How to Detect a Leak in Your Wine Cellar Cooling Unit


A service call was recently made to M&M Cellar Systems to fix a leaking wine cellar cooling system in Irvine, Orange County. A team of HVAC professionals was sent to diagnose the problem and repair the leak. The client was fortunate that the leak was found and fixed promptly, otherwise the damage could have been worse and the repair could have been more expensive. The process of detecting a leak illustrates how important it is to have a regular maintenance plan for your custom wine cellar cooling system.

HVAC Professionals from M&M Cellar Systems Detect Freon Leaking from a Cooling Unit in California

HVAC Team from M&M Cellar Systems Repairs a Wine Cellar Cooling System with Leaking Refrigerant.

HVAC Team from M&M Cellar Systems Repairs a Wine Cellar Cooling System with Leaking Refrigerant.

In a project recently completed by M&M Cellar Systems in Orange County, California, a team of HVAC professionals repaired a leaking wine cellar refrigeration system. The initial action was to determine where the leak was exactly located. The team of cooling experts used the Ultraviolet Light Leak Detection Method to locate the leak.

The technician first injected a UV detectable dye into the refrigeration system, and allowed it to circulate thoroughly. About a month later, he came back and found where the leak was exactly, which was inside the cooling unit. The unit had to be completely dissembled in order to gain access to the leak and repair it accordingly.

3 Most Common Methods of Detecting Freon Leaking

A refrigerant is a necessary element for the efficient functioning of a wine cellar refrigeration system. A refrigerant is responsible for creating the cool air that cooling systems provide wine rooms. Freon is one of the most popular refrigerants used in most refrigeration units.

Freon is a trade name for a group of compounds that are used as refrigerants in cooling systems. Freon turns to gas when placed in room temperature. It goes back to liquid form when cooled or compressed.

No refrigeration system can cool a wine cellar without a refrigerant. This is why if a cooling unit is losing Freon through a leak, it can gradually stop functioning. It is imperative that you have a regular maintenance plan for your cooling system so that you can detect problems with your unit such as a Freon leak. Early detection and immediate repair of the leak is necessary to keep your refrigeration system consistently functioning efficiently.

All pressurized HVAC cooling systems leak refrigerant eventually. It’s vital that you subscribe for a regular maintenance plan for your wine cellar cooling unit, so that you can monitor its condition and have it checked for leaks.

The 3 most common methods of detecting Freon leaks in a refrigeration system include the following:

M&M Cellar Systems offers Repair and Maintenance Services for Wine Cellar Cooling Units in Orange County, California

M&M Cellar Systems offers Repair and Maintenance Services for Wine Cellar Cooling Units in Orange County, California

1. UV Light Leak Detection Method for Wine Cellar Cooling Units

The Ultraviolet Light Method, or the Spectronic Method, is the most accurate means of locating Freon leaks in a refrigeration system. In this procedure, the HVAC technician injects a liquid tracer in the wine cellar cooling system, and allows it to circulate for approximately 2 to 4 weeks. The liquid tracer is a UV light detectable type of dye. The tracer circulates the refrigeration unit and exits with the refrigerant through the leak sites.

When the UV dye has thoroughly circulated the wine cellar refrigeration system, a UV light inspection lamp is used to scan for it. UV dye glows when illuminated by the lamp, and consequently helps locate the exact site of the leak.

Wine cellar cooling unit regular maintenance plan2. Freon Electronic Method of Detecting Leak in a Refrigeration System

The Freon Electronic Leak Detection Method is the fastest and easiest method to determine the location of leaks in a cooling system. This method utilizes an electronic sniffer that helps the technician locate the general leak area. HVAC experts highly recommend wrapping the suspected problem area in plastic to capture fumes, so that the electronic detector can be more accurate in locating the Freon leak.

3. Freon Leak Detection Using Bubble Leak Method

In this method, liquid solutions are used. These solutions produce bubbles when placed over a leak. The solutions may be applied by spray, brush, immersion, or dabber. Most of the time, HVAC experts only use the Bubble Leak Detection Method to confirm the location of the leaks after performing other leak detections methods.

The downside to using the Bubble Leak Detection Method is that it can be a very messy procedure. It also is a tedious process, and it’s time-consuming to clean and remove residue after completing it.

M&M Cellar Systems – Repair and Maintenance Experts for Cooling Units

Have your cooling units regularly maintained by M&M Cellar Systems, one of the leading wine cellar refrigeration companies in Orange County. They manufacture high quality cooling units for wine storage rooms and provide maintenance and repair services for clients all over California.

Protect your wine collection by making sure that your wine cellar refrigeration unit is always functioning optimally. Subscribe to a maintenance plan today! Call M&M Cellar Systems at +1 (323) 578 3330.

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