If you are living in a place with relatively higher humidity, nothing is more frustrating than finding out that your dehumidifier has freezing up on it and is no longer working.
So, what causes a dehumidifier to freeze up? There are two main factors that can make your dehumidifier to freeze, and these are room temperature and flow of air.
Knowing how to address these causes can help ensure that your unit will not freeze up and no serious damages will be incurred.
You can’t help but wonder why it happens in the first place and what can be done to stop it.
You probably know by now that excessive humidity inside your home can lead to furniture damages, mold growth, dampness, and can have a negative effect on small kids or even adults with health conditions.
This is the reason why it is a must that you ensure that your dehumidifier is functioning properly all the time so that it will work just when you need it to remove the excess moisture in your home.
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Top Causes of Ice Formation on a Dehumidifier
There are numerous factors which can come into play here. But, narrowing things down and observing your personal environment will help you determine what is really happening.
The Temperature of Your Room
Among the main causes behind the freezing up of a dehumidifier is the temperature of the specific room where it is located.
Many units can work just fine in rooms that have a temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
But, when the temperature of the airdrops lower than this, your unit may turn frozen and stop working.
Air is being pulled into the dehumidifier through a vent.
While it travels through, cold metal coils can make the air in water condense and drop into the collection reservoir or get pumped out through the hose.
It can work very well if there is a higher temperature but when it gets very cold, the water vapor is going to freeze instead of condensing that can cause problems later on.
Flow of Air
One more reason why your dehumidifier freezes up is the airflow through your unit.
When your fan doesn’t turn well or you have a blocked condenser, it can prevent the air from flowing through the dehumidifier quickly enough.
When you properly and regularly maintain your unit, you will notice these problems right away and you can easily replace or clean the part as required.
If your dehumidifier is starting to ice up, make sure that you refrain from using it right away. If you continue to use it even if the coils have frozen over, further damages might only happen.
The compressor or motor unit will need to work much harder and this might get overwhelmed and burned out.
If you think that your dehumidifier no longer works as it should, the unit is producing more noise than usual, or the levels of humidity are starting to increase, disconnect the appliance and check if it needs any maintenance.
How to Prevent a Dehumidifier from Freezing Up
There are a few things that can be done so that your dehumidifier will not freeze up then defrost it if it does.
Fan Blade/Blower Wheel
When your dehumidifier’s coils have frozen up, yet the room temperature is more than 65 degrees Fahrenheit, there might be an issue with your fan blade or blower wheel.
These two parts control eh airflow needed to prevent condenser coils from turning frozen.
When you already finished cleaning the air filter but no air flows through the grill, you can also remove first the fan cover in order to have a closer inspection of the coils.
Take your time in cleaning off any debris or dust which can prevent air flow.
Check the blower wheel or fan blade to ensure that nothing is getting in the way. If they seem damaged, you will have to replace these. If not, clean them with care.
You will want to move its fan motor manually to ensure that it does move before you turn on the power of the unit.
Humidity Controls
When your dehumidifier coils have frozen yet your room temperature is over 65 degrees Fahrenheit, there might be an issue with humidity control.
The control, called the humidistat, is similar to a thermostat as it monitors the room’s humidity level. The humidistat’s electrical contacts turn on the unit’s compressor.
When the humidistat fails to function properly, the compressor will stay on, thus freezing up the coils.
Aside from this, the electrical contacts might also wield shut that can lead to the same problem. For troubleshooting your humidistat, you will have to disconnect the unit’s power first.
Turn on the humidistat dial then listen for that clicking noise which means that it is functioning as required. You can also test the humidistat with a multi-meter.
Don’t forget that when you rotate the control, the contacts must be open circuit.
You will have to replace them if they are not.
Fan Motor
If your dehumidifier’s coils are freezing up and the room temperature is over 65 degrees Fahrenheit, the problem may have something to do with the fan motor.
It is the part of the unit that maintains the free flow of air to avoid the coils from turning frozen.
If you like to troubleshoot the fan motor, you will have to inspect the grille for the flow of air and ensure that there is no debris or dirt clogging the air filter.
Detach the fan cover and search for signs of damage. Use this time to clean any dirty parts and ensure that the motor moves freely without blockages.
Turn the dehumidifier to fan mode then pay attention to the fan’s operation. Be extra careful when doing this. Replace the fan if it spins slowly or it is not spinning at all.
You see, your dehumidifier can freeze up because of several reasons but you can also do several things with no need to call in a professional who will troubleshoot your unit.
Determine what is happening with your unit before replacing or throwing it out. For all you know, all it takes is an easy fix and you can return to breathing in light, fresh, and clean air.
