Urgent
Kitchen Overheating During Service
An excessively hot kitchen during peak service hours can point to an undersized or failing HVAC system, or a hood exhaust system that isn't balancing make-up air properly.
How fast can we respond?
Standard request
Within 40h
Submit a request today, we coordinate a vetted provider and confirm your slot.
Request serviceBoh coverage
Zero effort
On coverage, this service is scheduled automatically — before it becomes a problem.
See coverage plansWhat to do
Within 24 to 48 hours, contact an HVAC technician and a commercial hood service provider to assess both systems simultaneously, since diagnosing one without the other rarely solves the problem. Document the conditions now: note the ambient temperature readings, the time of day, which equipment is running, and whether the issue is consistent or worsens during peak service. Do not wait for a scheduled maintenance cycle to address this.
What's causing it
The most common cause is a make-up air unit that is undersized, malfunctioning, or not balanced against the exhaust hood CFM output, creating negative pressure and trapping heat in the kitchen. Clogged grease filters in the hood restrict exhaust airflow and force heat back into the cooking line. HVAC units serving the kitchen may be undersized for the heat load of the equipment, or they may be running on degraded refrigerant charge, dirty coils, or failing compressors. In older kitchens, the HVAC and hood exhaust systems were never designed to work together, so any change in cooking volume or equipment layout will push temperatures above safe operating levels.
What happens if you wait
Sustained high kitchen temperatures accelerate staff fatigue and increase the risk of heat-related illness, which creates direct liability and can force you to pull workers off the line mid-service. Equipment running in an overheated environment degrades faster, particularly refrigeration units that work harder to maintain safe food temperatures and may fail during peak hours. If temperatures in the kitchen affect food holding equipment, you are exposed to a health code violation tied to temperature control for safety foods.
LA County Environmental Health requires that kitchens maintain conditions that protect food safety and worker health, and a documented pattern of overheating tied to equipment failure can support a notice of violation during inspection.
How Boh handles it
Boh dispatches a vetted, licensed provider to your location. Every visit is documented — before and after photos, service report, compliance certificate if applicable. You never chase a vendor.
Primary service
Restaurant HVAC Maintenance
Restaurant Hood Cleaning
A grease-blocked hood reduces make-up air and contributes to kitchen heat buildup
Need immediate repair?
Boh dispatches same-day for kitchen overheating during service-related repairs.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us what's happening and we'll route you to the right provider.