Restaurant Air Conditioning: A Guide for 2023

restaurant air conditioning

If you own or manage a restaurant in Surrey, chances are that you wish to further improve customer experience. And, customers today expect an all-inclusive experience when they dine out, which includes a comfortable ambiance. Installing an air conditioner is an integral part of enhancing the ambiance of a restaurant. Ideally, you should look for an air conditioning service near you to install an AC system well-suited to your Surrey restaurant. Let us look at the ins and outs of restaurant-specific commercial air conditioning in Surrey.

What Are the Challenges of Restaurant Air Conditioning?

Office air conditioning has long become a running joke, with debates ongoing in varying degrees. With restaurant AC systems on the other hand, there’s a lot more at stake. For example, you need to make sure that the temperature in your dining area as well as the food preparation area remains in line with health and safety standards. While the general consensus amongst AC technicians on the subject is that ideal temperature for dining should be between 20 – 23°C, a number of other challenges can occur when it comes to restaurant-specific commercial air conditioning in Surrey. Here are some environmental and design factors that can make temperature in your restaurant fluctuate:

  • Draughts that occur when the restaurant doors open and close constantly
  • Excessive heat produced in the kitchen
  • The number of diners at the restaurant at any given time
  • Individual temperature preferences of diners

You would need to focus on the above factors and other variables when installing your restaurant AC system.

You can register for a local air conditioning service contract with Split Level Air Conditioning.

What Are the Maintenance Challenges of Restaurant Air Conditioning?

You need to take into account the specific challenges of maintaining a restaurant AC unit, and come up with effective ways to minimise those. A professional AC technician would be able to guide you in the proper installation, temperature control and maintenance of your AC unit to avoid these issues.  Let us take a look at the aforementioned challenges:

  • Build-up of grease and smoke within the AC unit
  • Excessive heat from the kitchen contributing to increasing temperature in the dining area
  • Potential damage to the AC unit caused by humidity from commercial dishwasher and other activities

What Are the Suitable Air Conditioners for Restaurants?

There are two types of air conditioning units that work well for restaurant spaces.

Wall mounted air conditioners are cost-effective and can be easy to integrate into the design space in your restaurant. These types of AC units are easy to install, and can be positioned high up on the wall so that it stays out of sight. You can place your wall mounted AC unit in a central space to allow air to flow easily across the entire room. But, if you have a larger restaurant, you may have to use multiple wall mounted AC units to maintain even temperatures and minimise cold or hot spots.

Ceiling cassette AC units are another option for restaurants. These can be concealed in the ceiling cavity. If your restaurant has specific aesthetics that might be altered by visible AC units, this is a great option. And, ceiling cassette AC units offer a four-way air flow, which is better for even circulation.

How to Use an Air Conditioner Efficiently in a Restaurant?

There are a number of ways in which you can improve the efficiency of your restaurant air conditioner.

  • Select the right sized AC unit for your space to maintain peak performance
  • Use automated or programmable thermostats to allow the air conditioner to detect the atmosphere and adjust temperature accordingly
  • Consider turning off or using AC units at specific times in the toilets during cooler evening
  • Use a start-up and shut-down programme to let the AC turn on and off at specified times to save on you energy bills

Choosing the correct commercial air conditioner unit for your restaurant should be approached carefully, armed with ample information. You would need the services of a commercial air conditioning engineer to make the right decision. To request a quote or arrange a visit from one of our air conditioning experts, please use the form below, chat with us or call our office during working hours.