HVAC Design Requirements for Restaurants

HVAC design requirements for restaurants exceed by far those of the standard non-food preparation commercial construction. A conventional HVAC system involves a two-section process.

In simple terms, the HVAC system uses a make-up air device to allow outside air into the construction. After this, a different cooling/heating air device comes in to control this air.

Because of the more significant percentage of outdoor air needed to replace the exhaust air, following this way for cooling and ventilation is neither reliable nor efficient.

This enlightening post will cover HVAC definition, the HVAC design requirements for restaurants, and more crucial information.

Let’s get started!

What’s A HVAC System For Restaurants?

A restaurant HVAC device refers to a commercial air conditioning, ventilation, and heating system used in various restaurants. These systems control your venue’s temperature and promote proper air ventilation and circulation in a space.

The restaurant HVAC system may feature several parts, such as the ventilators for enhancing air circulation, the furnace for heat, and ductwork for cold air and hot air circulation.

They may also feature a thermostat for managing a space’s temperature and air conditioning devices for air cooling. Others include the make-up air devices for replacing the exhaust air.

Some of these HVAC system components are similar to the ones featured by a home’s HVAC device. The system size creates the primary difference between the home HVAC system and the restaurant HVAC system. Restaurant HVAC systems feature larger sizes than home HVAC systems because they serve larger areas.

Note that the restaurant HVAC system needs regular maintenance to keep working as required. In this case, you should go for a professional HVAC maintenance contractor to do the work to prevent unexpected issues that can interrupt your restaurant business.

Restaurant HVAC Design Requirements

Fire Suspension Or Prevention

State, county, or city construction code requirements are likely to highlight your fire suppression set-ups. These systems/set-ups may rely on dry chemicals or inert gas to put out fires that you never expected to occur. Ensure your system gets professional inspections from time to time and routine cleaning to keep it in a good state where it can prevent these fires.

Air Quality

Cooking can always smoke, grease, and gases – which can be both dangerous and unpleasant. When designing your kitchen, consider the placement of hoods, exhaust fans, vents, and appliances. Try coordinating this to enhance the restaurant HVAC system efficiency – which will also improve air quality.

Cooling

Expect a profit decrease if your restaurant records inconsistent temperature. Inconsistent temperatures cause reduced staff productivity, higher energy costs, and customer unease. Therefore, it’s pivotal to address internal and external zones when designing the restaurant HVAC system.

Make-Up Air

The best restaurant must have enough air exchange amounts between the outdoor and indoor. Too little/much air exchange can cause terrible air quality, back-venting combustion gases, slamming doors, and reduced energy efficiency.

Final Thoughts

It’s imperative to have the correct ventilation in your restaurant. Ventilation affects your customers’ and employees’ safety and health and influences the food sanitation standards. Note that you can turn off your customers with something small like stuffy indoor air or unpleasant odors.

Besides this, research shows that higher kitchen temperatures can result in reduced productivity. Therefore, it’s pivotal to ensure your restaurant HVAC system meets all the above requirements for your business to keep running smoothly.

Consider contacting a knowledgeable restaurant HVAC team if you have issues with the restaurant HVAC system. Also, a professional restaurant HVAC company can help you if you’re after a custom-designed restaurant HVAC system. Knowledgeable HVAC technicians are the most preferred, in this case, because they’re skilled/experienced in inspecting, repairing, maintaining, and designing restaurant HVAC systems.