My dehumidifier is freezing up even though the basement is 68 degrees.

as with any freeze up of any unit (any mfg) there are a few things to look at first before consulting a profesional ,
1st ck your filter most units have a filter these are the most forgoten things when it comes to reg cleaning , remove it and run under tap shake excess water off and replace in unit
2nd is unit warm enoght to work air temp has to excede 68 degrees for these to work
3rd how old is unit if unit is over three years and has been largely neglected for cleaning and maint issues then overheating can cause gas charge to leak out and cause freeze ups , replacement is only option on this reason
4th setting: is unit large enoght to remove water from area if its undersize it runs too hard and never cycles off/on this causes freeze ups , purchase a small humidmeter to measure the area % rh 70%rh is considered normal for a home

IIt may very well be that the the air intake filter needs to be removed and cleaned. But, before doing this, turn the unit OFF & unplug it. Allow the unit to completely thaw, before removing the filter.Never operate the unit without the filter in place, As this could damage the unit.

Hope this helps you & thanks for choosing FixYa.

Hi,

Here is a tip that I wrote that will help you understand why and what you cando with a dehumidifier that ices up.

Dehumidifier is Freezing up and not working

heatman101

There are 5 basic, but solvable reasons for what you described. Please pay particular attention to numbers 1 & 2.

1. The humidity extraction level is set to HIGH. Lower it to 32-35%. If you have an analog unit, set
the humidity extraction knob on Maximum.

2. Air intake filter is dirty or clogged. Turn unit OFF, & Unplug the
Unit, before removing to inspect & clean it, if necessary. If washed,
allow filter to completely dry before reinstalling. DO NOT operate
the unit without the filter.

3. Obstructed air flow. Maintain a minimum of 12 to 18" of clear air
space around the entire unit.

4. Cooling coils are dirty and need to be cleaned. Use warm water & dish washing liquid to
clean the coils. Rinse and wipe dry. Apply a light coating of WD40 to the coils.

5. Ambient air temperature at floor level is between 40 - 60 degrees.
dehumidifiers do not work well between those temperatures
(Unless, you have a Low Temp Unit). This applies mainly to
where the air temperature at floor level is colder than at shoulder level
in basement applications. Raising the unit up off the floor,
onto a sturdy table, counter top, etc, that can handle the weight
of the unit, plus a full tank of water, will usually resolve this
problem.

I hope this helps you to further troubleshoot and solve the problem. Thanks for choosing FixYa.

Turn the Master ON/OFF Switch to OFF, unplug the unit and allow it to thaw out completely. You may want to put some old towels under it, to absorb the dripping water. Once it has completely thawed, remove the bucket, the air intake filter and the face of the cabinet. You should now have access to the coils. Clean them with a mild soap and warm water. Rinse and thoroughly dry the coils. Once they are totally dry, spray a very light film of WD40 on the coils and then wipe off any over spray. Reinstall all the remove parts and test the unit.

Keep in mind, if you are using the dehumidifier in a basement, the air temperature at floor level is colder than at chest level. Dehumidifiers don't work well between 40 & 60 degrees F. (Unless, they are a low temp unit). Any lower, the coils will freeze. Raise the unit up off the floor onto a sturdy table or counter top, that can hold the weight of the unit plus, a full tank of water. In a basement application, doing usually solves the problem of freezing coils.

If after doing all the above, the coils still freeze during operation, the compressor may below on freon and needs to be recharged. Or the defrost sensor on the unit, needs to be replaced.

Hope this helped you troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks.

clean filter and then check the coil behind the filter to see if clean. Biggest things that freeze a unit are dirty filter or coil...or low on freon.

Hi,
Dehumidifiers freezing up can be causes by a few different problems.
Here is a tip that I wrote to help people with the freezing dehumidifier problem....

Dehumidifier is Freezing up and not working
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4662033-dehumidifier_freezing_up_not_working

heatman101

this is most likely because of bad air flow... check your fans are working,, check your filters are clean

What do you have the humidity level set at on your dehumidifier? The average is 65%. Make sure you do not have it set at 75% because if you do this could be causing it to keep the humidity so high.

I believe a dehumidifier is supposed to operate in temps above 60 degrees. Even though your house is warmer than that, the air entering the dehimidifier may be getting into that range due to it being on a basement level etc. This is perfectly normal and is not a malfunction with your humidifier.

Your options are to either place the dehumidifier closer to a heat source in order to keep the air which is entering warmer. (I've even heard of someone placing a light bulb in front the unit during winter to warm the air slightly as it enters). Because the dehumidifier's coils get cold in order for it to collect moisture from the air, if they are freezing, giving the unit a rest for a few hours every few hours may allow the coils to thaw in between and prevent them from reaching freezing temperatures while running. You could use a timer to accomplish this, but you'll want to insure that it's a commercial grade timer in order to handle the electrical draw that the dehumidifier requires.