FUME HOODS

Chemical fume hoods are used to contain and exhaust chemical vapors. They come in a variety of types and designs and are used for many different operations. When using a fume hood, it is important to have proper airflow, in order to avoid release of chemical vapors from the face of the hood into the worker’s breathing zone. ENV offers face velocity measurement and smoke containment visualization as a means of documenting a fume hood’s performance and for comparison to current standards (AIHA/ANSI, SEFA). This testing and certification procedure is a part of a lab’s chemical safety management program. Other aspects, including preventative maintenance and inspections, chemical exposure monitoring, and periodic ASHRAE 110 testing can give a facility a complete program for fume hood management.

    ANSI/ASHRAE 110
    Method of Testing Performance of Laboratory Fume Hoods

    The ANSI/ASHRAE 110 test is a method of testing the performance of laboratory fume hoods. There are three test procedures incorporated into the ASHRAE 110 test:

  1. Face Velocity Grid Test
  2. Flow Visualization or Smoke Test
  3. Tracer Gas Containment Test

    ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) has defined three modes for evaluating fume hoods. They are: as Manufactured (AM), as Installed (AI), and as Used (AU).

    The AM mode requires the manufacturer to test the fume hood in their facility and provide the test data with the hood. The AI mode is the most common mode used for testing fume hoods to this standard. It is done after the unit is installed and prior to use by laboratory personnel. It verifies the unit is operating properly and safely. The AU mode is a dynamic test performed in an actively occupied lab. This test is usually used as a diagnostic test to ascertain the nature or source of a problem.

    For more information regarding ASHRAE 110 testing of your fume hoods, please contact your regional ENV office for further assistance.

    ANSI Z9.5-2003 and SEFA 1-2002 -
    Recommended Practices for Laboratory Fume Hoods

    Both standards recommend face velocity and smoke visualization tests as a means of fume hood evaluation. Both standards refer to the ANSI/ASHRAE 110 test for specifics of fume hood performance.




Biosafety Cabinets • Fume Hoods • Laminar Flow Units • BSL-3 and BSL-4
Cleanroom Certification • USP <797> • Air Monitoring Services • Animal Care Facilities & Equipment