Home/Resources/Commercial kitchen HVAC: why your unit was undersized
HVAC · Sizing · 8 min read

Commercial kitchen HVAC: why your unit was undersized

Commercial kitchen HVAC is sized by load — cooking equipment, walk-ins, exhaust makeup. Here is how to check.

Section 01

Equipment heat gain adds up fast

A single 6-burner range contributes 15,000+ BTU/hr of cooling load.

Section 02

Exhaust makeup air is often ignored

Type I hoods exhaust 1,200+ CFM. That air must be tempered somehow.

Section 03

Rule of thumb is wrong

The "1 ton per 400 sq ft" rule fails for kitchens. Proper Manual J with kitchen equipment factors is required.

Section 04

Signs of undersizing

Unit runs continuously but can't hit setpoint during service; high humidity.

Get help

Need a tech for this in Tampa Bay?

Suncoast Cold Systems handles exactly this kind of commercial refrigeration issue across Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon, Riverview, Temple Terrace, and Wesley Chapel. 24/7 emergency dispatch. Licensed Class A A/C Contractor (FL #CAC1824642), EPA 608 Universal, OSHA 30 Construction.

Call (813) 599-5988 Request service
More

Keep reading

Buyer's guide14 min

How to choose a commercial refrigeration contractor in Tampa Bay

Nine questions that separate accountable contractors from the rest.

Read the guide
Compliance8 min

DBPR refrigeration violations, explained

Which violations trigger emergency orders, which are citations, and how to prevent them.

Read the note
Checklist4 min

Emergency walk-in failure checklist

What to do in the first 15 minutes. Protect product, dispatch the right help.

Read the note