What to Specify Before Ordering a Laboratory Fume Hood

Start with the substances and procedures used inside the hood. List corrosive chemicals, solvents, acids, heat-producing equipment and any unusually tall apparatus. This information guides the liner, worktop, sash and service-fixture selection. General laboratory safety guidance is available from the OSHA laboratory safety overview.

Next, confirm the fume hood width, internal working height, work-surface depth and installation location. Doorways, ceiling height, service access and nearby air-supply diffusers can affect installation and containment. Walk-in fume hoods need enough floor and ceiling clearance for both equipment and safe sash operation.

Then coordinate the exhaust system. Provide the target face velocity, normal sash opening, estimated exhaust volume and duct connection position to the ventilation engineer. Duct diameter, bends, vertical risers, roof discharge and fan static pressure should be calculated as one system. A VAV fume hood can reduce exhaust volume when the sash is lowered, while a constant-air-volume design uses a more stable exhaust rate.

Finally, define utilities and accessories. Water, gas, vacuum and electrical services should be positioned for safe access without creating obstructions inside the work zone. Airflow monitors, sash stops, base cabinets and scrubbers may be added when required by the project. LANDRO can manufacture custom fume hood sizes and coordinate cabinet construction, worktops and service fittings for research, education, pharmaceutical and industrial laboratories.