A lab incubator is a vital piece of equipment that provides a temperature-controlled environment to support the growth of microbiological cultures. In highly fragile settings such as this, you must understand their maintenance needs and functionality when looking for incubators for sale. This will ensure that the incubator you’ve bought aligns with the microbiological needs of your tests and will provide accurate results.
Placing Your Unit
While it may not seem like a colossal consideration, the location and placement of your incubator can directly impact its durability and operational lifetime. Choosing the proper place for your incubator will also ensure minimal exposure to a range of potential contaminants, which will reduce the level of maintenance needed. Factors to consider when deciding the placement of your incubator include:
- Away from doorways and vents as this can create more contaminants and fungal growth and affect the temperature of your incubator.
- Away from direct sunlight as this can cause temperature fluctuations.
- Provide enough space for ventilation and easy accessibility to chords.
- Avoid humid, damp areas that may be harbouring fungal growth.
- If your incubator is on the floor, use a stand to prevent contaminants from around the floor.
Regular Cleaning & Maintenance
All your lab equipment requires regular cleaning to ensure it runs smoothly and at the precise indicators. For incubators, this is also important as cleaning can remove any contaminants that may have made their way inside. Some key steps to follow are:
- Always wear gloves when handling items inside the unit.
- If you use a humidity pan, the water within needs to be changed at least once per week.
- Clean the humidity pan, chamber, shelves, and other removable parts regularly, either through disinfection or complete sterilization.
- Clean the entire outside of the incubator.
- Clean the fan and fan wheels; this can be done every few months.
- If you use HEPA filters, these should be replaced every six months to one year.
Importance of Calibration
Alongside regular cleaning and servicing, you should also validate and recalibrate your incubator on a regular basis. The exact timing of this recalibration will depend on your lab’s specific uses, but generally, every month is recommended. You should also calibrate and validate your incubator after spill cleanups or power outages
The Best Laboratory Supplies in Australia
At Bioline Global, we can help ensure you have the highest quality equipment available to work consistently in the high demand settings of your lab. We want to help you achieve the best possible outcome to enhance your laboratories daily running. You’ll find all essential laboratory equipment, including a diverse range of sizes, in one place – our convenient online store.
