5 Essential Tips Your Restaurant Should Consider Before Investing in an HVAC Installation

August 9, 2018

Restaurants utilize around 2.5 times more power per square foot than any most other commercial buildings, and the lions share of that energy is being used on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). For a lot of restaurants, HVAC is right behind food prep in terms of yearly energy consumption priorities.

Restaurant HVAC

Owners agree that investing in an energy efficient HVAC system will be great for restaurants looking to save money and guard against any energy price increases. Applying modern day HVAC to customer spaces will go a long way in making your business more sustainable and cost-efficient.

You don’t need many changes to notice savings. Each degree that restaurants can increase the cooling thermostat to means a 4-5% decrease in energy usage. Setting the thermostat just 3 degrees higher will cut air conditioning prices by up to 15%. Here are steps restaurants can make conserve funds without sparing customer satisfaction:

1. Adopt a properly sized HVAC unit for your location.

A minimum of 25% of every rooftop industrial HVAC system is oversized, so they’re not operating at peak effectiveness according to the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE). This leads to accelerated wear and tear and increased energy costs. A unit that’s the right size dramatically lowers costs, enhances the life expectancy of the machine and lessens emissions.

Incentives, rebates and specialized financing on energy efficient HVAC systems can make obtaining updated, more capable units easier. New equipment can process to allow savings for years to come.

We’ll ensure that your HVAC contractor will employ either the American Society of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (ASHRAE) or the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) sizing practices for determining the correct sized equipment.

2. Consider taking advantage of patio heaters’ quick warm-ups.

A patio that’s heated is enticing for many restaurant customers as the weather gets cooler, but patios are, of course, difficult to heat naturally. Luckily, patio heaters radiate and heat up fast. That affords you the capacity to keep them off until the instant they’re required, thereby decreasing energy bills.

3. Apply programmable thermostats.

These will continuously monitor the atmosphere and respond before temperature fluctuations become outsized and need an outsized correction. Additionally, programmable thermostats don’t fail to remember to lower HVAC operations during hours when the restaurant is empty.

4. Don’t neglect the restrooms.

Restroom ventilation typically runs all the time, so even a moderate reduction in energy regulation can have a world of difference. ENERGY STAR-qualified vent fans lessen running prices by using roughly 70% less power than conventional models.

5. If you aren’t using it, shut it down.

If heating resources in the kitchen are operating when they’re not required, they generate heat that your commercial HVAC unit will have to neutralize. It’s a smart idea to incorporate a startup/shutdown program to ensure your equipment isn’t working overtime. Shutting down a single heater for only three hours each day can save $530 a year per heater.

The restaurant market can be tough, but rewarding all the same. Get the most out of using individualized systems and energy efficient restaurant machines to increase the return on investment. Every penny matters, and using our suggestions and others can support you in your business now and in the future.