Fume Hood Testing
Fume hoods, exhaust hoods, biosafety cabinets, and laminar flow hoods are vital technical instruments used to provide a valid testing environment for research but also to provide safety for people and research in your laboratory. Fume hoods must not only be properly designed for the space and application but also they must be balanced with the building mechanical systems in order to work properly and provide you with the proper testing environment and safety for your personnel. Routine fume hood testing assures you that your fume hoods are operating safely. ASHRAE 110 is the standard for most fume hood testing.
A fume hood that is not operating properly is a risk to your people, your research and your organization. Basic chemical fume hoods are simply a box that provides a workspace for research to be conducted and a vessel to contain air that is circulated within the hood. While they are simply a box, they are engineered to manage air flow. Today’s fume hoods are also designed to save energy to save you money and help the environment. Energy saving hoods use less air which can increase the risk of poor air containment in the fume hood if the hoods are not tested and maintained along with a properly operating and balanced HVAC system.
Why should I test my fume hoods?
First and foremost, testing can improve the safety of your laboratory. Second, testing can improve energy use and cost savings. Third, while fume hood testing does not guarantee that your fume hoods are safe in all conditions, testing does give owners a basis for comparing the performance of their fume hoods against ANSI/ASHRAE standards. Testing can also assist building owners in diagnosing or tracking building HVAC changes or issues.
ASHRAE 100-1995 tests for face velocity at the fume hood openings, tracer gas containment and smoke visualization. This is the most widely used standard for testing, certifying or commissioning laboratory fume hoods. Revisions contained in ASHRAE 100-2005 have not yet been adopted. The NIH and EPA have also created testing standards.
Fullscreen ModeSince 1924, Haldeman Homme has serviced thousands of clients’ laboratory equipment and fume hood testing needs. Here are some fume hood services we offer to you:
- Design assistance for custom fume hood applications
- Assist mechanical and electrical contractors with HVAC system design
- Fume hood testing and commissioning
- Installation of new fume hoods
- Demolition and remodeling of existing fume hoods
- Environmental, Health and Safety compliance and consulting
- Fume hood services including water, electrical, gas, data, alarms
Contact one of our fume hood experts at 844-628-3720 for assistance with your fume hood testing needs.
