Air conditioning for commercial facilities takes many forms: it’s not just about providing comfort to the people inside the building, and in many cases its main purpose is to protect equipment from overheating.
Server room cooling is the best example of this type of commercial HVAC: any server room requires a special air conditioning and ventilation system to protect the equipment and stop devastating data loss.
Unfortunately, facilities often make mistakes when trying to set up cooling for a server or computer room. The biggest mistake is thinking server rooms don’t need special cooling at all, just a fan in the space. That’s an extreme case. Below are some less extreme mistakes with server room cooling that you’ll want to avoid in your facility:
ONE: Avoid Overcooling Your Server Room for Optimal Efficiency
Yes, you can have excessive cooling for a server room. Computer systems have an optimal temperature range, and if the temperature in a server room drops too low, the equipment will become inefficient or may even stop working. Too much cooling for the room also drains power. Proper server room cooling locates the ideal temperature range for the equipment.
TWO: Ensure Proper Airflow Spacing Around Server Racks
In order for cooling to be distributed around a server room, there must be space for airflow between the equipment and the racks. The servers cannot be crammed closely together—the most powerful cooling system won’t be able to properly control their temperatures that way. Great server room cooling involves spacing equipment on racks to permit the correct amount of airflow.
THREE: Plan Server Room Cooling Systems for Future Growth
Businesses grow, and any server room cooling installation should take into account a future increase in the equipment in the room. This doesn’t mean the cooling system needs to be able to immediately handle more equipment, but that the system can be easily upgraded to accommodate growth without an expensive retrofit.
FOUR: Maintain Server Room Cooling Equipment Regularly
Because the server room works quietly out of sight of most people in a facility, it can be easy to believe it will just continue to operate without any trouble. But the cooling for a server room runs almost continuously, and that stress requires special routine maintenance to ensure the equipment doesn’t fail abruptly. Maintenance for server room cooling must be done on a set, regular schedule to avoid costly breakdowns.
FIVE: Use Certified Technicians for Server Room Cooling Service
This entire list is building up to this point, because you can avoid all of these mistakes in server room cooling if you go to the right commercial HVAC contractor to handle designing and installing the system, as well as follow-up maintenance and repairs as needed. We offer superb commercial air conditioning in North York, ON for all types and sizes of commercial facilities, and we’ll see that your facility has a customized server room cooling solution. You’ll have a dedicated account manager who will help set up a maintenance schedule for your equipment that will remove most of your worries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What are common mistakes facilities make with server room cooling?
Answer: Common mistakes include relying on comfort cooling systems, poor airflow management, inadequate monitoring, and failing to plan for growth. These issues can lead to overheating, inefficient cooling, and increased risk of equipment failure in critical server environments.
Question: Why is using standard comfort cooling a problem for server rooms?
Answer: Comfort cooling systems are designed for people, not sensitive IT equipment. They cannot maintain the consistent temperature and humidity levels server rooms require, which can result in hot spots, system strain, and reduced equipment lifespan.
Question: How does poor airflow management affect server room cooling?
Answer: Poor airflow allows hot and cold air to mix, reducing cooling efficiency. Without proper rack layout, containment, or ventilation, cooling systems must work harder to remove heat, increasing energy usage and the risk of server overheating.
Question: Why is monitoring important in server room cooling?
Answer: Without continuous temperature and humidity monitoring, issues can go unnoticed until equipment is at risk. Monitoring helps identify hot spots, system inefficiencies, and early warning signs, allowing corrective action before failures occur.
Question: How does lack of scalability impact server room cooling performance?
Answer: As server rooms grow, cooling demands increase. Systems not designed for scalability may struggle to handle added heat loads, leading to inconsistent temperatures, higher energy costs, and potential downtime as equipment expands.
Advantage Airtech Commercial Ltd. is the Double “A” Name with the Triple “A” rating serving the Greater Toronto Area. Request an estimate today.
