A/C unit - Need recomendations

[alansncbbq]

I have an 1100 sf restaurant. I have a 5 ton and a 4 ton unit on the roof. One unit has a seperate handler, and the other is a combination unit. Problem you ask? When we turn on the cooking equipment--mainly the fryer--the restaurant heats up to around 88 now that the heat is here in FL. I guess my question would be...Are these two units large enough? Could something not be functioning properly? The restaurant is in a plaza corner unit, all windows. Sunlight does not shine directly on the glass at anytime during our hours of operation. What can I do to cool this place down.
ps...The commercial kitchen hood is located in the main area, and the makeup air coming in doesn't help either. Any suggestions out there????
Thanks

[heatingman]

I have an 1100 sf restaurant. I have a 5 ton and a 4 ton unit on the roof. One unit has a seperate handler, and the other is a combination unit. Problem you ask? When we turn on the cooking equipment--mainly the fryer--the restaurant heats up to around 88 now that the heat is here in FL. I guess my question would be...Are these two units large enough? Could something not be functioning properly? The restaurant is in a plaza corner unit, all windows. Sunlight does not shine directly on the glass at anytime during our hours of operation. What can I do to cool this place down.
ps...The commercial kitchen hood is located in the main area, and the makeup air coming in doesn't help either. Any suggestions out there????
Thanks

Biggest problem w/ restaurant if all equiptment is working, is 1 not exaughsting right, and 2 return air from attic leaking into the returt system. IE: busted ducts etc...

[BaldLoonie]

Better work on that makeup air.

Buddy has a 1000 sq ft pizza joint. Cools reasonably well with 3 & 5 ton units, won't heat in bitter weather due to all the air being sucked in. They have no makeup air. Turn the hood off for 5 minutes and temp rises 5° and that's not from the pizza ovens!

[alansncbbq]

Not quite sure what you mean by the make up air. Do you mean the makeup air on the hood system, or the A/C? When I turn the makeup air from the hood OFF (meaning no hot air from outside being blown in), it seems to get hotter. Not sure if this means anything. But I agree that those two units should keep the place cool with only a fryer in use. Do you agree? Any suggestions?

[miller-cold-filtered]

agree with work on makeup air.

the hood make air thats coming should be cool and not hot air. if you got hot air coming in thats your problem. check that air and we shall continue.

[alansncbbq]

How can the makup air on the hood be cool air coming in, when it is only a fan on the roof blowing in air? If it is 90 degrees outside, wouldn't the air coming in from the makeup on the hood be about the same temp? The hood and the fans connected to the hood are all just 6 months old. Just trying to understand it all. Thanks for all your help!!

[miller-cold-filtered]

alansncbbq,

yes your are right. if you use direct fresh air to supply your hood then the air is about the same temp as the outside air. for restaurant hood makeup air usually do not have that type of design. it is such a wast of energy. if im trying to cool down an area, why would i bring hot air in? it does not make sense. if you can figure out how to solve the hood makeup air then im sure your kitchen would be alot cooler.

good luck

[alansncbbq]

I just had an A/C guy come and check out my A/C units. He said everything was working fine, but the coils on the units were very dirty, and he would have to clean them with acid. He said a lot of tech's don't tell you about this problem because it is a dirty job to do. Would dirty coils hinder an A/C unit alot? thank you
ps....He is charging me 300 to clean the coils on both units. Sound reasonable? Thanks

[alansncbbq]

Don't want to be a pain to everyone, but I don't know too much about this stuff. Just wandering if cleaning the coils would make any difference. Thanks again for all that you do here.
Alan

[diesel65]

It will probably help some, but you might want to consider a 100% make up air unit.

[heatingman]

Don't want to be a pain to everyone, but I don't know too much about this stuff. Just wandering if cleaning the coils would make any difference. Thanks again for all that you do here.
Alan

This should help, But when he returns, have him inspect for broken return ducts in the ceiling, also Did the restaurant ever stay cool during similar out door conditions, and same cookline equiptment, and coolers. Any thing added will change the load on the system.

[alansncbbq]

We have only been opened since December, so this is our first summer. We took over the place, it was previously a blimpies. I added the 12 foot hood. All equipment is brand new. I had the hood guy come in and turn the fans down for me, thus eliminating so much hot air coming in.....but it still gets hot as heck in there. Restaurant stays nice and cool when I come in on Monday (closed on monday) during the heat of the day. As soon as we come in and turn the fryer, the exhaust fan, and the make up fan on the hood, the temperature starts climbing immediately. One reply was to get a 100% make up air unit......I have a brand new make up air fan....is that what you are talking about? We use very little heat in cooking...propane fryer and a griddle (griddle is used very rarely..maybe twice a day). Therefore, we have very little exhaust and makeup air that needs to be on. Should I get the hood guy to turn the fans down more?? Still baffled in Florida. Thanks again guys.
Alan

[heatingman]

All the new equiptment is the problem. The blimpies did not have the amount of cookline gear, and refrigeration equipnment dumping heat into the building. When you made changes, you should have consulted a Hvac company about the added heat load. You likely will need to revamp Havc system.

[heatingman]

It will probably help some, but you might want to consider a 100% make up air unit.

He means one that is heated and cooled to temper the incomming air.

[Freezeking2000]

So you have not had your filters changed or coils cleaned since December if even then and you are wondering why your a/c is not working well?

Get the thing cleaned and service regularly at least. (every 6 weeks)

[Mstrav]

one other thing as far as your make-up hair for the hood. sounds like you have a supply fan only. if you had a swamp / evap cooler for make-up, that would bring in much cooler outside air and help with your cooling load. but you must have water to the roof.

too many people with restaurants dont take care of their equipment, and then its always an emergency for service (summer its hot and never checked it before it was to hot). freak out at the cost when they have not done any pm's. (dec for your buis)

keeping up on the equipment is a cost of buisness! No diferent then buying the food you serve


good luck, matt