Hot & cold aisle containment
End doors, roof panels and seals that keep supply air and exhaust air apart across a row of racks.
In an uncontained room, hot exhaust from the back of the racks mixes with cold supply air before it reaches the servers, so the cooling units have to run colder and harder to make up for it. Containment closes the aisle with end doors and roof panels, so cold air goes only where it is needed and hot air returns to the cooling units undiluted.
We fabricate containment to fit your rows, including rows built from different rack makes and heights, and install it ourselves, usually around equipment that is already running.
Where it is used
- New data halls and colocation suites
- Retrofits in running server rooms
- Rooms with raised-floor supply air
- Rows with in-row cooling units
- Rows of mixed rack heights or makes
What to specify
The decisions that set the size and price. Answer what you can; we fill the gaps at survey.
- Hot or cold aisle
- Cold-aisle containment encloses the supply side and is usually the simpler retrofit in rooms fed from a raised floor. Hot-aisle containment encloses the exhaust side and returns it to in-row or ducted cooling, leaving the rest of the room at supply temperature.
- Row geometry
- Give us the number of racks per row, their heights and widths, and the aisle width. Mixed heights need filler panels so the roof line stays sealed.
- End doors
- Sliding doors save space in narrow aisles; hinged doors are simpler. Self-closing doors stop the aisle being left open.
- Roof
- Choose between a fixed roof and panels that open or drop away. Agree this with your fire consultant before it is fixed (see below).
- Fire detection & suppression
- Roof panels must not stop sprinkler water or suppression gas reaching the contained aisle, and smoke detection may need to be inside it. Share the fire design before the roof is finalised.
- Sealing
- Containment only works with the gaps closed: blanking panels in every empty U, brush grommets at cable entries, and seals under and between racks.
Specification
Sizes, ratings and finishes are confirmed with each quotation. Send your requirement and we will return a drawing and specification for approval.
Ask for a specificationQuestions buyers ask
Can containment be fitted in a room that is already running?
Usually, yes. Our survey records racks that are out of line, mismatched heights, overhead obstructions and the fire design, so the frame is made to fit and installed around live equipment, with the work planned with your facility team.
Hot aisle or cold aisle: which should we choose?
It depends mainly on how cool air reaches the racks. With raised-floor supply, cold-aisle containment is usually the straightforward choice. With in-row coolers or ducted returns, hot-aisle containment often fits better. We recommend one after the survey.
Does containment work with racks from different manufacturers?
Yes, when it is made for the row. We measure every rack and fabricate frames and filler panels that bridge differences in height, depth and width.
Will containment affect our fire suppression system?
It can, which is why we ask for the fire design before finalising the roof. Your fire consultant decides what is acceptable, and we build the roof to that requirement.
Delivered by our team
Quote for hot & cold aisle containment
Quantity, sizes (or your equipment list) and the site location are enough to start. Drawings and photos of the room help us quote installation too.