Smart thermostats for wine cellars: are they worth It?
The technology available for both commercial wine cellars and home wine rooms has improved dramatically over the years. Wine cellars can now have inventory software, ambient lighting, and many other options. One of the most popular items is smart thermostats for wine cellars. With so many options available, prices can vary significantly but the question is: are they worth it?
06/12/2020
What are smart thermostats for wine cellars?
Smart thermostats can control both the temperature within a wine room as well as the humidity when humidity is added. They offer consistent monitoring to ensure an optimal environment for your valuable wine collection. Some of the features that a smart thermostat can provide includes:
- Allowing the configuration of high/low humidity alarms
- Displaying the cellar humidity from 5% to 95%
- Internet Connectivity for monitoring, management and configuration capability through internet access
- Access through a web portal and smartphone app
- Customizing programming for personal preferences
- Receiving alerts and service reminders for over or under temperature, or high humidity
- Onscreen monitoring
- Ability to manage multiple thermostats
- Independent humidify and dehumidify controls in cooling modes
How do wine cellar thermostats work?
Wine cellar technology has come a long way! Wine cellar thermostats work through remote sensors that can be placed throughout the wine cellar, depending on the type of smart thermostat you purchase. The display unit, which can be placed in or outside the wine room, will show readouts for both temperature and humidity. Adjustments can typically be made on the display, and/or by a smartphone app or web portal.
Is the cost of a smart thermostat worth the investment?
The price of smart thermostats can vary widely depending on the features offered. With some units approaching $1000, some people may think that the investment is not worth it. However, it would be prudent to look at the overall value of your collection to make that determination. If a homeowner or business has invested in a custom wine cellar, it’s likely that the value of the wine within the cellar far exceeds the cost of a thermostat. Choosing the right climate control system for your wine cellar is critical; monitoring it to ensure it’s maintaining the right temperature and humidity is equally important. How you monitor is up to the individual wine cellar owner.
Should wine cellar owners install their own smart thermostats?
While there are many types of smart thermostats for wine rooms, choosing and installing the correct one should be left to a custom wine cellar professional like Heritage Vine. There are several issues to consider when properly installing and calibrating a smart thermostat for a wine room, including temperature, humidity, size of a wine cellar, design of wine cellar, and existing climate control system. All these factors should be considered when a thermostat is chosen and installed, as well as considering the proper placement of probes and sensors. If not installed correctly by a knowledgeable professional, the smart thermostat will not be as effective as it was designed to be.
Smart thermostats for wine cellars can offer many benefits and if used correctly, can protect your wine cellar investment for years to come.
