I'm a software developer who's worked at home for 20 years or so. I recently moved to the country, and have all my IT equipment in a 2nd floor "utility room". This room also has the water heater (electric) and a passive water treatment system for well water. But, most/all the heat is generated by the IT equipment, not other infrastructure.
This room generally sits between 85F and 90F due to the large quantity of servers and network equipment exhausting waste heat. There is one small ceiling vent from the HVAC (intake, not exhaust). The room wasn't really designed for the amount of heat being generated. But I'd like to bring the temps down to 80F or so.
In my old (suburb) house, I had a similar setup, and installed what amounts to a dryer vent in the door coupled with a free-standing bathroom ceiling vent box to exhaust the waste heat to the hallway. I'd like to do something similar, but slicker. (The vent box eventually burned out, so clearly wasn't rated to run 24 x 7).
I'm basically looking for ideas or pointers to cheap, but effective solutions. In the winter, it makes sense to send the waste heat into the house, e.g. the hallway outside the room, where it can offset any heating needed. But in the summer, it makes more sense to push the waste heat outside in some way. I don't mind manually switching things a couple times a year, and I suppose could automate some of that if it gets too burdensome.
I really don't want to add a spot cooler or anything that would consume significant power, as I don't think the problem warrants that. Cycling cool air to/from the rest of the house would be OK.
The room may have a way to vent air into the soffits, or at least I could install something to do that if there was something that would work and not allow outside air (or critters) to back-flow in. I'd also like to not create any code issues, fire issues, etc.
Ideas are appreciated. Being in the country, there aren't a lot of pros out here, so it will pretty much be DIY via Lowes or Amazon. I have lots of skills including electrical and electronic, so can probably build just about anything within reason.
Thanks...