Data Centers

Precise environmental control is essential for data center reliability, equipment performance, and operational efficiency. DriSteem provides humidification, dehumidification, evaporative cooling, and water treatment solutions that help data centers maintain appropriate humidity levels, support cooling strategies, and optimize overall facility performance. From enterprise facilities to hyperscale data centers, DriSteem solutions are designed to promote reliable operation in mission-critical environments.

Environmental conditions can significantly impact data center uptime. Air that is too dry increases the risk of electrostatic discharge (ESD), which can damage sensitive electronic components and disrupt operations. Excess humidity presents its own challenges, creating condensation that can lead to corrosion, equipment damage, and premature failure of critical components such as motherboards, hard drives, and electrical connections. Whether humidity levels are too low or too high, the result can be costly downtime, lost revenue, and dissatisfied clients.

Maintaining proper relative humidity (RH) helps protect valuable equipment and reduce environmental risks. ASHRAE recommends maintaining an RH range of 40% to 60% to minimize the risk of ESD and condensation-related damage. DriSteem humidification systems help data centers maintain precise humidity levels, supporting equipment reliability, reducing the risk of outages, and contributing to efficient facility operation.

Avoid costly disruptions and protect critical infrastructure with humidity control solutions designed specifically for demanding data center environments.

Issues caused by low or fluctuating relative humidity

Lost revenue 

A survey by Information Technology Intelligence Consulting (ITIC) found that 85% of businesses and their IT leaders require a minimum uptime of 99.99%. This equates to only 52 minutes annually of unplanned downtime of mission-critical systems and applications. ² 

A survey conducted by the Ponemon Institute found that the average cost of a data center outage is $740,357. This is a 38% increase in average cost since 2010.³

Damage to equipment 

Monitoring humidity levels within the top 1/3 of a data center rack enclosure is minimally acceptable. It is most likely that the equipment’s air intake will be damaged by low humidity conditions at this elevation.⁴

The cost of integrating an efficient and effective humidifier into a data center’s existing HVAC system is minimal compared to the potential damage from an uncontrolled environment. 

Impact to reputation 

Protecting the reputation of a data center in today’s high-demand world is detrimental to its longevity. Extended downtime negatively impacts one’s reputation, leading to dissatisfied customers. Maintaining a consistent environment with relative humidity lowers the risk of system failure. 

Resources

• Buyer’s Guide: Humidification for Data Centers
  Learn how issues caused by low or fluctuating humidity levels can harm a data center, resulting in lost revenue, reputational damage, and upset clients.

Sources

1. ASHRAE: Best Practices for Environmental Monitoring of Humidity and Temperature
2. March/April 2020: ITIC 2020 Global Server Hardware and Server OS Reliability Survey
3. 2016 Ponemon Institute Report on ‘Cost of Data Center Outages
4. Humidification Strategies for Data Centers and Network Rooms

Next steps

Contact your local DriSteem representative to learn more about humidity control for data centers. Use the Find a Rep tool below to find your nearest representative.

Already using humidity control to protect data centers?

For best performance and highest efficiency, existing humidification systems should be checked to determine if any replacement parts are needed, if any other maintenance needs to be performed, and whether there is a software update available. Contact your local DriSteem representative to learn more.