Viking calls it a wine cellar
You will not find the words wine cooler in a Viking catalog. The company sells wine cellars. It is the same kind of appliance, and we repair all of them.
- 5 Series 15 inch undercounter, single zone.
- 5 Series 24 inch undercounter, dual zone. Viking rates it for 40 bottles.
- Veil integrated wine cellars, 24 and 30 inches wide. These are full height and panel ready. The 24 inch holds up to 72 bottles.
The undercounter control runs from 38 to 65 degrees. The Veil runs from 39 to 64 and is built to hold within one degree. If you store cans and mixers too, you may have a Viking beverage center, which is a colder unit.
One zone warm, the other fine
A dual zone cellar keeps reds in one section and whites in the other. Each zone has a sensor. Fans and a damper share the cold between them. When one zone drifts, the compressor is rarely the cause.
We test the sensor for that zone first. A sensor that reads low tells the control the zone is cold when it is not. Next is the zone fan. If it stops, the air goes still and the top racks warm up. Then the damper. It can freeze in place or lose its motor. Any of these is a modest repair.
Both zones warm is another story. Then we check the condenser coil for dust, the condenser fan and the start relay. If all of those pass, we test the sealed system.
Fog, sweat and wet labels
The undercounter door is dual pane glass filled with argon and tinted against UV light. The Veil door is triple pane. If you see fog between the panes, the glass seal has failed. The door has to be replaced. No one can dry it out.
Water on the outside of the glass is usually room humidity. It shows up in summer near an open patio door. Water inside, on the back wall or the labels, points to a door gasket leak or a blocked drain. Veil units manage humidity on purpose to keep corks from drying. They also have two carbon filters to stop odors. Those filters need to be changed on schedule.
Noise and vibration matter more with wine
Viking builds in a vibration neutralization system. Shaking stirs up sediment in old bottles. So a new rattle is worth a call even if the unit is still cold. We check the compressor mounts, which harden with age. We check that tubing is not touching the cabinet. A fan blade that ticks may be hitting ice. A unit that was not leveled will buzz against the cabinet on each side.
Lights and controls
The 5 Series lets you switch the inside light between blue and white. If the light is stuck on, heat from it can nudge the top rack warmer. If the display is blank, check the outlet first. A blank display with power present is a control board or a ribbon cable. The door switch also matters. When it fails, the light stays on and the alarm may sound.
What to check before calling us
- Confirm the set point on each zone.
- Vacuum the front grille at the toe kick.
- Make sure no bottle is pushed against the back wall or a sensor.
- Run a hand down the door seal to find any gap.
- Wait a day after loading many warm bottles at once.
Repair cost and whether it is worth it
We charge a $79 diagnostic for wine units in a home. The fee is waived as soon as you approve the repair. Your fixed price arrives before the work, with parts and labor included. Most wine cellar owners get a visit on the day of the call, with slots from 6 AM through 9 PM. Wine unit techs are licensed and insured, and all have cleared a background check. Sensors, fans and relays are stocked on the truck. Repairs are under our 30-day repair warranty, and you can book online.
A+ is a family company and is independent of Viking.
Think about what is inside. A good collection is worth more than the cabinet that holds it. Sensors, fans, gaskets and boards are fair repairs on any Viking cellar. A sealed system leak on an old undercounter unit may not be. You get the repair price next to the cost of a new cellar, and the call is yours.
We repair wine cellars in the Houston area. See the Texas service page. Wine cellar calls are also taken in Chicago and Los Angeles, and around D.C. and Northern Virginia. The Viking appliance repair page shows the rest of the brand, and our wine cooler repair page covers other makers. Until we get there, open the door as little as you can and move your oldest bottles to a cool closet.