My dehumidifier ices up, even when it is above freezing, why? It did it last year in the winter. I don't want to throw the dehumidifier in the trash, but how do I fix it?
It is a 50 pint kenmore sears dehumidifier. Seems to work well most of the time. I don't want to have to heat my whole basement so the dehumidifier won't ice up. Any advice would be helpful before winter comes.
Dehumidifier ices up answer to your question by: Lisa- site expert
Hi, There are a few things that could make a dehumidifier ice up. First, the condenser fins could be dirty. The dirt that has collected on the fins won't allow the water to fall off as it should to dehumidify the air. You will need to clean the fins if you think that is why the dehumidifier ices up. If you don't still have the manual, it's probably online, to check to see how to take it apart to clean it.
Next the sensor cooling coils could prevent the it from stopping when the dehumidifier ices up at first. These can get corroded and not work properly, again consult your manual how to fix these. When the unit doesn't stop when it should, the result could be it ices up.
Finally, dehumidifiers will often freeze up if the temps get below 50-55 degrees. Even though it's not freezing, it's still too cold for the dehumidifier. They sell low temp dehumidifiers that can operate in temps down to 40 degrees.
