Cellar Cooling Replacement in Maidstone, Kent | Thermax

Cellar Cooling System Replacement in Maidstone, Kent

• Removed an ageing cellar cooling system and installed a new J&E Hall cellar cooler for a public house in Maidstone, Kent
• Designed the new setup to hold the cellar at roughly 12°C for reliable keg storage temperatures
• Replaced all pipework to resolve recurring leaks and improve long-term reliability

In January, we completed a full cellar cooling replacement for a public house in Maidstone, Kent. The existing system had reached the point where ongoing repair work was no longer a sensible option, so the client agreed the best outcome was a complete replacement including new pipework.

The problem

The existing cellar cooling system was beyond economical repair. Despite repeated efforts, leaks continued to reappear, often presenting at the next weakest point in the system. Eventually, there were no serviceable repair options left that would give the client confidence or stability.

With the cellar not holding temperature, it was affecting the temperature the kegs were being stored at. In a pub environment, that is not something you can leave drifting for long.

The solution

We removed the old cellar cooling system and installed a new J&E Hall cellar cooler, replacing the system and all associated pipework. Before specifying the replacement, we took measurements of the cellar and noted any additional heat loads present, allowing us to design a system capable of keeping the cellar at roughly 12°C.

Working to pub timescales

Because this was a working public house, the priority was completing the job as quickly as possible while still doing it properly. A total replacement, rather than piecemeal repairs, reduced the risk of follow-on failures and helped get the cellar back to reliable operation sooner.

Future-friendly refrigerant choice

The new system uses R449A, which is widely used as a more sustainable alternative to older high-GWP refrigerants such as R404A. Using R449A can help businesses reduce CO2 impact and it is also commonly associated with improved energy efficiency, often cited in the region of 8 to 12% compared to R404A, depending on the application and operating conditions. It is also classed as an A1 safety class refrigerant (non-flammable and non-toxic).

The result

The client now has a newly installed system designed to work efficiently and provide long-term reliability, with the cellar able to maintain the temperatures needed for consistent keg storage.