What Is a Coastal Humidity Load?

Humidity load — the latent portion of a cooling load — is the energy needed to remove moisture from indoor air, as distinct from the sensible load that lowers its temperature. In humid coastal climates latent load is a large share of the total, so a system must dehumidify as well as cool.

Also called: latent load · humidity load · moisture load

Why it matters to you

This is why a house on the Crystal Coast can be cold and still feel uncomfortable. If equipment is sized only against temperature, it satisfies the thermostat before it has removed much moisture, leaving damp air, condensation on surfaces and conditions that favour mould.

What to do about it

Longer run times at lower capacity remove more moisture than short bursts, which is the practical argument for correct sizing and variable-speed equipment. Where the system still cannot keep up, a dedicated whole-home dehumidifier addresses latent load directly.