Restaurant & cafe HVAC
Restaurant & cafe HVAC in Al Asla'a
In Al Asla'a, east Jeddah, restaurants and cafes of varied types need balanced HVAC that extracts fumes efficiently while keeping the dining area comfortable. We tailor a solution for each restaurant's building and location.
- Pressure balance
- Make-up air
- Coil protection
Clients We're Proud to Serve
Organisations and companies that trusted Alrabih with their projects.
When your restaurant needs a specialist
- 1
Kitchen smells reaching diners
When the extract hood pulls out more air than is replaced, the kitchen goes negative and draws air from the dining room, bringing smells with it. The answer is calculating the volumes and delivering make-up air close to the hood.
- 2
Dining room stays warm despite the AC
A full dining room in Jeddah's humid summer raises heat and moisture load noticeably. Design must account for peak occupancy, and the right diffuser layout achieves even cooling across tables, not cold near the duct and warm in the corners.
- 3
Repeated breakdowns in kitchen AC units
Grease vapour from the burners settles on evaporator coils and blocks airflow, raising pressure and stressing the compressor. Placing the unit away from grease currents and scheduling coil cleaning reduces this damage significantly.
Who it's for
Opening a new restaurant that needs a full HVAC system
We design the cooling and make-up air system from scratch to match your kitchen and dining layout before you open.
Ask on WhatsAppYour restaurant is running but smells are reaching the tables
We survey the existing system, measure pressure between kitchen and dining, then correct the fault by adding make-up air or adjusting the air balance.
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What the work covers
- Kitchen and dining pressure survey
- Make-up air for hood
- Diffuser layout for dining
- Ductwork to SMACNA standards
- Air balance commissioning
How we work
How we work
- 1
Site and kitchen survey
We visit, measure the spaces, review the existing extract hood and burner positions, and find where negative pressure is occurring before any design work.
- 2
Design and equipment selection
We design the make-up air and cooling systems together, and select units from Carrier, YORK, General, Midea, Gree or Smart Gold to suit the space and the load.
- 3
Duct fabrication and installation
We fabricate ducts in our workshop from G90 galvanised sheet to precise sizes, install the units, and run Mueller copper in runs of up to 30 metres without welded joints, insulated with Armaflex.
- 4
Balancing and handover
We run the system and adjust dampers until the kitchen sits at slight negative and the dining room at slight positive, confirming that doors open easily and no kitchen smell crosses to the guests.
Integrated design or separate units with no balance?
| Alrabih | The usual way | |
|---|---|---|
| Make-up air | Calculated and delivered to the hood | Usually not addressed |
| Dining pressure | Slight positive, no smell transfer | Negative, pulls kitchen air in |
| Coil protection | Unit placed away from grease | Repeated breakdowns |
| Cooling spread | Diffusers sized for full occupancy | Uneven, warm corners |
| Kitchen ductwork | Fabricated in-house from G90 sheet | Off-the-shelf sizes, poor fit |
Everything your AC needs, from one team
From system design and duct fabrication to installation, commissioning and maintenance.
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Some of our work
Ductwork, rooftop units and diffusers, from work we've completed in Jeddah.
Customer reviews
What our customers say
- Muhammadramzan 2641
“MashaaAllah. Services are so good. Behaviour and kindness 100/100. Prices are less then Market. Fully recommended”
- shahzeb armani
“Wow. Prices are so comfortable. Outstanding services. People are so talented and nice”
- Tawfik AlyawerLocal Guide
“U can find all u need for air conditioning”
Your satisfaction matters to us! If you had a great experience with us, we'd love a 5-star rating and a kind review.
Worked with us? Leave a reviewService areas
We come to you anywhere in Jeddah
From Al Shiraa and Al Yaqout in the north to Al Thaghr and Al Quraiyat in the south, with our base in Al Aziziyah.
What sets this district apart
Al Asla'a is an east-side district with residential and scattered buildings of varying height hosting restaurants and cafes of different sizes and types. Some are converted villas now family restaurants, some are small shops with basic kitchens, some are modern arcades. This diversity means one system does not fit all; each space needs custom design. Older buildings may need ceiling or wall modifications; newer ones may need precise pressure and flow balancing.
Al Asla'a is an east-side district with mixed building types: residential blocks, villas, commercial arcades and restaurants of various sizes.
The architectural diversity of Al Asla'a means each restaurant needs a different solution, from a simple extraction unit in a converted villa to a central system in a modern arcade.
The AC setup in Al Asla'a
- 1
Simple extraction unit for villa and small café
A converted villa now a small café may need just a simple ceiling unit with a small grease filter and direct roof discharge.
- 2
Medium extraction system for commercial arcade
A modern arcade with several restaurant outlets may need a central or semi-central system with multiple filters and organised external venting.
- 3
Simple split cooling for common areas
In arcades, extra split units keep shared corridors and passages cool and comfortable, away from cooking fumes.
Before the visit
Before our visit in Al Asla'a
- 1
Tell us the building type and kitchen size
Clarify if it is an old villa, a small shop or a modern arcade, and tell us the cooking zone size and available space.
- 2
Identify possible discharge points
Show us where air can safely exit through roof or wall without bothering neighbours or the street.
- 3
Confirm power, water and drainage access
Tell us the electrical panel location and available water and drain points as the system may require.
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FAQ
Questions about Restaurant & cafe HVAC
What is the difference between make-up air and kitchen air conditioning?
Make-up air replaces the volume the hood extracts, its purpose is pressure balance not necessarily cooling. Kitchen air conditioning tackles burner heat and lowers temperature for the staff. Both may be needed, and the site survey determines which your kitchen requires.
Do outdoor seating areas need a different approach in Jeddah?
Yes. In Jeddah's heat and humidity, fans alone are not enough during peak months. The right option depends on whether the space has an open roof or a partial enclosure and how large the area is. We assess the spot and propose suitable units after the survey.
How are AC coils protected from kitchen grease?
The first step is design: we position kitchen units in airflow paths away from the grease rising off the burners. In preventive maintenance contracts we schedule pressure coil cleaning before build-up raises stress on the compressor, because early cleaning is simpler and less costly than a repair.
Can existing ductwork in an operating restaurant be repaired or does it need replacing?
The decision follows a duct inspection: we look for air leaks, grease build-up inside, and sheet corrosion from Jeddah's salty air. If the structure is sound we seal joints with Foster sealants and re-insulate with Kimmco. If not, we fabricate new sections in our workshop and replace the damaged runs.
Does a packed dining room during peak season affect how the AC performs?
Yes, every person in the room adds heat and moisture, and this is significant in Jeddah's summer. Design therefore accounts for full occupancy load, not average attendance, and diffusers are positioned to deliver even cooling across all tables. The exact layout is confirmed after the site survey.
We converted an old villa to a café, will a simple extraction unit suffice?
Usually yes, but we check first the kitchen size, ceiling position and available openings. A simple ceiling unit may suffice for light cooking, but we may need to open a hole in the ceiling or wall for venting.
The street runs between the villa and café, where do we place the unit or vent?
We survey the location carefully, perhaps venting through the roof or side wall away from the street, or we liaise with the municipality if the vent needs special approval.
East humidity and sea salt damage the units, how do you protect them?
We choose corrosion and moisture-resistant materials, especially for external units. We also advise regular maintenance and frequent filter washing to prevent salt and grease build-up.
The modern arcade's power supply, will it handle a strong extraction system and multiple ACs?
We check the main electrical panel first to confirm capacity. If a dedicated circuit for extraction or line strengthening is needed, we advise you beforehand.
