Restaurant & cafe HVAC
Restaurant & cafe HVAC in Al Sabeel
In Al Sabeel, north of Al Balad, relatively modern restaurants and cafés need finer air balancing, because the dining areas are larger but kitchen hood design still strains the AC system. Alrabih balances pressure, protects coils from grease and coastal humidity, and ensures guests enjoy fresh air.
- 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 Sabeel buildings are newer than Al Balad, with larger dining rooms and medium-sized kitchens, but the lanes remain narrow and coastal humidity is very high. This means the kitchen hood creates powerful negative pressure even with a bigger room, and coils face both grease and mould together because of the humidity. We balance pressure with a strong external make-up duct, install advanced grease filters, and design drain runs that withstand high humidity and salt air.
Al Sabeel sits directly north of Al Balad, a transitional zone between older homes and newer buildings, very close to the sea with the same high humidity.
Most Al Sabeel restaurants have a powerful hood and separate AC, but no dedicated make-up air system, leaving negative pressure and odours to affect the dining area.
The AC setup in Al Sabeel
- 1
External make-up air system sized to match the hood
Al Sabeel's larger dining areas need strong external make-up air, delivered through insulated ducts that enter the room from a safe point.
- 2
Corrosion-resistant coils and salt-resistant pipes
Coastal humidity and salt creep into coils easily; we install salt-resistant aluminium coils and copper pipes with protective coating or alternative materials.
- 3
Biocide-treated drain runs with strong fall
The drain pan needs strong biocide treatment and fast water clearance to prevent mould growth in humid air; we design runs with at least 2 cm fall per metre.
Before the visit
Before our visit in Al Sabeel
- 1
Confirm the current hood location and where it vents
Tell us exactly where the hood is (kitchen, bar, or coffee station) and where it vents (roof, lane, or interior wall), so we can design the make-up route precisely.
- 2
Clear roof or street space for the external unit
The make-up unit needs outdoor space, either on the roof or a safe street point; ensure the area is clear of wires and stored items.
- 3
Provide a nearby and safe electrical supply for the unit
We need a power socket or new circuit very close to the external unit location; check with the owner where it is safe to connect before the visit.
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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.
Sea humidity makes AC coils grow mould fast, how do you solve it?
We select coils and pipes in corrosion- and mould-resistant materials, clean the drain pan with a strong biocide, and design drain runs with strong fall to prevent water pooling.
The kitchen is attached to the dining room, how do you balance air without blocking passages?
We run make-up air ducts through ceilings or side walls, choosing routes that avoid main passages and exits, and ask you to sketch the shop layout before we visit.
Does air balancing need major electrical work?
We install a separate make-up air unit with its own motor, so we need a new electrical circuit nearby. We inspect the existing supply first, and if a main cable run is needed we refer it to a licensed electrician.
How often should the grease filters be cleaned?
In Al Sabeel restaurants near the sea, humidity and salt speed up grease buildup; we recommend weekly cleaning during peak seasons and fortnightly during quieter months.
