Maintenance And Replacement of The Sealing Strips of The Fume Hood Operation Window?

Maintenance methods

Daily cleaning

Cleaning frequency: It is recommended to perform a simple cleaning of the sealing strip of the operation window after each day's experiment. If the fume hood is used less frequently, a comprehensive cleaning can also be carried out once a week.

Cleaning method: Use a clean damp cloth to gently wipe the surface of the sealing strip to remove dust, stains and chemical reagent residues. For some stubborn stains, you can dip a damp cloth in a small amount of neutral detergent to wipe them, but be careful not to let the detergent seep into the sealing strip to avoid affecting its performance. After wiping, dry the sealing strip with a dry cloth to prevent moisture residue from causing the sealing strip to age or mold.

Avoid damage

Standard operation: When using the fume hood, the operator must strictly follow the operating procedures, avoid opening and closing the operation window with excessive force, and prevent squeezing or pulling damage to the sealing strip. For example, when closing the operation window, it should be pushed slowly and steadily instead of being flung and closed forcefully.

Prevent contact with sharp objects: It is necessary to prevent sharp objects, such as laboratory knives and glass fragments, from coming into contact with the sealing strip to avoid scratching or puncturing the sealing strip. During the experiment, if it is necessary to place items near the operation window, make sure that the items will not cause damage to the sealing strip.

Regular inspection

Inspection cycle: Conduct a comprehensive inspection of the sealing strips once a month.

Inspection content: Check whether the sealing strip has any signs of aging, deformation, cracking, peeling, etc. You can gently touch the sealing strip with your hand to feel its elasticity and softness. If you find that the sealing strip has become hard, lost its elasticity, or shows obvious cracks, it indicates that the sealing strip has aged and needs to be dealt with promptly. At the same time, check whether the sealing strip is tightly attached to the operation window and if there are any gaps. If there are any gaps, it may affect the sealing performance of the fume hood.

Environmental control

Temperature and humidity: Try to maintain an appropriate temperature and humidity in the surrounding environment of the fume hood. Generally speaking, the performance of sealing strips is more stable under suitable temperature conditions (10-35 ℃) and humidity conditions (30%-70%). Avoid keeping the fume hood in a high-temperature, high-humidity or low-temperature, dry environment for a long time, as high temperature and high humidity will accelerate the aging of the sealing strips, while low temperature and dryness may cause the sealing strips to harden and crack.

Avoid direct sunlight: Do not place the fume hood in direct sunlight. Prolonged exposure to sunlight will cause the color of the sealing strip to fade and the material to age, affecting its sealing effect and service life. If direct sunlight cannot be avoided, shading equipment can be installed above the fume hood.

Replacement method

Prepare tools and materials

Tools: Prepare a screwdriver (choose the appropriate type according to the way the sealing strip is fixed), scissors, tweezers and other tools.

Material: Purchase a new sealing strip with the same specification as the original sealing strip. When purchasing, pay attention to the material, size and shape of the sealing strip to ensure that it can perfectly match the operation window.

Remove the old sealing strip

Determine the fixation method: Observe the fixation method of the sealing strip. Some sealing strips may be adhered to the operation window with glue, while others may be fixed through slots or screws.

To remove the sealing strip bonded with glue: If the sealing strip is bonded with glue, you can use a hair dryer to heat the sealing strip to soften the glue, and then gently remove the sealing strip from the operation window with tweezers or a small spatula. During the lifting process, pay attention to the force applied to avoid damaging the surface of the operation window.

Disassemble the sealing strip fixed by the slot or screw: For the sealing strip fixed by the slot, it can be directly pulled out from the slot. For the screw-fixed sealing strips, use a screwdriver to unscrew the fixing screws and then remove the sealing strips.

Clean the installation part

Remove residual glue: If the old sealing strip was adhered with glue, there may be some glue remaining on the operation window after disassembly. The remaining glue can be wiped clean with a dedicated glue remover or alcohol to ensure that the surface of the installation area is flat and clean.

Check the installation location: Inspect the installation location of the operation window for any damage or deformation. If so, it needs to be repaired or adjusted to ensure that the new sealing strip can be installed firmly and well sealed.

Install the new sealing strip

Cut the sealing strip: According to the size of the operation window, use scissors to cut the new sealing strip to the appropriate length. When cutting, pay attention to accurate dimensions and avoid having the sealing strips too long or too short.

Install the sealing strip: If the sealing strip is glued, apply a uniform layer of glue at the installation site, then stick the sealing strip onto the operation window and gently press it with your fingers or tools to make it closely adhere to the operation window. For the sealing strip fixed by the slot, align the sealing strip with the slot and slowly push it into the slot. For the screw-fixed sealing strips, place the sealing strips at the installation position and tighten the fixing screws with a screwdriver.

Check the sealing effect

Visual inspection: After installation is completed, carefully check whether the sealing strip is installed flat and firmly, and whether there are any lifting, gaps or other phenomena.

Sealing test: The sealing effect can be checked through a simple sealing test. For instance, place a thin piece of paper inside the fume hood, close the operation window, start the fume hood and observe whether the paper is sucked in. If the paper is not sucked, it indicates that the sealing effect is good. If the paper is sucked in, it indicates that the sealing strip may not be sealing tightly and needs to be readjust or replaced.