Running a small business comes with enough challenges, and keeping your server room or comms cupboard at the right temperature shouldn’t be one of them. Whether you’ve got a dedicated IT room, or a few racks tucked away in a corner, making sure your equipment stays cool is essential. In this blog, we’ll break down why server room cooling matters, what options are available, and how small businesses can make smart, cost-effective choices without overcomplicating things.
Why Does Server Room Cooling Matter?
Even small server rooms or network cupboards generate a surprising amount of heat. If you don’t have the right cooling system in place, your equipment can overheat, leading to failures, downtime and potentially data loss. That’s why having the right server room cooling solution is just as important for small offices as it is for data centres.
Do you really need air conditioning in a small server room?
The answer is yes. A standard office AC unit just isn’t enough for your IT equipment. You need a dedicated server room AC unit or computer room air conditioning system designed to manage consistent temperatures and humidity levels. The best way to cool a server room is with a purpose-built server room air conditioning system that runs 24/7, not just during business hours.
What temperature should a server room be?
Ideally, that’s between 19°C and 24°C, with 40-60% humidity. This keeps your hardware functioning efficiently while preventing issues caused by overheating or condensation.
Temporary fixes like fans or opening doors might seem like a cost-effective solution, but they can make things worse. Investing in a proper comms room cooling system or small server room AC unit is more cost-effective in the long term and reduces the risk of critical failures.
So, what’s the right cooling system for your office?
That depends on your space, budget and IT setup. We have a range of server room cooling solutions to choose from: from split systems and wall-mounted units to compact in-rack cooling, with either DX or chilled water cooling. Our team at Barbour will work with you to find the system that fits your needs.
Need help choosing the right system?
We work with businesses of all sizes to deliver tailored server room air conditioning and maintenance. Get in touch with us today for a personal quotation.
