Reasons Your Dehumidifier’s Freezing up and Easy Ways You Can Fix It

You’ll know when your dehumidifier has stopped working when it flashes an error code or if your room’s humidity levels suddenly rise. 

If you’re wondering what’s wrong, it’s most likely that your is dehumidifier freezing up. It’s a common problem dehumidifiers face so don’t be too surprised when this happens to your appliance. 

Still, a broken dehumidifier is a great inconvenience. What can you do to fix the issue?

How to Fix a Frozen Dehumidifier

To fix your frozen dehumidifier, turn the appliance off, remove its cover, clean its air filters, and wait for the ice on the coils to melt away. 

You must also increase your room’s temperature before using the dehumidifier again. A too-cold room is mainly the cause of a dehumidifier freezing up.

However, if a higher room temperature doesn’t improve your dehumidifier’s frozen state, it’s time to take a closer look and see what’s troubling it.

See the different reasons why your dehumidifier’s coils are freezing up and learn how to address them below. 

Causes of Your Dehumidifier Freezing Up and Ways to Fix Them

Besides the cold, there are other factors that contribute to frozen dehumidifier coils such as broken components or dirty parts. Know what they are so you can prevent your dehumidifier from freezing again. 

Causes	Solution
Low room temperature	• Turn your dehumidifier off. • Get a thermometer and check the room’s current temperature. • See if the temperature is within the recommended level for dehumidifiers. • The temperature must be between 65°F and 80°F (18°C to 27°C). • Increase the room’s temperature by turning your air conditioning off.  • Check the temperature again after 30 minutes.  • Make sure that the room is no longer cold before turning on the dehumidifier again.
Broken humidistat	• First, disconnect your dehumidifier from its power source.  • Get a screwdriver. Unscrew and remove the dehumidifier’s cover. • Search for the humidistat near the dehumidifier’s control panel. • Check the humidistat for any signs of damage. • Carefully remove the wires connected to the humidistat.  • Remember the wire placements because you’ll connect them again to the humidistat later. • Unmount the broken humidistat from where it’s placed.  • Use a multimeter to test the humidistat.You can get a multimeter in any hardware store or appliance center. • Connect the humidistat to the ends of the multimeter’s probes. • Check the multimeter’s resistance reading, which should at least be 1000 ohms. • If the multimeter’s reading is lower than 1000 ohms, purchase a new humidistat from the hardware store. • Mount the new humidistat and reattach the wires. • Put the dehumidifier’s cover back.
Damaged fan motor	• Unplug your dehumidifier and remove its cover.  • Remove the fan’s panes by twisting the knob that’s securing it in place. • Continue twisting until the knob and fan panes are loose. • Reach for the fan motor and look for signs of damage such as cracks and loose wires. • Remove the wires but remember their placements. Unscrew the motor and carefully remove it. • Purchase a new fan motor for your dehumidifier from hardware stores, appliance centers, or online. • Connect the wires to your new fan motor and position it in place. • Attach the fan’s panes and secure it with the knob. • Put the dehumidifier’s cover back and plug it into your outlet.
Dirty air filters	• Turn your dehumidifier off and disconnect it from the power source.  • Remove its cover and find the air filter, which is the thin plastic mesh inside the appliance.  • Check if the filter is covered with dust. Remove the air filter for cleaning.  • Use screwdrivers to detach the filter if necessary. • Put the air filter under running water. Use soap and a brush to remove the dirt.  • Put the air filter aside and wait for it to dry. • When it’s finally dry, place the air filter back in your dehumidifier.  • Place the dehumidifier’s cover back.

You’ll have to inspect your dehumidifier’s interior to see if its components are doing fine. Follow the steps below so you can fix your dehumidifier and prevent it from freezing again. 

Low Room Temperature

The ideal room temperatures for dehumidifiers are between 65°F and 80°F (18°C to 27°C). 

If the room is too cold, the coils inside your dehumidifier will freeze and cause the appliance to malfunction.

Solution: Turn your dehumidifier off first to prevent it from freezing further. This will also help the ice on its coils to start melting away.

Fetch a thermometer to check the room’s temperature. See if it falls within the ideal temperature for dehumidifiers to operate. 

If the room temperature is not between 65°F and 80°F (18°C to 27°C), adjust the room’s temperature by turning your air conditioning off or your heater on.

Wait 30 minutes before checking the room’s temperature again. Ensure that the room is no longer cold before using your dehumidifier.

Broken Humidistat

The humidistat is responsible for maintaining optimal room moisture levels, ensuring they remain within the needed range.

If it gets broken, it can push your dehumidifier to excessively collect water or moisture, causing the coils to freeze.

Solution: Unplug your dehumidifier from its power source to avoid unsavory accidents while inspecting its interior. 

Remove its cover and locate the humidistat, which is near the control panel. See if there are any cracks or broken wires connected to it.

Next, test if the humidistat is still functioning well. You’ll need to purchase a multimeter from a hardware store if you don’t have one yet.

Carefully remove the wires connected to the humidistat but remember their placements for reassembly.

Unscrew and unmount the humidistat. Connect it to the ends of the multimeter’s probes to get a resistance reading. 

The humidistat’s resistance must at least be 1000 ohms. If it’s lower than 1000 ohms, you need to replace your humidistat. 

Purchase a new humidistat online or source a replacement from hardware stores. Once you have a new one, install it in your humidifier. 

Return the dehumidifier’s cover. 

Damaged Fan Motor

A damaged fan motor disrupts your dehumidifier’s airflow. Without enough airflow, the coils inside your appliance will have trouble draining water.

When the coils have prolonged exposure to moisture, they eventually freeze and cause the dehumidifier to malfunction. 

Solution: Disconnect your dehumidifier from the power source before removing its cover.

Twist the knob securing the fan’s panes in place until it’s loose enough to remove them. 

Reach for the fan motor behind it for inspection.

Before removing the wires from the fan motor, remember their placements for reassembly later. Then, detach the motor carefully for replacement.

Purchase a new dehumidifier fan motor. You can get one online or from hardware stores and appliance centers.

Attach the wires to the new fan motor the put it in place. Return the fan’s panes back and secure it with the knob.

After placing the fan back in place, put the dehumidifier’s cover and you’re all set.

Dirty Air Filter

Your dehumidifier’s air filters are very prone to dirt and dust build-up, which hinders the airflow. 

Restricted airflow will push the coils to work harder, accumulating more water that will eventually freeze the coils up. 

Solution: Unplug the dehumidifier from the power source then remove its cover. 

Look for the air filter. It is the thin mesh that’s usually located beneath the cover.

Unscrew and remove the air filter for cleaning. Place it under running water to remove the layers of dirt.

Scrub the filter using a brush and soap to make sure that it’s clean. Rinse it thoroughly before setting it aside to dry.

Wait for it to dry before attaching it back inside your dehumidifier. Screw it in place then return the appliance’s cover.

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Frozen dehumidifiers are a common problem and you’ll surely encounter them more than once. What’s important is that you know why your appliance is freezing up and how to fix it. 

Of course, if it’ll make you feel more confident and assured, don’t hesitate to ask for a technician’s help in fixing your dehumidifier. 

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