built a wine cellar in their basement?
We plan to finish our basement (actually, refinish it because it was "finished" in the 50s and now looks "unfinished") and I thought it would be great to have an airtight closet-sized room (4'x4'x7') in one corner that I could call my own. [Apparently, my wife is of the belief that the basement needs to be dry, not realizing that running the dehumidifier all the time can ruin my wine by drying out the corks. What's a little black mold now and then when your wine is at stake!]
Does anyone have any experience with 1) kinds of insulation around the space; 2) whether local contractors can do the job; 3) the kind of cooling unit to be used?
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bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 5027
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 4:43 pm: | |
I suggest you check out the website for Home Time, the PBS show. I caught something on building a wine closet, with temperature and humidity control, while channel surfing a few weeks ago.
I imagine the expensive part is the racks. |
Cubeless
Citizen
Username: Cubey
Post Number: 46
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 4:55 pm: | |
I had this done in my basement last summer.
A local carpenter/contractor did the majority of the work. Since the room (approx 6x8) was already drywalled, he had to pull the drywall out and install insulation and a vapor barrier between the existing studs. Then he re-drywalled. I used an exterior insulated door with a good seal. He also installed a cooling unit that I bought on my own...the unit vents into the "remainder" of the basement.
I painted the concrete floor with several coats of a waterproof/watersealing paint. I also purchased the racks myself and assembled and installed them. The capacity is roughly 600 bottles, but I could probably squeeze another 150-200 bottles in if I had to.
The cost of the labor and materials was approximately $4,000 (which included some minor electrical work also). The cooling unit was around $600 and the racking around $1,000.
If you want more details on any of this, feel free to send me a message.
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zen
Citizen
Username: Zen
Post Number: 20
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 10:49 pm: | |
For the cooling unit, google "wine cooling units" or go to Wine enthusiast.com, or Wine & all that Jazz. They both sell a variety of units that are designed for specific room sizes.
I would think that there would be experienced construction tradesmen that have built wine cellars in this area.
Good Luck.
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jgberkeley
Supporter
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 3531
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 11:54 pm: | |
Keep in mind that the cooling units sold for Wine rooms are like a/c units and will dump heat into the rest of the basement.
I have seen a very interesting solution.
Outside the Wine room was a refrigerator that was used to keep soda and other odd things cool, but, in the bottom where the vegetables drawers were, was a coil of hose. The hose exited the sides via holes and went into the Wine room. Inside the room was a pool of water, much like a very small pond. A pump moved the water thru the hose and it drained across some rocks making a small water fall. A thermostat controlled the pump.
The result was a cool room from the cold water pond, and the humidity was kept correct with the evaporation from the waterfall. Adding to all that was a very nice sound when you were in the room tasting to make sure nothing has gone bad.
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic. |
Cubeless
Citizen
Username: Cubey
Post Number: 47
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 7:34 am: | |
Actually having the wine cooling unit dump heat into the rest of my basement has been a pleasant side effect.
Depending on your normal basement temperature, this could be a good thing.
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