1. Underestimating Thermal Load Requirements
One of the most common and costly mistakes is basing cooling capacity on maximum rated power consumption rather than actual operational loads. In practice, IT equipment typically runs at 40–60% of its rated maximum. Always commission a professional thermal load calculation that accounts for:
- Sensible and latent heat from IT equipment
- Solar heat gain through walls, roof, and glazing
- Personnel occupancy and lighting contributions
- External ambient temperature variations across seasons
Use psychrometric principles to correctly size cooling coils for both temperature control and dehumidification capacity.
2. Ignoring Redundancy and Backup Cooling
A single point of failure in your cooling system can cause catastrophic downtime. Best practice for server room environments is N+1 redundancy — at minimum one additional cooling unit beyond what is required for full load. Key considerations include:
- Geographic distribution of cooling units within the room
- Redundant power supplies and refrigerant circuits
- Automatic failover with manual override capability
- Lead-lag rotation to equalise wear across units
- Portable emergency cooling units on standby
3. Incorrect Equipment Sizing
Both oversizing and undersizing cause problems. Oversized units short-cycle, reducing dehumidification efficiency and increasing wear. Undersized units struggle to maintain stable temperatures under peak load. Specify equipment with:
- Variable speed compressors for capacity modulation
- Electronic expansion valves for precise refrigerant control
- Modular configurations that allow staged capacity increases
4. Poor Airflow Management and Distribution
Even correctly sized equipment will underperform with poor airflow design. Hot aisle/cold aisle containment is the industry standard for a reason — it prevents hot and cold air mixing and dramatically improves cooling efficiency. Common airflow mistakes include:
- Unsealed cable cutouts allowing hot air bypass
- Insufficient raised floor plenum depth for underfloor distribution
- Blanking panels missing from unused rack spaces
- Overhead supply without proper directional control
For complex layouts, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling should be used at the design stage.
5. Inadequate Humidity Control
ASHRAE guidelines recommend maintaining relative humidity between 45–55% in server environments. Too low and you risk electrostatic discharge; too high and condensation becomes a risk. Ensure your selected unit includes:
- Active dehumidification with reheat capability
- Humidification for dry winter conditions
- Continuous environmental monitoring with data logging and alerts
6. Neglecting Maintenance Access and Planning
Equipment that is difficult to service will be serviced less frequently — and will fail at the worst possible moment. At the design stage, ensure:
- Minimum 1 metre clear access on all service sides
- Preventive maintenance schedules are built into the specification
- Emergency maintenance procedures are documented and tested
- Spare parts for critical components are held on site
7. Choosing the Wrong Refrigerant for Future Compliance
With F-Gas regulations tightening across the UK and EU, specifying equipment using high-GWP refrigerants like R410A is a short-sighted decision for new installations. Specify systems using A2L low-GWP refrigerants (R32, R454B) or natural refrigerants where feasible, and ensure your engineering team is trained and certified for A2L handling.
8. Not Specifying for Future Capacity Growth
Server rooms rarely shrink. Design your cooling infrastructure with a minimum 20–30% headroom above current calculated load, and ensure the physical space and power infrastructure can accommodate additional units without a full redesign.
Need Precision Cooling for Your Project?
As an authorised Daikin supplier, we can source precision cooling solutions for server rooms and data environments on request. Contact our technical team to discuss your requirements.
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