Restaurant & cafe HVAC
Restaurant & cafe HVAC in Al Nada
In Al Nada, east Jeddah, restaurants and cafés face intense humidity and thick kitchen smoke due to the heat and coastal proximity. Alrabih's balanced ventilation system extracts fumes efficiently and protects coils from humidity and salt corrosion.
- 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 Nada is a relatively modern eastern district close to the sea, with varied restaurants and cafés in contemporary and mid-sized buildings. The high heat and coastal humidity increase the load on extract fans, and salt in the air accelerates coil and metal ductwork corrosion. This means the ventilation system must be powerful and highly efficient, with special protection against moisture and corrosion.
Al Nada is in eastern Jeddah near the sea, a district of modern restaurants in a humid coastal setting.
Most restaurants here use high-powered extract fans with moisture and salt-resistant coils, plus corrosion-proof coated ductwork.
The AC setup in Al Nada
- 1
High-power extract fans with protected coils
Restaurants in Al Nada need above-average-strength extract fans with coils coated to resist salt and moisture.
- 2
Corrosion-resistant ductwork
Stainless steel or corrosion-proof-coated ducts are essential because of the coastal salt and humidity.
- 3
Protected and elevated air outlet
The external outlet must be raised and positioned away from sea level and direct salt winds, with protection against direct marine air intake.
Before the visit
Before our visit in Al Nada
- 1
Identify restaurant location relative to the sea
Tell us the restaurant's distance from the shore and prevailing wind direction, so we can choose the best position for the extract outlet.
- 2
Check the condition of existing metal structures
Note any rust or corrosion on existing metal structures or old ducts, to help us choose the right materials.
- 3
Show electrical connections and existing installations
Show us the electrical panel and any current AC or ventilation in place, to help us plan the new system.
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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.
Coastal humidity rusts the ducts quickly, how do you solve this?
We use stainless steel ducts or corrosion-resistant coating, and fit moisture filters before the outlet to reduce humidity in the expelled air.
Salt in the air damages coils faster, what is the solution?
We choose coils made from salt-resistant materials or with protective coating, plus high-efficiency air filters ahead of the coils to reduce salt ingress.
Do extract fans need more power because of the heat and humidity?
Yes, hot humid air is denser and heavier, so we choose fans with higher capacity and size them based on the expected temperature and humidity.
How do you ensure the outlet does not draw salt from the sea?
We study local wind direction and position the outlet with respect to the shore, angling and raising it to reduce direct salt-laden air intake from the sea.
