Why Is the Humidity Too High in My Server Room? Troubleshooting Guide Malaysia

High humidity inside a server room may increase the risk of condensation, corrosion, electrical insulation problems and long-term equipment deterioration.

However, one high reading does not automatically prove that the entire room has a humidity problem.

The reading may be caused by poor sensor placement, an open door, cooling-system operation, outdoor-air entry, water leakage or a local cold surface.

A structured server room high-humidity troubleshooting process helps Malaysian data-centre teams identify when the increase occurs, which areas are affected and what is causing it.

Why Is High Humidity a Concern?

High humidity may contribute to:

• Condensation on cold surfaces

• Corrosion of connectors and terminals

• Moisture inside network outlets

• Electrical leakage or insulation deterioration

• Damage to circuit boards

• Mould growth on suitable materials

• Water droplets near cooling equipment

• Unreliable sensors

• Premature equipment deterioration

Risk depends on the actual temperature, humidity, surface condition, exposure duration and equipment design.

Common Causes of High Server Room Humidity

Possible causes include:

• Door frequently left open

• Outdoor humid air entering the room

• Poor wall or ceiling sealing

• Cooling-unit control problem

• Humidifier malfunction

• Oversized cooling system

• Short cooling cycles

• Insufficient moisture removal

• Chilled-water pipe condensation

• Blocked condensate drain

• Water leakage

• Wet floor or building material

• Cooling-unit shutdown

• Incorrect sensor placement

• Sensor drift or failure

• Weather changes

• Maintenance activity

• Building HVAC changes

The visible symptom may be far from the original moisture source.

Essential High-Humidity Investigation Tools

A practical toolkit may include:

• Elitech GSP-6 Pro Temperature and Humidity Data Logger

• Handheld temperature and humidity meter

• Dew-point meter or suitable environmental instrument

• Noyafa NF-522 Thermal Camera

• Airflow meter

• Differential pressure meter

• Moisture meter

• Temperature probes

• Inspection light

• Approved water-leak detection equipment

The Elitech RC-5 records temperature only and cannot confirm relative humidity by itself.

Step 1: Confirm the Reading

Before investigating the facility, confirm:

• Instrument battery condition

• Sensor response

• Correct measurement unit

• Logger settings

• Date and time

• Sensor placement

• Calibration or comparison status

• Whether the reading is stable

Compare the suspected instrument with another suitable temperature-and-humidity meter.

Two instruments should be placed close together and allowed sufficient time to stabilise before comparing results.

Step 2: Check the Sensor Location

The reading may be unrepresentative if the logger is positioned:

• Directly in cooling discharge

• Near an open door

• Against a cold wall

• Near a chilled-water pipe

• Beside a humidifier

• Near a water leak

• Against equipment exhaust

• On the floor

• In direct sunlight

• Inside a confined enclosure

Record the exact sensor position before moving it.

Step 3: Measure Temperature and Humidity Together

Relative humidity changes with air temperature.

A humidity percentage should therefore be reviewed together with:

• Air temperature

• Time

• Location

• Cooling-system condition

• Equipment load

• Door condition

A change in temperature can alter relative humidity even when the actual amount of moisture in the air has not changed significantly.

Step 4: Review the Dew Point

Dew point indicates the temperature at which condensation may begin forming.

Condensation risk increases when a surface becomes colder than the surrounding air’s dew point.

Potential cold surfaces include:

• Chilled-water pipes

• Cooling coils

• Metal panels

• Floor surfaces

• Air-conditioning ducts

• Cooling-unit components

• Cold-air grilles

Do not assess condensation risk from relative humidity alone.

Step 5: Use Multiple Measurement Locations

Measure at:

• Rack front-top

• Rack front-middle

• Rack front-bottom

• Room centre

• Near the cooling unit

• Near doors

• Near suspected water sources

• UPS battery area

• Adjacent corridor or room

• Reference location

This helps determine whether the problem affects the whole room or only one local area.

Step 6: Install a Temperature-and-Humidity Data Logger

A spot measurement may miss a short overnight increase.

The Elitech GSP-6 Pro can help record temperature and relative-humidity trends.

Select a logging interval suitable for the investigation, such as:

• One minute for short, rapidly changing events

• Five minutes for detailed troubleshooting

• Ten to fifteen minutes for routine trending

Confirm that the memory and battery capacity are sufficient for the monitoring period.

