Why Is There Ice Build Up In My Wine Cooler?

It is quite a common problem, particularly when the wine cooler or wine cabinet is first switched on, to see the formation of frost/ice on the back wall of the unit.

When you first receive the unit, the door will most likely be open quite often as you load new bottles or wine, remove packaging, or re-arrange your shelving.

By doing this, it may be that moist air from outside the cabinet is entering the wine cooler and raising the internal humidity.

Why Your Wine Fridge Has Ice Build Up?

A wine cooler will maintain the internal humidity between 50 and 80% and has sensors to ensure excessive levels aren’t reached.

If moist air enters the wine cooler during the cooling period, the water molecules will condense and potentially freeze on the back wall of the wine cabinet.

This is where the evaporator is, generally where the evaporator is located, and thus the coldest section of the cooling system.

Don’t worry; during the period when the cooling system is off, the ice will melt, and in most wine coolers, there is a purpose-built drip tray at the bottom of the cabinet.

The drip tray leads to a small water container that is located next to or on top of the compressor, which is the warmest component in the system.

From there, the excess water will evaporate when storing wine, and the humidity level will return to normal levels within the cabinet of between 50 and 80%. This is in effect the system's self-regulating humidity control, as frost or ice forms when relative humidity levels are above 90%.

How Defrost Ice From Your Wine Fridge?

Try not to keep the door open to the wine cabinet too often when storing your wine bottles, as the environment is being managed within the wine cooler.

If ice build up in your wine fridge persists, contact the manufacturer for expert advice and ensure you have checked the door seal, as ice buildup can restrict the door from closing properly, which will mean more moist air is entering the interior.

Ice buildup might occur if you own a beer fridge. Beer fridges are great for storing beers and still drinks, keeping them at the right temperature and humidity for long periods of time. It can be hard to find the right storage unit for your beer collection, which is exactly why we’ve decided to stock the well-known brand MQuvée on our website.

MQuvée fridges are some of the best available on the market today, chilling beers to the perfect temperature for many families and commercial customers. As well as beer fridges, MQuvée also designs and manufactures expert wine storage, making it easier than ever to find the perfect unit to store a range of alcoholic goods.

To shop our MQuvée range, check out their collection at Elite Wine Refrigeration.