How To Install A Freestanding Wine Cooler

The freestanding unit is another popular type of wine cooling system. A freestanding wine cooler, in general, will have back or side-mounted ventilation, and thus cannot be placed in an enclosed environment with no space for airflow.

Know the difference between a built-in and freestanding wine fridge

This is the primary distinction between a built-in unit and a freestanding one, the built-in unit has front-facing ventilation. It should be noted, however, that a built-in wine cooler can be used in a freestanding position (i.e. out in the open), but not vice versa.

Measure the designated space

Again, make sure you’ve measured the area where your freestanding wine fridge will go and that you’ve left about 20-30cm of space at the back or on each side, depending on where the air vents are located. This will provide you with an accurate indication of whether a specific wine cooler model will fit in the designated space.

How to Install A Built-In Wine Refrigerator

A built-in wine cooler, also commonly referred to as an under-counter wine cooler, is simply a unit with vents at the front of the chassis, typically at the bottom.

Because of their vent positioning, they can be installed in enclosed spaces as long as the front is not enclosed, without reducing airflow to the system.

This is critical because airflow into and out of the wine fridge is critical to its ability to maintain a proper cooling temperature.

Measure your wine fridge before choosing a position

As a result, when it comes to installing the cooler, we recommend measuring the space where you want to place your wine fridge. The best way to do this is with a tape measure, so you can tell the CM how much space you have.

Incorrect measurements or estimating the size of the area will eventually pose a risk, as your wine fridge may not fit in the designated space. Furthermore, even if it does fit, there may be insufficient space, which can cause contact/vibration issues… For example, if the unit is installed beneath a kitchen counter and physically touches the worktop, vibrations will be transferred to the wine cooler. This can cause your wine collection to age prematurely.

It is also critical to ensure that the location designated for your wine cooler has access to an electrical outlet. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient where extension cables are required.

Reduce vibrations by leveling your wine fridge

It’s also a good idea to make sure the ground where you’re putting your wine refrigerator is level. If not, you should look for a wine cooler with leveling legs, which are essentially extendible legs. This eliminates vibrations during operation.

Use a cabinet overlay or trim.

With an overlay, you can conceal your wine refrigerator more effectively. A cooler can be easily integrated to match your kitchen cabinets with custom panels and trim. Look up the color of your cabinet and match it with a painted or stained panel to create a unique look for your built-in wine refrigerator.

Place your fridge in a cool environment

Finally, make certain that your wine refrigerator is placed in an environment that will allow it to maintain a cool, chilled temperature range.

While wine coolers typically have tempered glass and sometimes UV-resistant glass, it’s critical to avoid placing your wine fridge in direct sunlight.

The reason for this is that UV radiation (ultraviolet light) can cause the tannins in wine to degrade over time. This eventually alters the taste and color of the wine, as well as its quality.

This is not something we want for our wine bottle collection, so plan ahead of time and choose a location out of direct sunlight. This is one of the main reasons why a wine cellar is so popular for storing wines. However, for those with large wine collections, a wine cellar cooling unit, in addition to storing your wine on a wine rack (usually red wine), is a great option.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

In this section, we’ll answer all of the frequently asked questions about wine cooler installation:

Can a wine refrigerator be put in a cabinet?

Absolutely, but it must be a built-in wine refrigerator. This is due to the fact that they have front-facing ventilation. Because wine cabinets are typically very small, a freestanding unit’s side or back ventilation would not be adequate for adequate airflow.

Can a freestanding wine fridge be installed under the counter?

No, as we briefly mentioned above, freestanding units have back or side-facing ventilation, which means there wouldn’t be enough room for the unit to be installed while still providing adequate airflow.

Can you put a wine cooler on carpet?

It is not advisable to place your wine fridge on a carpet. The reason for this is that thick carpets frequently result in uneven ground, which is undesirable when placing your wine cooler.

Wine refrigerators are more commonly found in commercial settings with solid floors, such as a kitchen, wine cellar, bar, or restaurant. As a result, we recommend it as well.

Do integrated wine coolers need ventilation?

All wine coolers require ventilation. They would simply overheat if they did not have it.

Is the process of installing a dual-zone wine cooler different to a single-zone wine cooler?

No, the procedure is the same. Although both dual-zone and single-zone units can be powered by a compressor or a thermoelectric, check this and follow the steps outlined above.

Conclusion

We hope this article was helpful in guiding and answering your questions about installing a wine storage system. If you have any specific questions, please leave a comment or contact me. We’ll then add those questions to the FAQ section of the article to help others learn as well.