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The dehumidifier keeps saying "low humidity" and then shuts off. I don't think this is accurate. It is very humid outside and the basement feels very humid.
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Actually, your husband is correct. The settings reflect the amount of humidity you want to remain in the house. I really don't think you want to leave 50 to 60% humidity in the house.
35% removes the greatest amount of humidity.
Hope this helped answer your question and thanks for choosing FixYa.
Don, unless your dehumidifier is a Low temperature model, that very well may be the problem. The air temp in a basement at floor level is colder than that chest level. Dehumidifiers don't work well at temperatures at 40 degrees F or less. Raising the unit up off the floor on to a sturdy table, counter top, etc, that is strong enough to handle it's weight, plus a full tank of water, will generally solve the problem. The higher up you can safely put it, the better. Also, lower the humidity extraction level to 35%. As 50% is just not low enough in a basement application.
If the humidity level is at or lower than 30%, the unit won't turn ON, until the reaches 35 - 40%. It's rare for the sensors to go bad. Just keep in mind, the dehumidifier is reading the humidity near the floor, not up at say, chest level. Humidity levels change every season, so this really would not be that unusual. Make sure that your clean the air intake filter regularly. Cleaning and wiping down the coolant coils would be a good idea, too..
Keep
in mind, that a dehumidifier only draws humidity from the air, if the
level of humidity is higher than what the controls are set on. For
instance, if you have the dehumidifier set on 65 to 70%, that's a high
level of humidity to maintain in a house. If you have it set for 35 or
45%, that's a low level of humidity to maintain in a house. Which,
generally is what you want to maintain in the hot, humid summer months. Also, it's not uncommon on some dehumidifiers for the fan to almost run constantly. It's designed to keep the air moving, in a effort to detect when the humidity level rises.
Also, a dirty air intake filter makes the unit strain to
keep up and can't take in moisture as it should. So, if you haven't
cleaned the filter no is the time to check and clean it. And
while your at it, clean the cooling coils too. Since it sounds like this unit has been working hard for 2 weeks.
The easiest and
best way to test a dehumidifier at home, to see if it's working
properly. Is to place it in the bathroom and turn the shower ON and
don't operate the bathroom's exhaust fan. Set the humidity level low
(45%), turn the unit ON and close the door when you leave. Wait 15 to 25 minutes and check the water collection bucket. If there's water in it,
it's working as it should.
For more information on the proper operation of a dehumidifier, go to the Tips section of Fixya and look up "Taking the confusion out operating a dehumidifier".
Hope all this helps you troubleshoot and solve the problem. Please let me know. Thanks.
how warm is the basement,if the temp of the basement is lower than say 70 degrees,the unit will not function,true dirty coils can have this effect also and a refrigerant leak on these will cause the same result,if the temp is low,use a fan to move the air and this will help with your humidity problem too
If the room temperature is close to 60, the coils may be frozen (completely encased in ice). If this is the case, move it where the water can drain off - about 1 gallon which may NOT run into the drain bucket. I out mine over the floor drain. Turn off and it will defrost over night. Only specially made dehumidifiers work below a room temp of 60 degrees (the temp of a basement in winter). Does it need to be running? A digital humidity sensor from Radio Shack is cheap and may tell you the humidity is OK - only 50% or less.
If the room temperature is close to 60, the coils may be frozen (completely encased in ice). If this is the case, move it where the water can drain off - about 1 gallon which may NOT run into the drain bucket. I out mine over the floor drain. Turn off and it will defrost over night. Only specially made dehumidifiers work below a room temp of 60 degrees (the temp of a basement in winter). Does it need to be running? A digital humidity sensor from Radio Shack is cheap and may tell you the humidity is OK - only 50% or less.
Unless you live in a dry environment or place the unit in a hermetically sealed room, it probably will not turn off. As the air dries within the room, more moisture comes in with the air. As long as the air outside of the room is more humid than the room this will be true.
An electric dehumidifier includes a refrigeration cycle that is very similar to a window AC units and refrigerators. They cool the air in the basement to condense and collect water and remove humidity, heat the air as a required consequence of the refrigeration cycle and dump it back to your basement.
Two sources of humidity in basements include warm outside air that naturally cools due to below grade earth contact and water passing from the ground though the floors and walls and evaporating into the basement. Dehumidifiers do most of the work in the summer when higher temperatures outside enable air to hold more water content.
In the winter, cooler outside air contains less moisture by weight eventhough it may be raining and the relative humidity in basement will be less because the air is warmed relative to the outside. The lower moisture content in the winter also absorbs the water passing through the walls and floor.
From an energy perspective, you may want the humidity set NOT below 50%. This will keep humidity below the level mold desires, but prevents the dehumidifier from doing more work and eating more energy than needed. A cheap battery powered temp/humidy meter left in your basement will help. Sources that include the "mold triangle" (temperature, water & food) often separate fact from expensive hype.
If the dehumidifier doesn't keep up, consider adding a moisture barrier to the basement walls and floors such as Dry-lock and floor paints to ****** moisture entry. Moisture barriers act very similar with water as insulation does with heat. They don't eliminate the need for a dehumidifier, but they reduce the work they do and energy they eat.
You didn't say what humidity range you have it set for, or how damp of an area it is dehumidifying. The one in my basement also never shuts off and we have it set for the lowest humidity (meaning we don't want any down there). If you think it should be shutting off you might want to get another Humidistat they are $33.05 at this link, http://www.appliancefactoryparts.com/search/partinfo.php?partsID=278698&modelsID=118670&typeName=dehumidifier
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