Sensible Heat Load Calculator
Reviewed by Hamza Gujjar, Algorithm Architect & Software Developer
Last updated: July 27, 2026What sensible heat load measures
Sensible heat load is the portion of total cooling or heating load that changes air temperature directly, as opposed to latent heat load, which changes humidity without changing the thermometer reading.
Worked example
For 1000 CFM of airflow across a 20 F temperature difference:
Q(sensible) = 1.08 x 1000 x 20 = 21,600 BTU/hr
Frequently asked questions
Where does the 1.08 constant come from? It is derived from standard air density (0.075 lb/cubic ft) and the specific heat of air (0.24 BTU per lb per F), multiplied by 60 minutes per hour - the combined constant lets technicians skip re-deriving those physical properties every time.
How does this relate to total HVAC load? Total system load is the sum of sensible heat load and latent heat load together - a system sized only for sensible load without accounting for latent load (humidity removal) will often struggle to control indoor humidity even if temperature control seems fine.