Restaurant & cafe HVAC
Restaurant & cafe HVAC in Al Sawari
In Al Sawari, north Jeddah, where modern restaurants and cafés are widespread, we balance air pressure between kitchen and dining room to stop cooking smells and steam from spreading. We keep the coils clean from grease and ensure proper ventilation so your guests sit comfortably away from kitchen chaos.
- 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.
Ask on WhatsApp
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 Sawari's buildings are relatively modern, mostly medium-sized with independent restaurants and cafés using compact indoor kitchens. The negative pressure from a strong kitchen extract hood sucks air from the dining room fast, slamming doors and leaking cooking smells to guests. Pressure balancing and reliable make-up air supply solve this, keeping the air quality and thermal comfort in the dining room steady.
Al Sawari lies in north Jeddah, a modern commercial district mixing shops, small hotels and modern restaurants alongside residential blocks.
Most modern restaurants here have strong centrifugal kitchen extract hoods and need controlled make-up air for pressure balance.
The AC setup in Al Sawari
- 1
Centrifugal kitchen extract with make-up air
Modern restaurants in Al Sawari need strong extract and controlled make-up air to avoid negative pressure and smell spread.
- 2
Ductwork along ceiling or walls
Because small restaurant kitchens are tight, we run ventilation ducts along the ceiling or side walls.
- 3
Heavy-duty grease filters
Restaurant ventilation systems need high-efficiency grease filters placed directly ahead of the coils.
Before the visit
Before our visit in Al Sawari
- 1
Tell us the kitchen size and equipment
Send a photo of the kitchen showing the stove, oven and available space for ducts before the visit day.
- 2
Confirm roof and wall access
Ensure our team can reach the roof or outer walls where the ducts and outdoor unit will be placed.
- 3
Coordinate downtime with the restaurant
Agree with the restaurant manager on installation days to avoid peak hours and keep service running.
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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.
When the kitchen extract runs, doors slam shut hard. How do you fix that?
We supply controlled make-up air from outside that balances the negative pressure from the extract, so doors open easily and cooking smells stay in the kitchen.
My kitchen is small and space is tight. Can you install the system?
Yes, we design the system to fit your kitchen size and available space, often running supply ducts along the ceiling or walls to save room.
Grease from the kitchen builds up on the coils. How do you protect them?
We install high-efficiency grease filters ahead of the coils and clean them regularly to stop grease build-up and maintain cooling performance.
Are there special electrical circuits needed for the ventilation system?
Yes, the extract fans and make-up air units need separate electrical circuits, and your existing power must handle the load.
