Home-Wizard.com Guide to Dehumidifier Maintenance including free automatic reminders

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Interactive Home Maintenance Guide

To maintain the energy efficiency, safety, and useful life of your dehumidifier, it is important that your home maintenance program include the proper maintenance for your dehumidifier.

A dehumidifier uses components much like a refrigerator's, to remove water from moist air and condense the water into a collection pan. Dehumidifying the air makes a room feel more comfortable at the same temperature. Like air conditioners and refrigerators, dehumidifiers require a trained technician to work on the refrigeration components. See also: Humidifier, Room Air Conditioner, Central Air Conditioning, and Basements.

Shown below are the recommended routine maintenance tasks for your dehumidifier.

Learn to enjoy managing your home with our free Newsletter or our free Automatic Maintenance Reminders. We can also show you the Recommended Maintenance Schedules for your entire home.


		Maintenance Task: Perform annual maintenance

		How do you perform annual maintenance for a dehumidifier?
		Check you manufacturer's recommendations and unplug the unit before doing any work on the unit. Annual maintenance on a dehumidifier typically includes: Replace or clean the air filter: Remove the access panel and replace or wash the air filter. Clean the collection pan: The unit will contain a collection pan for holding the condensate water. Even if you empty the pan regularly, you should still wash it periodically with soap and water or a disinfectant in accordance with your manufacturer's recommendation. Clean the condenser coils: The condenser coils are behind the exhaust grill. Use a vacuum to remove dust on and between the coils. Lubricate the fan motor: Follow the manufacturer's directions on how to apply oil to the fan motor. Check fan and motor hardware: Check for any looseness of the fan or motor nuts and bolts and tighten if necessary. If the unit has a pipe that goes from the collection pan to a drain, ensure that the pipe is connected properly and secured so that water does not leak out.

		Why is it important to perform annual maintenance for a dehumidifier?
		The above annual maintenance will help the dehumidifier operate more efficiently (saving energy), help keep it disinfected, and will help extend its useful life.

		How often should you perform annual maintenance for a dehumidifier?
		The dehumidifier maintenance should be conducted annually in May before the hot summer months.

		How does Home-Wizard rate the costs and benefits for this task?
		The cost of this task is moderate. It is estimated that this task should take about 60 minutes to complete. According to your manufacture's recommendation, you will need soap and water, a disinfectant, a vacuum with an upholstery attachment, and some lubricating oil.

		The benefits of this task are moderately high. Doing this task help your dehumidifier operate more energy efficiently, help keep it disinfected, and will help extend its useful life.

		Overall Home-Wizard benefit-versus-cost rating (one 'hat' = low and four 'hats' = high):

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS from "Ask-the-Wizard":

QUESTION from "Lsilic":

What does it mean when the coils on a dehumidifier frost up? Do I need to performance maintenance on the unit. Is there any hazards associated with the coils frosting up.
can I clean out mildew that has accumulated under the vinyl strip that holds the glass to the shower tile?

ANSWER:

Lsilic:

The answers to your questions depend on whether the frosting of the evaporator coils is complete and even, or is it just partially frosted? A dehumidifier should definitely not be operated with the coils are totally frosted over, as this can damage the compressor.

If your problem is that the coil is completely frosting over, then the problem is not likely a maintenance problem, but rather it is because the room temperature is too low for this particular unit. Most dehumidifiers are not designed to be used when the room temperature is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there are models called "basement" dehumidifiers that are designed to operate at lower temperatures. So you might have to change to one of these models. If the temperature of the room that you have your dehumidifier in is just slightly below 70 degrees, then you might try elevating the unit off the floor to where the temperature in the room will be a little higher (since hot air rises), or you might try placing a fan where it can blow warmer air on the unit.

On the other hand, if you are seeing just a partial frosting of your evaporator coils, then this could be an indication that either your unit is running low on refrigerant, or that the compressor is failing (or the controls for the compressor are faulty.

We hope this is helpful.
Home-Wizard.com
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