Restaurant & cafe HVAC

Restaurant & cafe HVAC in Thuwal

In Thuwal, far north Jeddah, restaurants and cafés face strong coastal climate challenges with high humidity and salt air. Alrabih designs robust AC systems that protect ducts and coils from rust and separate odours effectively in a tough coastal environment.

  • Pressure balance
  • Make-up air
  • Coil protection

Clients We're Proud to Serve

Organisations and companies that trusted Alrabih with their projects.

  • Saudi Aramco
  • Ministry of Energy
  • Royal Saudi Land Forces
  • Royal Saudi Naval Forces
  • Al Baik
  • Centro Hotels by Rotana
  • King Abdullah Economic City
  • First Mills
  • Juffali
  • eXtra
  • Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Medical Center
  • Alesayi Motors
  • Abu Zaid
  • Water Desalination
  • Attieh Steel
  • SSCO
  • Creet
  • Emad Rizq
  • Alfaneyah
  • Rawat Alam Al Tasmeem
  • IBI Magix Arabia — Construction Services
  • Midtown for Construction
  • Petra Engineering Industries Co.
  • Hyrmas
  • Batterjee Medical College
  • Advanced Horizons Contracting Company
  • D.Metals
  • Benchbox — Masters of Space
  • Sadafco
  • Umm Al-Qura University
  • Saudi Arabian Drug Store (SADS)
  • Foamco
  • Ahmad A. R. Bin Afif Industries Co. (Sandwich Panel Factory)
  • Namariq
  • ALS

When your restaurant needs a specialist

  1. 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. 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. 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 WhatsApp
  • Your 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
Request a quote

How we work

How we work

  1. 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. 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. 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. 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?

AlrabihThe usual way
Make-up airCalculated and delivered to the hoodUsually not addressed
Dining pressureSlight positive, no smell transferNegative, pulls kitchen air in
Coil protectionUnit placed away from greaseRepeated breakdowns
Cooling spreadDiffusers sized for full occupancyUneven, warm corners
Kitchen ductworkFabricated in-house from G90 sheetOff-the-shelf sizes, poor fit

Some of our work

Ductwork, rooftop units and diffusers, from work we've completed in Jeddah.

  • Galvanized rectangular duct trunk with branch takeoffs and round diffusers, hung from a black ceiling, a Carrier unit visible behind — interior finishing stage.
  • Round diffusers and a spiral duct trunk in a tiled stairwell service shaft.
  • Rooftop ductwork and an exhaust fan, with Jeddah buildings in the background.
  • Rooftop packaged AC units with rectangular duct transitions, city buildings behind.
  • Insulated rooftop duct run beside a packaged unit, a warehouse roof in the background.
  • A grid of round diffusers in an open-plan office ceiling, mid-construction.
  • An insulated rooftop duct elbow, against a mountainous backdrop.
  • Large insulated ductwork running along a factory ceiling, with workers visible below.
  • A yellow round diffuser mid-installation, with spiral duct and a suspended ceiling grid.
  • Duct insulation wrap in progress on a construction site, bare duct still exposed.
  • A black-painted duct trunk with round diffusers and track lighting, in a finished retail interior.
  • An indoor AHU unit connected to round ductwork in a mechanical plant room, exposed concrete ceiling.
Similar project? Send us the details

Customer reviews

What our customers say

4.8

From 10 Google reviews

  • 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”

Read every review on Google

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 review

Service 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.

Map of Jeddah by sector, with Alrabih's base in Al Aziziyah
Don't see your district?Message us. We most likely cover it.

What sets this district apart

Thuwal is a coastal area near the sea with modern buildings but exposed to high humidity and salt-air corrosion of metals and components. Restaurants and cafés here need extra protection for metal ducts and coils from rust, plus strong separation between kitchen and dining because humidity speeds odour and moisture spread. Modern designs provide space for systems, but materials must resist the coastal environment.

Thuwal sits on the coast in far north Jeddah, a modern district highly exposed to sea humidity and salt air.

Most restaurants here choose rust-resistant materials for ducts and outdoor units, since salt accelerates corrosion.

The AC setup in Thuwal

  1. 1

    Salt and rust-resistant materials

    Ducts and outdoor units are made from salt-resistant materials to withstand coastal exposure.

  2. 2

    Powerful extraction with distant outlets

    Extraction outlets direct vapours and salt spray away from the building and neighbours.

  3. 3

    Extra protection for outdoor units

    Protective salt-resistant coating on outdoor units, with partial cover for protection from direct moisture.

Before the visit

Before our visit in Thuwal

  1. 1

    Position the outdoor unit away from direct sea exposure

    If possible, place the outdoor unit on the building side away from direct coastal winds.

  2. 2

    Carefully identify drainage and outlet locations

    Ensure drain pans and outlets are away from the foundation and areas where salt spray accumulates.

  3. 3

    Prepare access for regular cleaning

    Ensure safe access to outdoor units and ducts for regular cleaning without delays or safety obstacles.

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 affect AC equipment here, how do you protect it?

We choose rust-resistant materials for ducts and fittings, and recommend protective coating for outdoor units and regular cleaning to prevent salt buildup.

High humidity increases moisture in the dining room, how do you manage this?

We recommend continuous extraction fan operation to remove excess humidity from kitchen and dining, plus regular drain-pan cleaning.

How do you separate kitchen vapours from guests in a damp coastal environment?

We design strong negative pressure in the kitchen that pulls vapours and moisture straight out of the building before spreading, plus treat kitchen return air.

How often must coils and ducts be cleaned because of salt?

We recommend cleaning every two to three months in coastal environments, rather than the standard seasonal cycle.

The Jeddah corniche in cool weather

Keep your dining room away from the kitchen

WhatsApp a floor plan or photos of your kitchen and dining room and we will arrange a survey in your district, Saturday to Thursday, eight in the morning to eight at night.

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