Step 7: Compare Day and Night Conditions

Humidity may rise at night because of:

• Reduced cooling operation

• Building HVAC schedule

• Lower room temperature

• Higher outdoor humidity

• Doors opening during cleaning

• Cooling-unit cycling

• Reduced equipment load

Monitor continuously for at least one complete day-and-night cycle.

Longer monitoring may be required for intermittent problems.

Step 8: Review Cooling-Unit Operation

Check:

• Cooling mode

• Supply-air temperature

• Return-air temperature

• Fan operation

• Compressor or chilled-water operation

• Humidity-control settings

• Active alarms

• Filter condition

• Coil condition

• Drain condition

• Operating schedule

A cooling system may maintain temperature while controlling moisture poorly.

Step 9: Check for Short Cycling

An oversized or incorrectly controlled cooling system may cool the room quickly and stop before removing sufficient moisture.

Possible signs include:

• Frequent compressor starting and stopping

• Stable temperature but high humidity

• Short operating cycles

• Humidity rising between cycles

• Uneven conditions across the room

Review trends and cooling-system logs with the responsible HVAC specialist.

Step 10: Inspect the Condensate Drain

Check for:

• Blockage

• Overflow

• Damaged drain pan

• Failed condensate pump

• Incorrect drain slope

• Slime or contamination

• Loose connection

• Water around the cooling unit

A blocked drain may create both high humidity and direct water-leakage risk.

Step 11: Inspect Chilled-Water Pipes

Look for:

• Damaged insulation

• Missing insulation

• Wet insulation

• Water droplets

• Corroded supports

• Loose pipe joints

• Cold bridges

• Condensation marks

Thermal imaging may help identify unusual temperature patterns, but suspected moisture should be confirmed using another suitable method.

Step 12: Check Doors and Access Points

Review whether:

• Doors close fully

• Door seals are intact

• Doors are propped open

• Access activity corresponds with humidity changes

• Adjacent areas have higher humidity

• Cable openings allow air entry

• Wall penetrations are sealed

Compare logger timestamps with access-control records where authorised.

Step 13: Check Room Pressure

Differential pressure can help determine whether humid air may enter from adjacent areas.

Measure pressure between:

• Server room and corridor

• Server room and adjacent plant area

• Raised floor and server room

• Contained aisle and surrounding room

Reversed or insufficient pressure may increase uncontrolled air entry.

Interpret results according to the facility’s ventilation and containment design.

Step 14: Measure Airflow

Use an airflow meter to check:

• Cooling-unit supply

• Cooling-unit return

• Rack inlet

• Door area

• Floor grille

• Ceiling opening

• Suspected air-leak path

Unexpected airflow may carry humid air into the room.

Use consistent sensor position and direction when comparing results.

Step 15: Inspect for Water Leakage

Check:

• Cooling units

• Chilled-water pipes

• Ceiling

• Roof

• Walls

• Raised floor

• Floor above

• Fire-suppression piping

• Humidifier system

• Drainage routes

A small hidden leak may raise local humidity before visible water appears.

Step 16: Use a Moisture Meter Where Appropriate

A suitable moisture meter may help inspect:

• Walls

• Ceiling boards

• Raised-floor panels

• Selected building materials

• Areas around pipe routes

• Previous leakage locations

Select an instrument suitable for the material being checked.

A normal surface reading does not always prove that the area behind the surface is dry.

Step 17: Perform Thermal Inspection

Use a thermal camera to look for:

• Cooler damp areas

• Cold pipe surfaces

• Missing insulation

• Cooling imbalance

• Air-leak patterns

• Condensation-prone surfaces

• Electrical hotspots after safe inspection

The Noyafa NF-522 Thermal Camera can support wide-area temperature-pattern inspection.

Thermal imaging does not measure moisture directly.

Step 18: Check the Humidifier

Where a humidifier is installed, review:

• Control setpoint

• Sensor feedback

• Valve operation

• Steam or water supply

• Shutdown response

• Maintenance condition

• Alarm history

A control or sensor fault may cause unnecessary humidification.

Step 19: Check Adjacent Areas

Measure temperature and humidity in:

• Corridor

• Mechanical room

• Ceiling space

• Raised-floor area

• Electrical room

• Loading or access area

• Office area

• Outdoor location where relevant

This can help identify the direction of humid-air entry.

Step 20: Review Recent Changes

Ask whether the humidity problem began after:

• Cooling-system maintenance

• Sensor replacement

• Door replacement

• Rack installation

• Cable work

• Construction

• Water leakage

• HVAC schedule change

• Equipment-load reduction

• Room-layout modification

A recent change often provides the strongest troubleshooting clue.

