Microscopic zinc whiskers from galvanized floor tiles cause short circuits. We identify, remediate, and prevent recurrence.
Medical Facility
XIRI provides data center zinc-whisker remediation services for facilities in Valley Stream, NY and the surrounding Nassau County area. Valley Stream, a village in Nassau County with a population exceeding 37,000, is a bustling Long Island community bordering Queens. Served by the Long Island Rail Road at Valley Stream, Gibson, and Westwood stations, the area sees significant traffic along Sunrise Highway and around the Green Acres Mall.
Zinc whiskers are microscopic metal filaments that grow from galvanized steel floor tiles. They break off, become airborne in sub-floor plenums, and cause short circuits in IT equipment. A single whisker can take down a server. Most data center operators don't know they have a zinc whisker problem until equipment fails.
We inspect sub-floor plenums for zinc whisker contamination, HEPA-vacuum affected areas with H14-grade filtration, assess galvanized tiles for replacement priority, and implement ongoing monitoring protocols. All work follows ASHRAE TC 9.9 and iNEMI guidelines.
Sub-floor plenum inspection and HEPA vacuuming
ASHRAE TC 9.9
Zinc whisker identification on galvanized tiles
iNEMI Guidelines
HEPA-H14 filtered airborne particle control
ISO 14644-1
Anti-static protocols for equipment proximity work
ANSI/ESD S20.20
If your data center has galvanized steel floor tiles (common in pre-2005 builds), you likely have zinc whiskers. We perform a sub-floor inspection with magnification and particle sampling to assess severity.
The whiskers themselves can be removed with HEPA vacuuming, but they regrow from galvanized surfaces. Long-term solutions include tile replacement with non-galvanized alternatives and ongoing HEPA maintenance cleaning.
Book a free site audit. We'll assess your facility and build a compliance-ready protocol.
Get Your Free Site Audit