Restaurant & cafe HVAC
Restaurant & cafe HVAC in Dhahban
In Dhahban, far north of Jeddah near the sea, restaurants and cafés face salt-laden coastal air and high humidity. An HVAC system here must handle coastal humidity, protect coils from corrosion, and extract cooking fumes and odours effectively.
- 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
Dhahban is a remote coastal district with small seafood restaurants and cafés sitting directly by the sea. High humidity and coastal salt speed corrosion on metal parts and affect air quality. Restaurants here draw visitors from across and beyond Jeddah, so cool, odour-free dining is essential. The HVAC system must combine strong odour extraction with high protection of coils from salt and humidity.
Dhahban sits at Jeddah's far northern tip on the Red Sea coast, a remote seaside area with small seafood and sweet shops.
Most coastal restaurants in Dhahban have simple hoods and split AC units, but salt and humidity create high maintenance demand.
The AC setup in Dhahban
- 1
Stainless-steel hood system
In coastal Dhahban restaurants, the hood must be stainless steel to withstand salt and humidity over many years.
- 2
Salt-protected AC units
We select units with coastal ratings where the compressor, evaporator and coils are treated against salt and rust.
- 3
Dehumidifier unit if needed
On very humid days, we may add a separate dehumidifier to dry the outside air coming in.
Before the visit
Before our visit in Dhahban
- 1
Inspect current hood and coil condition
Tell us about the hood and outdoor units' current condition, and whether any parts have started rusting or corroding.
- 2
Confirm location relative to the sea and salt air
Tell us how far the restaurant is from the seashore and salt air, as this affects material and protection choices.
- 3
Check drainage and moisture routes
Ensure all drainage vents below the kitchen and around outdoor units are clear and safe from moisture buildup.
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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.
Salt and humidity damage the restaurant hood, what can we do?
We use stainless-steel hoods or salt-resistant coating. Regular filter and hood cleaning every month or two is essential.
AC units rust quickly from salt, how do we extend their life?
We choose units with salt-protected compressor and evaporator, coat metal parts with protective paint, and perform monthly cleaning and checks.
Damp air makes the restaurant dining room feel stuffy, is there a fix?
We increase hood and make-up air speed, and install a dehumidifier if needed to dry the incoming air.
Where can the outdoor unit sit away from salt and moisture?
We place it at the highest roof point away from the sea if possible, and cover it with salt and moisture protection.
