One of the primary safety devices in laboratories where chemicals are used is the laboratory fume hood. It allows a researcher to work with—but not be exposed to—materials that create toxic fumes or particles when it is properly installed and maintained.
Top 6 Questions You Should Ask When Buying a Fume Hood
- Can your lab go ductless? Ductless hoods are a viable solution for most routine laboratory applications.
- What is the hood constructed from and how is it constructed? Will the chemicals you use attack, degrade, or physically alter the material of the hood?
- What types of safety controls are included in the base cost of the unit?
- Has the manufacturer/distributor gone through a thorough application review process? Does the suggested filtration make sense?
- How hard is installation? Will there be a future/potential need to move the hood after initial installation? Should the hood be portable?
- What are the capital, installation and operational costs? From the lab manager’s perspective, capital costs are but a fraction of the overall budget.
Fume hood types used by survey respondents:
| Conventional ducted fume hood | 68% |
| Laminar flow hood | 33% |
| Benchtop ductless fume hood | 19% |
| Canopy ducted fume hood | 11% |
| Variable air volume ducted fume hood | 10% |
| Portable ductless fume hood | 3% |
| Other | 5% |
Fume hood related components used by survey respondents:
| Transport support cart | 6% |
| Fume extractor arms | 10% |
| Base storage cabinet | 52% |
| Digital monitor | 21% |
| Airflow monitor | 59% |
| Work surface | 48% |
| Blowers | 26% |
| Other | 1% |
Nearly 38% of respondents are engaged in purchasing a new fume hood. The reasons for these purchases are as follows:
 | Replacement of aging system | 51% |  |
 | Addition to existing systems, increase capacity | 18% | |
 | Setting up a new lab / developing a brand new method | 14% | |
 | First time purchase | 1% | |
 | Other | 16% |
Top 10 Features/Factors Respondents Look for When Purchasing a Fume Hood
| Performance of Product | 86% |
| Safety and Health Features | 80% |
| Durability of Product | 79% |
| Low Maintenance / Easy to Clean | 77% |
| Ease of Use: Ergonomic Operation | 75% |
| Value for Price Paid | 70% |
| Low Operating Costs | 65% |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 53% |
| Warranties | 50% |
| Service and Support | 47% |
For more information on fume hoods, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers, visit www.labmanager.com/Fume-hoods
