A restaurant’s cooking hood pulls air out, and the building has to bring the same air back in, so the dining room stays comfortable and the kitchen doesn’t fight the AC. Climate Pros Tucson can match you with a licensed pro for the work.

Why do kitchen and dining room have to balance?

An exhaust hood removes a lot of air. If makeup air doesn’t replace it, the building pulls air through doors and gaps, doors can be hard to open and the dining room fills with kitchen smells. The AC then also has to cool whatever hot air is drawn in. In Tucson that load is heavy: the airport averages about 68 days a year at or above 100F.

What does a restaurant HVAC project include?

  • Rooftop units for the dining area, sized to its load.
  • A makeup air unit or system tied to the hood.
  • Exhaust fans and hood ductwork.
  • Controls so the pieces work together.
  • Grease and heat management around equipment.

Hood and makeup air design involves mechanical and fire code, and the building department and the contractor confirm what applies. Ask the pro to explain what permits and inspections your project needs.

What does kitchen load do to the AC?

Cooking heat and grease-laden air load coils and filters faster than an office does. Expect more frequent filter changes and coil cleaning. Dust adds to the burden in Tucson, especially during monsoon dust storms.

Repair, retrofit or start over?

Ask the pro to compare these in writing:

  1. Repair the failing unit and fix the balance.
  2. Retrofit makeup air or controls to an existing setup.
  3. Replace the rooftop equipment.

A failed summer unit costs revenue each day, so plan ahead. Ask the pro about after-hours work and its fee as a dollar figure. Climate Pros Tucson doesn’t set prices or schedules.

Questions to ask

  • Have you worked on restaurant hoods and makeup air?
  • Is your contractor license current? Check at roc.az.gov.
  • What does the quote say about permits, who pulls them and when inspections happen?
  • Who maintains the system, and how often?

Why does my dining room smell like the kitchen?

Usually the air is out of balance, so the kitchen air leaks into the dining room. A pro can check makeup air and the pressure between the two spaces.

How often does restaurant HVAC need maintenance?

More often than an office. Ask the pro to set a filter and coil schedule for your kitchen.

Related: commercial HVAC for small business, retail HVAC and HVAC maintenance plans. See our commercial HVAC service and the Tucson HVAC hub.

When to call us

Call (520) 353-2520 and we’ll match you with a licensed local pro.