Regular Above-Floor Cleaning is Important for Data Centre and Server Rooms!

WHY YOU NEED TO DO IT?

Because data centres and server rooms are far more sensitive to contamination than any other business environment, facility managers must protect their mission-critical IT equipment from damage and downtime by creating a contamination prevention & control plan and implementing a regular cleaning schedule.

In addition to maintaining a professional working environment for clients and staff, having rules around what gets brought into a technical space stops a lot of contamination before it can enter. These guidelines coupled with routine removal of dirt, dust and marks from the room protect servers and other devices from tiny particles and other contaminants.

data centre above floor cleaning — Fig 1: Data cenre above-floor cleaning

Laying a tacky mat — Fig 2: Tacky mat reduces foot traffic contamination

WHY YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED?

Airborne contaminants gradually settle on equipment over time. Drawn inside by cooling fans, particles can block filters and accumulate on surfaces, leading to overheating.

Abrasive dust can cause mechanical malfunctions. Depending on the source, dust particles can also be corrosive and conductive, damaging motherboards and short-circuiting power supplies.

Sensitive smoke detectors that monitor server spaces can also misinterpret fine dust as smoke and trigger alarms. If the fire suppression system is activated, a costly clean-up and irreparable equipment damage could result.

HOW TO MINIMISE YOUR RISK

Incorporating a contamination prevention & control plan and regular above-floor cleaning with a tailored scope of work into your preventive maintenance program reduces contaminant levels before they can cause equipment and smoke detector malfunctions

Dedicate a staging / fit-out area outside the data centre or server room for unpacking equipment, tools and gear from crates and cardboard boxes.
Create and post cleanliness policies (no cardboard allowed, for example), making sure all employees and clients are aware of them.
Place tacky or sticky mats at entry ways to decrease the amount of contamination brought in via footwear and equipment wheels.
Change air filters on a regular basis and check for any cooling system belt wear, replacing belts as needed.
Have high traffic areas directly outside the data centre or server room vacuumed daily and kept clean.
Engage professional technical cleaning specialists familiar with IT environments to develop a scope of work specifically for cleaning your data centres and server rooms using safe and appropriate techniques.
Determine the optimal cleaning frequency for each IT area. Daily service may be required in colocation data halls accessed by large numbers of people, while monthly or quarterly service may suffice in comms rooms entered less often.
After any major installation or maintenance work is complete, perform a special cleaning service to remove contaminants before they can spread.
Arrange for your critical areas to be tested according to ISO 14644-1 air particle standards to determine their ISO Class and allow you to systematically examine and address areas with higher particle levels.
Review and update your contamination prevention & control plan and routine cleaning schedule on a yearly basis, or sooner if a significant change occurs in a room.

Learn more about Above-Floor Cleaning

data center above-floor cleaning with dry mop — Fig 3. Data centre cleaning with dry mop