Why is temperature control so important in data centres?

Maintaining optimal temperature and humidity levels are critical in many commercial buildings. It is key for ensuring the comfort of employees and visitors throughout the day - after all, no one wants to be boiling hot or freezing cold at work, do they?  However, as important as getting this right is for your employees, it is even more important for your equipment if you run a data centre. 

Temperature Guidelines for Data Centres

Computer equipment tends to generate intense amounts of heat, especially if they are located in dedicated server rooms, which is why a proper cooling set up is necessary for data centres. The key to preventing any downtime is to make sure there is a constant supply of both hot and cold air cycling around the server room. Recent leaps in the technology used to produce computers have now meant that there are new temperature guidelines in place.

These guidelines state that the minimum temperature for a data centre should be 64 degrees Fahrenheit while the maximum temperature is advised to be no more than 80 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the optimum temperature seems to be 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that cooling needs are no longer as onerous as they used to be and so businesses don’t need to worry as much about cooling their computer equipment in order to avoid catastrophic failure.

Humidity Guidelines for Data Centres

As crucial as regulating the temperature in a data centre is, humidity is almost as important to keep under control. Under the right conditions, a high level of humidity can make the room feel hotter than it actually is - especially in summer. The minimum level of humidity in a data centre should be 20% with the maximum being 80% - so many people choose to set it at 50%.

Humidity is the enemy of a data centre as moisture in the air can damage or even destroy sensitive electronics. However, too little moisture can be as damaging as too much, as it can make your space more sensitive to electrostatic discharge.

Here at Strip Curtains Direct, we offer an Anti-Static Data Centre PVC Plastic Strip, which offers the same standard of manufacture as our standard PVC Strip but has the added benefit of an anti-static charge – which eliminates any risk of static charge. This elimination of the possibility of static charge makes these discount strip curtains ideal for any data centre as a potential temperature control device.

To find out more about how our products can be used in your data centre, or other commercial premises please contact us at 0333 999 7171 or at sales@stripcurtainsdirect.com