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Welding is not as simple as wearing your personal protective equipment and then gearing up with a torch to cut across your metallic workpiece without any interruption. You may encounter a few problems, one of which may be the lens of the welding helmet fogging up.
This hindrance to welding is no laughing matter, especially if you are in a hurry to get your project finished. A fogged helmet is an issue not only for beginners but also for veterans in the craft of welding. If you are trying to get around this case, this article is the perfect read for you.
To address issues related to fogging in helmets, we will discuss the causes of fogging, the importance of anti-fogging practices, and the features of a welding helmet cooling fan that make it a lifesaver for many individuals.
Fogging transpires when the hot air and the cold air meet. This process is anchored on condensation, where the cooling of hot air and warming of cold air lead to the formation of fog.
There are three primary causes of fogging within the welding helmet, namely, a colder climate, rainy weather, and excessive breathing from your mouth.
The release of hot air is inevitable in welding because you deal with an open fire to cut through or join pieces of metal together. Combine this with colder climates, and you have a fogging problem, the result of the temperature of your welding tool being in contact with the cold environment.
Aside from the torch that emits spatter, sparks, and hot flames, heat may also come from the buildup beneath the helmet you are wearing. When cold air enters your equipment after enough heat has been stored, fog development will happen in a matter of seconds.
Another cause of fogging is the rainy weather. It is similar to the situation of cold climates except that it is the rain that cools the air sneaking into the helmet, creating a fog on the glass. It is an indication that even welders from tropical countries have issues preventing welding helmets from fogging as they work.
Lastly, breathing excessively through your mouth contributes to the formation of fog in your welding helmet. It is because the air humans breathe is relatively warmer compared to the collection of air beneath the helmet. An effective method to avoid this is to practice breathing through your nose or performing a controlled oral breathing technique as you weld.
It is possible to control the formation of fog through breathing mannerisms. However, an adjustment in human behavior isn’t always reliable, especially when people are faced with conditions outside their control (e.g., the weather). Luckily, a welding helmet fan kit has been invented for the safety and convenience of every welder out there.
Beyond comfort and health reasons, you would also need a welding helmet fan for its capacity to reinforce a welder’s concentration on specific tasks, which may require either moderate or advanced levels of skills. When you disregard cooling off from heat stress in hot weather or after a strenuous activity involving flames, your work will slow down and your accuracy will suffer.
If there is a way to minimize the chances of compromising output quality and committing avoidable errors, then it would not hurt to slightly decrease “productivity” and incorporate anti-fogging practices for welding helmets.
Anti-fogging practices can be achieved by integrating at least one of the following:
Both employers and welders will largely benefit from these practices because they lower the cases of injury from heat-related illnesses. That is crucial, especially because the average welder is 54 years old and above. Heat stress is a great concern because older people are more susceptible to it.
Now that you know what a welding helmet fan is for, you might ask: what makes it a reliable piece of equipment? How does it keep a welding operator safe from heat stress and comfortable in extreme temperatures?
The best way to counter heat stress is to invest in a welding helmet fan. There are five main reasons why every welder needs this.
If you are conscious about the sweat trickling down your face but you can’t wipe it because your hands are full, then you might just need to own a helmet fan. It allows you to leave your work area fresh and clean, ready to go anywhere after a long day’s work!
Ever experienced gasping for air after a long session of welding, particularly during unbearably hot weeks? No need to rush your tasks just to get the helmet off of you and sniff in a relaxing breeze outdoors. The helmet itself pumps a soothing amount and quality of air as you work.
A welding helmet fan works like the range hood in your kitchen or an exhaust fan and a cooler merged into one product. It ensures that the air you breathe is unpolluted. You would no longer have to worry too much about inhaling smoke and other toxic substances because the fan prevents their entry.
Since combustion is a common occurrence during welding, you would neither want your face to endure the cutting torch heat nor freeze with an incorrect cooling system. Using credible brands such as the Miller welding helmet fan will regulate the temperature levels so that you could withstand wearing the helmet regardless of the environment you are in.
You can purchase a fan or a cooling device compatible with the various welding helmet sizes you have at home or sold in welding shops. These fans are so reliable that they immediately dry out the air in your helmet and get rid of the humidity, thus eliminating the possibility of fogging.
The best part is that when you buy a welding helmet fan and speaker, you get to jam to your favorite music or listen to a podcast via Bluetooth connection while getting the welding job done.
A welding helmet fan can work better by applying an anti-fogging solution to the lens of your helmet. It will serve as the barrier between the humid air inside your helmet and the glass. Unfortunately, anti-fogging solutions need to be reapplied since they will wear off eventually. Consistent application will lead to greater chances of getting your desired results.
We have given you five reasons why you need a welding helmet fan and explained how it eradicates the hazards and annoyance of fogging. Now it is up to you to take action and make your life and overall welding experience more fun and easier.
