How do you clean dehumidifier coils - Frigidaire FDL50R1 Dehumidifier

There are two major causes of a dehumidifier or air conditioner to freeze up the evaporator coil. First is lack of air flow try cleaning or replacing the air filter if it has one; make sure the fan is running and the coils are clean. Second is a low charge of refrigerant requiring a refrigerant leak check; repair and recharge. A slight overcharge will keep a dehumidifier from freezing in cooler ambient temperatures.

Hello Friend, thank you for your post!

I see that you would like to know how to clean the coils on your Frigidaire dehumidifier and that it is no longer collecting water. The best way to clean the coils is by using a brush attachment from your vacuum. Typically there are one or two reasons why your dehumidifier is not collecting water. Either the setting might be set too high or not enough moisture in the room. I suggest changing the set point to a lower setting. As humidity drops in the room the amount of water will decrease and very little water may be generated even when in continuous mode. If these basic troubleshooting tips prove ineffective, then your dehumidifier may possibly have system issues. Is your dehumidifier still in warranty? If so, you might want to reach out directly to the manufacturer to determine the coverage on your dehumidifier and the procedures to any potential remedy in that regard. Best - Z

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

A dehumidifier works just the way an air conditioner works but in a reverse manner. If you encounter a problem with your dehumidifier then it would be repaired the same way you would repair an air conditioner. As such a dehumidifier does not require much cleaning apart from changing the filter. When the filter and coils of the dehumidifier are choked with dirt, it may not pull out moisture from the air properly. The efficiency of the dehumidifier gets decreased and the only solution is, to clean it thoroughly. In order to assist you with the cleaning procedure of a dehumidifier, following are a few tips:

1. Remove the water tank/container and clean it after draining the water. Depending on the usage the container must be cleaned regularly.
   
   
   
2. Cleaning or changing the filter is also important for the main function of ensuring a healthy atmosphere is performed by the filter. Mix some bleach with warm soapy and clean the filter. It will help to get rid of the bacteria, molds and mildew.
   
   
   
3. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the evaporative coil/hot coil. Scrub off the dirt using a brush but make sure that you don’t bend the fins while cleaning.
   
   
   
4. Clean the condenser or the cold coil the same way. If the humidifier is working in a room where the temperature is below 60 degrees Fahrenheit then check the coils whether it is not icing up.
   
   
   
5. See to it whether the fins are bent or not, if they are bent then straighten them out using a fin comb otherwise it might obstruct the effective working of the dehumidifier.
   
   
   
6. And yes do not forget to clean the fan blades and other parts of the dehumidifier.
   
   
   
7. Keeping in mind the humidity level of your room, sets the humidistat of the dehumidifier as keeping it too low or too high may only make the dehumidifier to run longer than necessary.

Also before you start with the work of cleaning the dehumidifier, make sure that it has been unplugged.

you must also clean the fins on the front. remove the plastic case and use compressed air or coil cleaner to clean out the dust and dirt on the condenser coils. if there is not enough air flow, the freon will not cool enough.

Most dehumidifiers do not have an air filter and periodic coil cleaning is required. Remove the plastic housing and clean coils with water or air. Be sure unit is unplugged and dry before plugging back into the wall soket.

Clean the filter.

Are the coils clean? If it has a filter is it clean? If yes to both, it has lost (leaked) refrigerant and it's time to buy a new dehumidifier. If the leak can be found it probably wouldn't be repairable and would cost more to fix than it's worth.

First you would need to clean the filter. LG recommends cleaning the filter every 2 weeks on their dehumidifiers. The second thing you need to do is clean the coils periodically. On this dehumidifier it should include a brush for cleaning the coils. It is located on the top of the bucket. To access the coils the following needs to be done:

1.) Unplug the unit from power
2.) Remove the bucket and also the air filter
3.) Remove the front pannel by removing the 2 lower screws and depressing the tabs.
4.) Once the panel is removed you will see the coils. You need to clean them with the brush. Go in an up and down motion to remove the dirt and dust.

Now use the reverse steps to put it back together. If your dehumidifier runs often I recommend you clean the coils about every 3 to 4 months. This is a common problem on alot of dehumidifiers and people think their dehumidifier is broken. Most of the time the coils are just dirty which causes the water to stay between them and freeze. Keep me posted. Also if you found this response helpful, please rate this solution when you get a chance. Thanks - Tech101

Odors are generally caused by stagnant water or chronically dirty condenser coils. 1) Unplug the unit. 2) Empty the reservoir, mop up any damp areas, and clean the coils with a brush and a garden hose. Note: You can have a dehumidifier's coils steam-cleaned at an appliance-repair or auto-repair shop, but if you do this, have the unit checked after the cleaning to be sure the electrical components haven't been disturbed. Allow to dry in a warm place for at least 24 hours.