1. Pressurization: How to Optimize Your Restaurant
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2. Building pressure affects:
Guest comfort
Energy costs
HVAC equipment life

3. DIY Pressure Balance Test
Flame test steps:
Slightly open a door or window in the area you want to test.
Strike a lighter in the crack.
If the flame is drawn inside, you have negative building pressure.
If the flame is drawn outside, you have positive building pressure.
A slight positive pressure is ideal.
– About .01” to .02” water column measured with a digital manometer.

4. Symptoms of Pressure Imbalance
Unwanted odors or smoke in dining area from the kitchen
Kitchen hoods underperform
Back drafting water heaters
Exterior doors difficult to open
moisture, corrosion or melted plastic on top of water heater
Exterior doors don’t close completely
Room temperature difficult to maintain
Condensation dripping from the ceiling diffusers

5. Real Costs of Building Pressure Imbalance
Poor Indoor environment quality (IEQ) = fewer patrons, fewer covers and less revenue
>10%
Utility cost waste
Up to 33%
Reduction in HVAC equipment life, as system works overtime to compensate for pressure imbalance

6. How to Optimize Your Building’s Pressure Balance
Economizers on Rooftop Units (RTUs)
Optimize “free cooling” and indoor air quality from outdoor air intake.
Differential Pressure Sensors
Measure relative pressure of building interior vs. exterior.
Demand-control ventilation (DCV)
Measure CO2 levels to optimize outdoor air intake.