Commercial Kitchen AC Sizing Calculator

Need to size the air conditioning for a commercial kitchen? Kitchens carry a high appliance heat load — ovens, ranges, fryers, and refrigeration all dump heat into the space — so they use about a 30 BTU/sq ft factor, higher than living areas. Comfort cooling in a kitchen works alongside, not instead of, proper exhaust ventilation. The calculator below is pre-set to a commercial kitchen at 200 sq ft — a commercial kitchen that size typically needs about a 0.75 Ton AC (7,260 BTU/hr, 2.1 kW) in a moderate climate. Enter your own area for an instant answer.

Unique HVAC Demands for a Commercial Kitchen

When calculating the AC tonnage for a Commercial Kitchen, standard residential square-footage rules of thumb will lead to disastrously incorrect sizing. This is because a Commercial Kitchen introduces highly specific internal heat loads, specifically: extreme sensible heat from ovens/stoves and massive exhaust hood makeup air.

Commercial kitchens are perhaps the most challenging HVAC environments. The AC must be carefully balanced with the exhaust hoods; otherwise, negative pressure will pull unconditioned air from outside or dining areas, destroying efficiency. Use the calculator below to factor in these unique commercial variables and get an accurate estimate of the required cooling capacity.

Commercial Kitchen AC Size by Floor Area

Typical AC tonnage for a commercial kitchen with an 8-foot ceiling and average conditions. Heavy equipment, high occupancy, or a hot climate will push these up — adjust those in the calculator:

Sizing AC for a Commercial Kitchen — What to Consider

Exhaust hoods and make-up air do the heavy lifting for grease and combustion heat; the AC handles the remaining ambient load. Use the appliance and equipment fields in the calculator to add the cooking-equipment heat, and never rely on AC alone to control a commercial kitchen. The calculator applies the commercial kitchen heat-gain factor automatically; use the advanced fields (occupants, equipment, appliances, ventilation) to match your exact space, and remember an oversized unit short-cycles and dehumidifies poorly — right-sizing gives better comfort and lower running cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size AC do I need for a commercial kitchen? A 200 sq ft commercial kitchen typically needs about a 0.75 Ton AC (7,260 BTU/hr) in a moderate climate; scale up or down with your floor area per the chart above.

How much AC does a kitchen need? About 30 BTU/sq ft plus appliance heat, and always alongside a proper exhaust hood and make-up air system — the AC handles ambient comfort, not grease-laden cooking heat.

How many BTU per square foot for a commercial kitchen? Roughly 30 BTU/sq ft as a starting factor, before adjusting for climate, ceiling height, occupancy, and equipment heat.

Related: refrigeration cycle diagram and components explained.