High Humidity Throughout the Room

If all monitoring points show similar high humidity, investigate:

• Cooling and dehumidification performance

• Building air entry

• Control settings

• Humidifier operation

• Weather influence

• Cooling shutdown

• Room pressure

High Humidity in One Location Only

If only one area is affected, investigate:

• Local water leakage

• Cold surface

• Poor airflow

• Damaged pipe insulation

• Door or wall opening

• Incorrect sensor placement

• Wet building material

High Humidity but No Visible Condensation

Condensation may still form on a surface colder than the air.

Check:

• Dew point

• Chilled-water pipes

• Cooling grilles

• Cold walls

• Metal surfaces

• Cooling-unit components

Continue monitoring because condensation may appear only during certain operating conditions.

Temperature Logger Versus Temperature-and-Humidity Logger

Data Logger Versus Handheld Meter

Use both when investigating a difficult humidity problem.

Example: Humidity Rises When the Door Opens

Possible causes include:

• Humid corridor air

• Incorrect room-pressure relationship

• Damaged door seal

• Door remaining open too long

• High traffic

• Nearby external access point

Compare logger readings with door activity.

Example: Humidity Rises at Night

Possible causes include:

• Cooling schedule

• Lower room temperature

• Reduced dehumidification

• Higher outdoor humidity

• Cleaning activity

• Reduced equipment load

Continue monitoring across several nights to confirm the pattern.

Example: Humidity Is High Near One Cooling Unit

Check:

• Condensate drain

• Drain pan

• Coil condition

• Pipe insulation

• Humidifier

• Sensor placement

• Water leakage

• Local airflow

Example: Room Humidity Is Normal but Pipe Condensation Appears

Possible causes include:

• Pipe surface below dew point

• Damaged insulation

• Missing vapour barrier

• Local humid-air entry

• Unusual cold-water temperature

Repairing the pipe insulation may be more appropriate than changing the room humidity setting.

Example: Humidity Percentage Rises When Temperature Drops

This may be a normal relative-humidity response to falling temperature.

Review:

• Absolute moisture condition

• Dew point

• Surface temperatures

• Duration of the change

• Condensation evidence

Do not adjust equipment based only on one relative-humidity number.

Common High-Humidity Troubleshooting Mistakes

Avoid:

• Checking humidity without temperature

• Using a temperature-only logger

• Relying on one room-centre sensor

• Placing the logger directly in cold air

• Ignoring dew point

• Assuming high humidity always means water leakage

• Ignoring doors and wall penetrations

• Failing to inspect condensate drains

• Treating thermal imaging as direct moisture detection

• Changing cooling settings before identifying the cause

• Monitoring only during working hours

• Failing to verify the result after corrective action

Recommended High-Humidity Investigation Kit

A practical kit may include:

• Elitech GSP-6 Pro

• Handheld temperature and humidity meter

• Dew-point instrument

• Noyafa NF-522 Thermal Camera

• Airflow meter

• Differential pressure meter

• Moisture meter

• Suitable temperature probes

• Location labels

• Inspection and documentation tools

Record the Investigation

Document:

• Date and time

• Temperature

• Relative humidity

• Dew point where available

• Exact measurement location

• Logger identification

• Cooling-system condition

• Door condition

• Weather or adjacent-room condition

• Water or condensation evidence

• Corrective action

• Follow-up monitoring result

Verify the Correction

After corrective work:

1. Repeat measurements at the same locations.

2. Continue temperature-and-humidity logging.

3. Compare similar operating periods.

4. Recheck cold surfaces.

5. Inspect for recurring condensation.

6. Review cooling alarms.

7. Confirm room-pressure conditions where relevant.

8. Record the final trend.

Identify the Source Before Changing the Setpoint

High server-room humidity may result from moisture entry, cooling operation, short cycling, water leakage, incorrect pressure or unsuitable sensor placement.

Lowering the thermostat without finding the cause may increase energy use or create additional condensation risk.

Combining temperature-and-humidity logging, dew-point review, airflow measurement, differential-pressure testing and thermal inspection provides better evidence for selecting the correct action.

Contact MTM Precision

MTM Precision Sdn. Bhd.

Showroom & Service Centre

No. 29-1 & 29-2, Jalan Bandar 18,
Pusat Bandar Puchong,
47160 Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia

🌐 Website: www.mtmpre.com.my
📧 Email: mtmpre@yahoo.com
📱 WhatsApp: +6016-660 7346