Another year, another confirmation: Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) failures are still the leading cause of data center outages, according to the newly released Uptime Institute 2025 Annual Outage Report. Despite increasing awareness, improved monitoring, and investments in redundancy, the critical infrastructure meant to prevent downtime continues to be a weak point. With summer just around the corner, this should be a wake-up call. Whether you’re managing a large facility or a small data closet, this report offers a clear takeaway: it’s time to get proactive. And we’re here to help.
Why UPS Failures Are Still Happening
According to the Uptime Institute’s latest findings, UPS-related outages most often stem from:
- Battery degradation or failure
- Poorly executed or lack of maintenance
- Aging infrastructure
- Human error during testing or switching
- Cooling system dependencies, especially during high-temperature seasons
UPS units are designed to be a safety net — but when left unchecked, they can become the exact point of failure they’re supposed to prevent.
Summer = Stress Test Season
As temperatures rise, so do risks. Summer months put extra stress on electrical and cooling systems:
- Batteries degrade faster in hot environments – 77 degrees is the ideal temp for a data center
- Cooling systems work harder, increasing the load on power infrastructure
- Heat-related utility outages become more frequent
Summer is a built-in stress test. If your UPS isn’t ready now, it might not make it through peak season. Especially if you never test your system, you won’t know that you have a weak point until a storm hits, and you lose power (and all of your hardware).
Start a UPS Readiness Checklist
At Predictive Technology, we work with clients every day to identify and prevent infrastructure vulnerabilities. Here’s our UPS Summer Readiness Checklist to help you stay ahead of risk:
✅ Schedule Preventative Maintenance
Don’t wait for something to break. Regular maintenance is your first line of defense. Even a once of year, annual preventative maintenance check will help save you from unplanned outage. These PM checks are as simple as calling PTI and we handle the rest. Sending a certified and skilled technician on site to perform the PM check (which takes about 1-2 hours). After the site visit, we provide you with a report of deliverables and vulnerabilities that your system has. By catching these issues early, we can save you from a major downtime incident.
✅ Test Under Load
Perform battery and UPS testing under realistic load conditions to catch hidden weaknesses.
✅ Check Battery Age & Health
Many outages stem from batteries at or near end-of-life. Don’t guess — verify with proper diagnostics. If you want to add an extra layer of protection to your batteries, consider installing a battery monitoring system (BATM). The BATM performs diagnostics continuously and alerts you immediately when an issue is found. BATM removes the guesswork and ensures you always know the health of your batteries.
✅ Review Cooling Dependencies
Your UPS doesn’t work in isolation. Ensure your HVAC systems are performing correctly.
✅ Inspect Physical Environment
Dust, debris, and poor airflow can reduce UPS efficiency and accelerate wear. If we had $1 for every time a data closet was filled with layers and layers of dust and dirt, we would have $1,000. Schedule monthly cleanings to ensure you stay on top of the cleanliness.
✅ Have a Rapid Replacement Plan
If your UPS or batteries fail, do you have the parts and support lined up? If not, let’s talk. We can find the parts you need quickly and in stock through our extensive network of manufacturers and distributors and get them to your facility quickly.
Predictive Technology Can Help
We offer:
- UPS Health Assessments – Full diagnostic checks before the summer surge
- Preventative Maintenance Programs – Custom schedules based on your environmental
- Battery Replacements & Upgrades – From sealed lead acid to lithium options
- Quick-Ship Inventory – We stock major brands and replacement parts so you’re not stuck waiting
- Trusted Technicians & Service Teams – Nationwide network, fast response
Don’t Let 2025 Be the Year Your UPS Goes Down
The Uptime Institute has shown us — again — where the weak spot is. Let’s not ignore it.
If you’re not sure your UPS can handle the summer, or if you want a second opinion before things heat up, Predictive Technology is ready to help. We’ve supported data centers, enterprise IT, and hybrid environments for over 20 years — and we know how to keep your power protected.
Contact us today for a summer readiness consultation.
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