The modern laboratories are the haven of innovation, creation and learning in the scientific world. Lab personnel, scientists, and researchers handle dangerous gases, toxic chemicals, and volatile substances to conduct experiments with them and gain knowledge from them. This exposure to hazardous substances remains a significant risk to scientists, students, and everyone in such spaces while working with hazardous substances. 


That's why you need a fume hood in your lab, an important ventilation and safety equipment designed to reduce such risks of exposure to dangerous gases. These hoods provide a safe enclosure with proper ventilation that pulls the gases away from the user in a controlled space for conducting experiments. They play a unique role in maintaining personnel health and safety in laboratories. This article revolves around the key advantages these hoods offer to your labs and highlights features to look for while buying one for your laboratory.

5 Key Advantages Of Lab Fume Hood

Labs have various chemicals, and their reactions can produce toxic gases and vapours. Maintaining the safety and productivity of the lab is of extreme importance. A systematic environment allows researchers, students, and scientists to work safely with dangerous chemicals and toxic gases. Fume hoods make all this easy with their durable design and a boatload of features. Let us take a look at the key benefits of laboratory fume cupboards.

1. Protection Against Exposure To Gases

The fume cupboard is an essential laboratory equipment designed to protect students, researchers, and lab personnel from possible inhalation of hazardous vapours, gases, and toxins. Correctly drawing off toxic air from the enclosure, these cupboards reduce the risk of developing complications related to breathing and other health issues due to exposure to hazardous substances and chemicals.

2. Control & Contain Chemical Spills

In case of a spill, these hoods can greatly help confine hazardous chemicals from spilling into the laboratory workspace and increasing damage. The lab working area must be safe, and it will reduce the possibility of accidents. The leakproof enclosure and safety sashes prevent dangerous gases or chemicals from escaping into the lab air.

3. A Dedicated Experiment Space

The multiplicity of sash movement and control features provides a specified space for the experiment. These hoods ensure that hazardous procedures are conducted in isolation. These specialisations make the safety factor of the lab environment much more significant, resulting in more focused and undisturbed research activity in the lab.

4. Enhanced Lab Environment

Beyond their safety, laboratory hoods also maintain a more comfortable and productive lab environment. By removing airborne contaminants, they provide cleaner air that sharpens concentration within the lab and reduces incidents of irritation or allergies among those inside the lab. Due to their ergonomic design, these hoods allow lab personnel to work comfortably and fit perfectly into the lab space.

5. Contribute To Energy Efficiency

These hoods are more energy-efficient than you can imagine. The dedicated storage section gives you proper space to store important chemicals and equipment.  Unique features like variable air volume (VAV) systems adjust the volume of air exhausted based on the hood's usage, leading to lower energy consumption and operational costs.

Tips To Choose The Right Fume Hood

We have elaborately discussed what a fume cupboard is and how it functions. You must have one in your lab to make it safer and more productive. If you want one for your lab, you must get it from Santech Labs. We will briefly guide you on the factors to consider while choosing a suitable fume hood for your lab.

1. Acquisition & Operating Costs

When deciding which hood to buy, consider the purchase price, but remember to include the long-term operating cost. Even if they cost more, energy-efficient models will bring much greater savings in the long run. An appropriate budget for the purchase will give you a roadmap of the features you must have in your selected hood.

2. Ventilation System

The effectiveness of the fume cupboard depends on its ventilation system. You can choose between CAV [constant air volume] or VAV [variable air volume] systems. Get appropriate ventilation systems according to your needs to ensure good airflow that protects the lab workers from toxic fumes. The VAV system is considered more energy-efficient than its counterpart.

3. The Right Size & Height

Take caution when selecting a hood that conforms to your lab's spatial configuration and will be able to accommodate most experiments carried out within. It should be of the right size and height for effective performance and comfort to the user. Also, the ergonomics of the hood should be considered.

4. Durability Of Fume Hood

With such a huge investment, you must ensure that the selected hood is corrosion-resistant, has higher durability and can withstand wear and tear during routine usage. Confirm that the model is developed from quality and long-lasting materials with solid warranties and service contracts in place.

5. Additional Accessories Required

Depending on your experiments and research needs, you will need additional accessories like storage compartments, lights, electrical outlets, and service fixtures for water, vacuum, or gas. To help you select the right hood, you should make a list of these accessories.

Conclusion

Installing fume hoods in working laboratories adds to all laboratory personnel's safety, efficiency, and health. The benefits of these hoods are vast, from guarding against toxins exposure to safeguarding the general lab environment. Upgrading your lab with high-tech equipment is a must if you want to create a learning environment. Before purchasing, you should consider various factors like the cost, size, ventilation, and accessories that come with it, among other considerations such as durability, to purchase the most appropriate hood that makes your lab modern and safe at the same time.

Finding the fitting hood will enable scientists, researchers, and students to conduct dangerous experiments safely and under controlled circumstances, empowering the lab to continue taking scientific innovations to new heights. All the other lab equipment, like these hoods, should be of high quality because they keep you safe and the labs productive, which is necessary for the demands of the scientific exploration process.