What Do You Need To Know About Ductless Fume Hoods?

Since the 1960s, ductless fume hoods have been employed. These devices are also known as filtered fume hoods, fume cupboards, as well as enclosures. Standard laboratory processes, chemical handling, or other activities that generate vapors or fumes can all be mitigated with the help of a fume hood.

Although these ductless devices have many potential applications in the laboratory, their advantages over the more commonplace complete exhaust fume hood and laminar flow hood are typically disregarded.

There is no denying the practical advantages of ductless filtered fume hoods in the modern workplace.

Costs

If you're only considering the price of the hood, the initial investment in a ductless hood could be higher than that in a conventional complete exhaust fume hood. The total cost of an exhaust fume hood includes not only the initial purchase price but also the annual operating costs associated with energy and certification. Follow the link for more https://www.moravek.com/ductless-fume-hoods-5-benefits-that-every-clean-room-can-take-advantage-of/. 

After investing in a ductless fume hood, the main recurring expense is filtering. The cost of the filters for your ductless hood may vary, based on the type of application you have and the filters you choose to use. Nevertheless, these ongoing expenses are noticeably cheaper than the cost of the energy used to create the HVAC air in the first place and then release it outside.

The cost of running a complete exhaust fume hood rises in tandem with the cost of power. Exhausted air needs to be regularly replaced with conditioned air to maintain a constant temperature in the laboratory. 

As a result, there will be a rise in the cost of utilities and maybe an expansion of the building's infrastructure to meet the greater need for air conditioning. Installing new ducting, becoming certified, and renovating older buildings to accommodate the entire exhaust are extra expenses not covered by these estimates.

As a yearly expense, HVAC is more expensive than filter replacements, but most ductless systems pay for themselves in less than five years. Online fume hood cost estimators can give you a ballpark figure for how much it will cost to run your hood regularly.

The types of chemicals used

What kinds of chemicals are used in your lab and are perhaps the single most significant factor to think about? Many ductless fume cabinets can only handle vapors that are produced by a certain operation or are quite light.

Make sure you have a complete inventory of all the chemicals and their respective amounts before deciding if this unit is good for you. You can use this information to figure out if a ductless hood would be suitable for your laboratory. 

This fume extraction system may not be ideal if your laboratory's use is anticipated to alter over time or if you do not know what kinds of chemicals will be employed in the future. The safety and well-being of your workers should always come first, thus a ductless fume hood's usefulness will mostly depend on the chemicals you plan to use. Read more here. 

Do ductless fume hoods cost more?

The expense is another major consideration. As we have discussed, this technology often provides significant savings over ducted alternatives. Mechanical systems, ducting, exhaust fans, roof components, and other similar extras are required for a ducted system, which drives up the cost. These are all costs you should factor in as well. 

All of these expenditures can be avoided with a filtered hood, but that doesn't make them cost anything to operate. The cost of filter replacements for ductless hoods is something that must be accounted for.

This lab's adaptability

Modular furniture and flexible layouts are gaining popularity in today's laboratories. The portability and versatility of a recirculating hood make it an ideal choice for this. The ductless fume hoods may be used wherever and whenever you need them thanks to their simple plug-and-play installation. This can free up your staff members to perform at their highest levels, regardless of the laboratory's layout.

A ducted system can only be installed in one location and cannot be moved. These are commonly seen in buildings with restricted access or those that are older. The ductless fume hood, on the other hand, is portable and may be taken with you to a new lab or site.