# Restaurant HVAC in Hamilton and Niagara > Lancaster Heating and Cooling installs, maintains and repairs heating, cooling and make-up air for restaurants across Hamilton and Niagara. It balances kitchen exhaust with make-up air, keeps dining rooms comfortable with properly sized rooftop units, runs gas lines for new equipment, schedules work around service hours and is on call 24/7. Source: https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/commercial/restaurants/ Last updated: 2026-11-02 A restaurant asks more of its heating and cooling than almost any other business. The kitchen produces heat and grease all day, the hood pulls out large volumes of air, and the dining room has to stay comfortable through every service. When something fails on a Friday night, it can't wait for Monday. Lancaster Heating and Cooling looks after restaurant HVAC across Hamilton, Halton and Niagara, and our technicians are on call 24/7. [Request a Restaurant HVAC Quote](https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/quote/?inquiry=commercial-project) ## What restaurants need from their HVAC - **Make-up air to match the hood.** Without it, doors are hard to open, the hood doesn't draw and gas appliances can backdraft. See [make-up air](https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/commercial/make-up-air/). - **Cooling sized for the kitchen and the dining room.** They have very different loads. See [rooftop units](https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/commercial/rooftop-units/). - **Gas lines** for new or relocated equipment. See [gas line services](https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/gas-lines/). - **Hot water** for dishwashing and cleaning, from high-capacity tank or tankless water heaters. See [water heaters](https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/water-heaters/). - **More frequent maintenance.** Grease and moisture load filters and coils faster than in an office. See [commercial preventive maintenance](https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/commercial/maintenance/). ## Opening, renovating or taking over a space A new restaurant in a space that used to be retail or an office almost always needs HVAC changes: more cooling, make-up air for the hood and gas for the kitchen. Bring us in while the layout is still being planned. We'll check whether the existing rooftop equipment can handle the new use, fabricate ductwork in our own shop and coordinate the gas and electrical. See [construction and tenant fit-outs](https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/commercial/construction/). ## Repairs that keep you open We service all brands of commercial equipment, with fast access to repair parts from all manufacturers. When a unit keeps failing, we'll tell you straight whether another repair or a replacement makes more sense. See [commercial HVAC repair](https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/commercial/repair/). No cooling or no heat? Call **905-388-3333**, day or night. ## Restaurant HVAC questions ### Why is our kitchen hot while the dining room is cold? Cooking equipment gives off a lot of heat, so the kitchen and the dining room need very different amounts of cooling and heating. If one unit or one thermostat serves both, one side is always uncomfortable. Exhaust without enough make-up air makes it worse by pulling outdoor air in through the doors. The fix may be rebalancing, separate equipment for each area, or make-up air. We'll look at the whole building before recommending anything. ### How often should restaurant HVAC filters be changed? More often than in most buildings. Cooking adds grease and moisture to the air, which loads filters and coats coils faster. We'll recommend a schedule based on your menu, hours and equipment. Coils need checking too, not just filters. ### Can you work outside our service hours? Yes. We plan installations, crane lifts and noisy work around your hours, so you can stay open. Tell us when you're busiest and when you're closed when you [request a quote](https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/quote/?inquiry=commercial-project). ### What should we do if the air conditioning fails during service? Call us at any hour. While you wait, check that the thermostat is set to cool and that the unit's breaker or disconnect hasn't tripped (don't reset it more than once). Keep the hood running as normal, and if you smell gas, get everyone out and call 911 and the gas utility from outside. ### Can you run gas lines for new kitchen equipment? Yes. Our licensed gas technicians install new gas lines and extensions and connect equipment. See [gas line services](https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/gas-lines/). ## Customer reviews > "Serviced our restaurant serval times. One of the service calls was a repeat issue from the past and they didn’t charge us for it. Finding skilled and honest service providers is nearly impossible these days. Lancaster has earned our trust for years to come!" — Rony Shamoun, Google, July 2025 --- **Lancaster Heating and Cooling** — HVAC contractor serving Hamilton, Niagara and surrounding areas since 1955. Phone (24/7 emergency): 905-388-3333 · Email: info@lancasterhvac.ca Address: 1250 Stone Church Rd. E, Hamilton, ON L8W 2C8, Canada · Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:00AM – 4:30PM Request a quote: https://lancasterheatingandcooling.ca/quote/