Data-centre cleaning and decontamination in Toronto
Dust clogs the air filters and fans of UPS systems and servers, and zinc whiskers from old floor tiles short circuits. A data-centre clean removes both from the sub-floor plenum, the tiles and pedestals, the cable trays and the outside of the equipment, with HEPA tools and the room running. It is booked just before a UPS and cooling visit, so new filters go into a clean room.
Key facts
- Target: ISO 14644-1 Class 8, the level ASHRAE sets for data centres[1]
- Zinc whiskers: conductive; they can short circuits above about 25 V (ASHRAE)[2]
- UPS air filters: cleaned or replaced every two months, more often in dusty rooms (Vertiv)[3]
- Tools: HEPA vacuums and anti-static wipes; no compressed air near live equipment
What Does Data-Centre Cleaning Remove Before Electrical Work?
Two things that end up as faults: dust that clogs the filters and fans of the UPS and the servers, and zinc whiskers, the conductive filaments that grow on the undersides of some raised-floor tiles and can short circuits above about 25 volts once inside equipment (ASHRAE). Both come out with HEPA tools while the room stays live: the sub-floor plenum, the tiles on both faces, the cable trays, and the equipment exteriors. The clean is booked ahead of the UPS and cooling visits, so the new filters go into a clean room.
In this video
- 0:00 What does data-centre cleaning remove before electrical work?
- 0:17 What is the room collecting?
- 0:44 What gets cleaned?
- 1:09 When does it run?
- 1:28 Talk to Symetrix Canada
Transcript
What does data-centre cleaning remove before electrical work? Two things that end up as faults: dust that clogs the filters and fans, and zinc whiskers, conductive filaments that grow on the undersides of some raised-floor tiles. Both come out with HEPA tools while the room stays live.
What is the room collecting? Zinc whiskers first: the contamination guideline calls them the most common conductive particles in data centres. They stay put until a tile is lifted, then ride the airflow into equipment, where they can short circuits above about 25 volts. After them: construction dust in the plenum and the cable trays, packaging debris at the intakes, and corrosive gases that attack the copper and silver on circuit boards.
What gets cleaned? The plenum under the floor first: debris out, then a HEPA vacuum and wipe of the slab, the pedestals and the cable trays. The tiles are cleaned on both faces, and tiles that shed whiskers are bagged where they lie and flagged for replacement, never brushed. Surfaces and equipment exteriors get anti-static wipes, top to bottom. The report carries before and after photos and the tiles to replace.
When does it run? Before the UPS and cooling visits, so the new filters go into a clean room. That matters when filters change every 2 months, more often in dusty rooms. After any construction or fit-out is the other trigger. Dust on the UPS filters or in the plenum means the room is already overdue.
Book the clean ahead of your next UPS window. Symetrix Canada services UPS systems across Toronto, the GTA and Ontario, with an around-the-clock emergency line. Reply and quote within 4 business hours. Call 1 (438) 800-0382. Find Symetrix Canada on the web.
What contaminates a data centre
| Source | Where it collects | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Zinc whiskers | Undersides of zinc-coated steel floor tiles and pedestals [2] | Drawn into equipment when tiles are lifted; short circuits and arcing [2] |
| Construction dust | Plenum, cable trays, cooling coils | Clogs filters and heat sinks after a fit-out |
| Fibres and packaging debris | Under the floor, at the air intakes | Blocks airflow and raises inlet temperatures |
| Corrosive gases | Outdoor air near roads or industry | Attack copper and silver on circuit boards |
How the work runs
- Survey: a visual check or particle counts, and tile and pedestal inspection for zinc whiskers.
- Method statement: sequence, containment around open tiles, and the airflow that must stay unblocked.
- Sub-floor plenum: debris out, then HEPA vacuum and wipe of the slab, pedestals and cable trays.
- Floor tiles: cleaned on both faces. Tiles that shed whiskers are listed for replacement.
- Surfaces and equipment exteriors: HEPA vacuum and anti-static wipes, top to bottom.
- UPS and cooling rooms: cleaned before the UPS maintenance and precision cooling visits, which change the filters.
- Report: before and after photos or counts, the tiles to replace, and the next clean date.
Zinc whiskers
Zinc whiskers grow from zinc-coated steel, and the undersides of some raised-floor tiles are coated that way. ASHRAE calls them the most common electrically conductive particles in data centres [2]. They stay put until a tile is lifted, then ride the airflow into servers and UPS power supplies. Lifting tiles for a cleaning job can cause the very fault the clean is meant to prevent, so whisker-bearing tiles are bagged where they lie and replaced, not brushed.
Common questions
What cleanliness level should a data centre meet?
ASHRAE says data centres must be kept clean to Class 8 of ISO 14644-1 [1].
What are zinc whiskers?
Fine conductive filaments that grow from zinc-coated steel, including the undersides of some raised-floor tiles. Once inside equipment they can short circuits running above about 25 V [2].
Can a data centre be cleaned while it is running?
Yes. HEPA-filtered tools, anti-static materials and containment around open tiles let the work proceed with the equipment live, and the sequence keeps cold air reaching every rack.
How often should a data centre be cleaned?
After any construction or fit-out, and on a schedule set by particle counts and the room's history. Dust on the UPS filters or under the floor means the room is already overdue.
Sources
- ASHRAE TC 9.9, 2011 Gaseous and Particulate Contamination Guidelines for Data Centers, Table 4
- ASHRAE TC 9.9, 2011 Gaseous and Particulate Contamination Guidelines for Data Centers, Particulate contamination section
- Vertiv, Liebert APM2 UL Modular UPS User Manual SL-71948, printed p. 156 (PDF p. 164)
Updated