Do you have a dehumidifier freezing up in your home? A dehumidifier is a machine designed to remove moisture and humidity from the surrounding environment by pulling air over cold coils. That way, water vapor from the air will condense and turn into liquid water, which drips into a bucket or tank.
Dry air is all that is left after the water vapor turns to liquid. The dehumidifier sends the dry air back out into the room to reduce the overall humidity level in the environment. If your dehumidifier is freezing up, you shouldn’t ignore it, as it can impact the functionality.
As dehumidifier system experts, our team at How To Filter has helped readers fix a frozen dehumidifier that isn’t working. Keep reading further to learn why your dehumidifier is freezing up and the solutions to the problem.
Frozen Coils Indicate a Problem
A dehumidifier uses a refrigeration system to keep the coils cold. However, the coils will never become frozen if they are functioning normally. So, if you see ice forming on the coils of your dehumidifier, it means that your dehumidifier is not working. Unless you fix the problem, the dehumidifier won’t produce dry air for the room.
Below are the top five reasons why the coils of your dehumidifier are freezing up:
Unstable or Inconsistent Airflow
A dehumidifier depends on constant airflow to travel over the coils to function normally. If air continues to pass over the coils, they won’t get too cold and freeze up. Unfortunately, there can be situations where something is blocking or restricting the airflow into the dehumidifier.
Remember that dehumidifiers have air filters that can accumulate hair, dust, debris, and other airborne particles from your room. If there is too much debris covering your dehumidifier’s air filter, then it will be difficult for air to pass through it.
Solution
Luckily, most dehumidifier air filters have washable screens. All you have to do is clean your air filter to remove all the debris and then put it back in your dehumidifier. That should solve the frozen coil problem in this scenario.
If your coils are still frozen after this, try repositioning your dehumidifier somewhere else in the room so that it is not too close to your furniture, walls, or any other object. Most experts recommend keeping the dehumidifier at least 12 inches away from anything else on all sides.
Cold Room Temperature
You’re supposed to use dehumidifiers in rooms with warm air, preferably above 65°F. If you use dehumidifiers in rooms with colder air under 65°F, the air cannot condense into water vapor when it passes over the coils. Instead, it will cause the air to freeze over the coils, which is why ice forms on them.
Solution
Check the thermostat to verify the temperature of the room. If the temperature is under 65°F, turn off your dehumidifier because you don’t need to use it when it is that cold in the room. Additionally, you can purchase a dehumidifier that has frost-control features for colder temperatures.
Sometimes, you may have warmer rooms in your home or building that don’t have access to air vents. If that is the case, place your dehumidifier in a warmer room above 65°F. Otherwise, wait until the normal room temperature gets warmer before using your dehumidifier.
Related Article: Does a Dehumidifier Work with the Windows Open?
Dirty Coils
Dehumidifier coils get dirty fast while they are in use. Even if you clean your air filter regularly, the coils could still be exposed to some level of dirt and dust particles in the air. Over time, the coils will accumulate too much debris, making it difficult for warm air to make contact with them directly. Once this happens, the coils will become too cold and form ice.
Solution
Make it a habit to clean your dehumidifier coils regularly. You should also clean the filter, fans, and exterior to ensure that all dirt, dust, and other debris particles are out of your dehumidifier unit. It is the best way to ensure that your coils remain as clean as possible for the air passing over them.
Worn Out Fan Motor
If you have been using your dehumidifier for many months or years, there will come a point when the fan motor eventually wears out. The fan motor, of course, is the primary component that allows the fan and blower wheel to function so that they can pull in air and let out air.
If the fan motor fails, the dehumidifier cannot circulate air through its coils to remove moisture and produce dry air. That means the coils will freeze up because they are not exposed to constant airflow.
Solution
The only two possible solutions in this situation are to repair or replace the fan motor. If you have had your dehumidifier for a long time, then you will probably need to replace the broken fan motor with a new one. The repair technician can make this determination after examining your dehumidifier.
A functional fan motor will allow air to circulate through your dehumidifier again. Then, your coils won’t freeze up anymore.
Worn Out Blower Wheel
Some airflow problems in your dehumidifier may be attributed to a worn-out or broken blower wheel. A dehumidifier depends on a blower wheel to pull in warm air and push out dry air. So, if the blower wheel doesn’t work, then warm air cannot flow over your coils.
Solution
The first thing you should try to do is clean the blower wheel. Sometimes, the blower wheel may accumulate too much dirt and debris that needs to be removed from it so that it can function normally again.
If cleaning the blower wheel doesn’t fix the problem, then you will likely need to replace it because it is broken. It is much cheaper to replace a blower wheel than a fan motor, so this problem is less severe than a faulty fan motor.
Conclusion
It takes some effort to maintain the function and integrity of a dehumidifier unit. The main things you must remember are to keep the room temperature above 65°F and clean your air filters, coils, fans, and other internal components.
It is also recommended to keep your dehumidifier activated for a minimum of ten minutes before shutting it off. Otherwise, the unit won’t have time to drain the water vapor from the coils. Following these tips will ensure your dehumidifier stops freezing and continues to function properly.